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Best unique Valentine's Day gift

Which unique Valentine's Day gift is best?

Valentine’s Day is a holiday that follows tradition. The most common Valentine's Day gift is flowers, most often roses. Because florists sell so many roses on Valentine’s Day, the prices are high. The sentiment is good, but there is nothing original or unique about it. A chocolate gift box is another traditional Valentine's Day gift and is hardly unique.

If this is the year you want your Valentine's Day gift to stand out as something unique and memorable, you will have to take off your rose-colored glasses and think outside the box. If you are looking for a way to surprise your mate with a daily dose of love messages, take a look at Love Messages in a Bottle. The 50 love messages come in capsules with a gift card written like a prescription.

What to know before you buy a unique Valentine's Day gift

It’s the thought that counts

We all know the adage, “It’s the thought that counts.” Valentine’s Day gifts are more about being thoughtful than about the gifts themselves. But it can’t hurt to have the gift be something special, too.

An experience

More and more people find great joy in experiencing things. They enjoy gifts that keep on giving. Roses will die, and candy gets eaten, but gifts that stick around are daily reminders of one partner's love for another. 

Anything but red hearts

Look for gifts that go beyond red hearts on gifts of all kinds. Hearts are things that stamp your gifts as being tied only to Valentine’s Day. Look for gifts that say, “You are someone who I love and care deeply about every day.”

What to look for in a quality, unique Valentine's Day gift

Make it special

The best gifts are often the ones that involve things that your partner loves. Gardening gifts will get used over and over again. Each time your loved one digs in the dirt, they will think of you. If your loved one has never been to the Great Pyramids, find a gift about ancient Egypt. Something as simple as a daily love note or a spoon to stir coffee will trigger memories of you over and over again.

Make it last

The thought we are expressing on Valentine’s Day is love, pure and simple. Valentine’s Day is only once a year, and if your love is everlasting, choose a gift that lasts long beyond when the flowers get tossed along with the empty candy box. A special Valentine’s Day gift need not be extravagant, but it should be something that lasts.

How much you can expect to spend on a unique Valentine's Day gift

You can find hundreds of simple gifts for anywhere from $10 and up. Gifts tailored to your loved one’s interests will cost $20-$100.

Unique Valentine's Day gift FAQ

How did Valentine’s Day become a holiday?

A. Valentine’s Day is technically St. Valentine’s Day. All around the world, each Feb. 14, lovers, partners and spouses give and receive gifts, traditionally flowers and candy, in the name of St. Valentine, the patron saint of love. Valentine was sent to jail for performing weddings when weddings were outlawed by the emperor Claudius in ancient Rome. He sent his daughter a note that thanked her for being his friend and signed it “From your Valentine.” The choice of Feb. 14 as the date is thought to be related to an ancient Roman celebration.

What if my spouse expects roses?

A. There is no limit to the number of gifts people who love each other can give and receive on Valentine’s Day. Go ahead and send flowers to keep with tradition and then present them with a gift that is so unique that it makes this Valentine’s Day one of the most memorable.

What are the best unique Valentine's Day gifts to buy?

Top unique Valentine's Day gift

Love Messages in a Medicine Bottle

What you need to know: Surprise your mate with a daily dose of love messages.

What you’ll love: Inside the shatterproof plastic jar that looks like your prescription from the pharmacy are 50 capsules. Inside each is a piece of tightly rolled colored paper about four inches long. Pull the capsule apart, unroll the paper and read one love message each day from your loved one, such as “You carry my heart with you wherever you go” and “May the moon kiss you to sleep.” Included is a prescription card. 

What you should consider: This unique Valentine's Day gift is made for long-distance messages, but if you want to add an extra personal touch, replace the preprinted messages with ones you write yourself.

Where to buy: Sold by Amazon

Top unique Valentine's Day gift for money

3D Stereo View Master Classic Viewer with Reels Discovery: Endangered Species 

What you need to know: Anyone who likes to combine adventure with nostalgia will enjoy this slide viewer that allows you to see images in 3D.

What you’ll love: View Masters are handheld plastic stereoscopes that display one image to your left eye and another image to your right eye. These pairs of slides produce what appears to be a single image but in three dimensions.

What you should consider: The endangered species theme is only one of the hundreds you can collect to watch on your viewfinder. Next Valentine’s Day, give a gift of new slide discs.

Where to buy: Sold by Amazon

Worth checking out

Stir Your Tea and Think of Me Long Distance Valentine's Gift

What you need to know: It’s not just the thought that counts. It’s how long the thought stays with them, too.

What you’ll love: This high-quality stainless steel teaspoon is seven inches long and dishwasher safe. The message, stir your tea and think of me, is engraved to industrial standards and the impression will remain after one billion washes. 

What you should consider: Some wished this spoon for fond remembrances was made of sterling silver.

Where to buy: Sold by Amazon

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David Allan Van writes for BestReviews. BestReviews has helped millions of consumers simplify their purchasing decisions, saving them time and money.

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