Healthy Living

GREAT VALENTINE GIFTS ON A BUDGET

The best valentines aren’t always pricey or exotic, but sincere expressions of affection. Creativity and personalization wins over costliness any day. If your budget is tight this Valentine’s Day, try these ideas for your sweetheart:

1. Burn a CD of your favorite tunes as a couple. Create a playlist that brings back happy memories or for a particular occasion: road trip music, studying tunes, songs with a beat for working out or running.
   
   
2. Frame a special photo of the two of you, or a favorite special place. Tuck a love letter behind the photo. It’s like getting two gifts instead of one.
   
   
3. If it’s realistic and affordable, take your sweetie to the place you met, or the place you fell in love. Even if it’s a park and February 14 brings cold and snow, the romantic gesture will mean everything. Bring hot chocolate!
   
   
4. There’s nothing like a handmade gift. If you are artistic, a small drawing, collage, photograph, or graphic design of your loved one’s name will be cherished. Create a scrapbook of memories for them, or start one they can finish if they enjoy making scrapbooks. Write a poem or a song for them. Create a funny video and post it on YouTube. Knit a scarf. Just remember to start far enough in advance if the project is time consuming!
   
   
5. Give your loved one the gift of your time. Let her sleep in while you watch the kids. Hire a babysitter for a whole day so the two of you can visit a museum, or have lunch, take a walk, see a matinee. Enjoy the luxury of uninterrupted time together.
   
   
6. Make a list of 50 things you love about him or her. Roll it up and tie it with a satin ribbon, or place it next to their cup of morning coffee.
   
   
7. Speaking of morning coffee, how about making your true love breakfast in bed?
   
   
8. Likewise, there’s nothing like dinner for two cooked with love. Even if you aren’t an expert chef, you can create a simple, tasty meal (order some of it in!) Set a beautiful table with real napkins and a tablecloth, Light a few candles, and put on some romantic music to play softly in the background. Dim the lights and you’ve got a recipe for romance. Just like the movies.
   
   
9. If the idea of making a special dinner is too daunting, bake them their favorite cake, and spell out “I love you _____” or some other sentiment with candy hearts on top.
   
   
10. If you’re unattached on Valentine’s Day, get a group of other single friends together for a potluck supper. The restaurants will be crowded with depressingly romantic couples, anyway. Create your own brand of fun at home.