The gifts of lovers to one another are, in respect to love,
nothing but forms; yet, they testify to invisible love.
~Rumi~
Happy Valentine’s Day! I notice that when it comes to thinking of gifts to give for special occasions, I sometimes feel a pressure to give something unique and out of the ordinary and, often, I have no idea what to get…especially for my husband.
He’s a man who loves to give. Very seldom does he ask for anything. In fact, he’s happy with the little things in life. One thing he enjoys is experiences. He likes making memories. Most of all, he truly loves giving me new experiences as gifts, like new places to eat, surprise visits to the theater, dark nights in the planetarium viewing the night sky, and so much more. For example, he once took me to ride a horse at the ocean. Since I love horses, it was an out-of-this-world experience. I was thankful to him and the horse as well as the guide who led me on my magical sunset adventure.
I am so loved and it is my joy to share my love in as many ways as I can
Meanwhile, this brings me back to what kind of gifts I give my husband. For instance, he likes simple, and I love creative, so I have a few things I given him over the years that are both. Here are three ideas from my heart to yours that may inspire you to dream up something magical for the one you love, not just for Valentine’s Day but for any time you want to celebrate your love. I gave these gifts on birthdays and anniversaries, and they will be just as sweet in the form of a Valentine!
Saving for the Date
On one of our anniversaries a few years ago, I decorated a pretty little glass jar, and I gave it to my husband completely empty. I explained that any time we did something kind for each other, we would put a quarter in the jar. At the end of the year, we would use the change to pay for a special outing or date.
It pays to be kind. We actually fill the jar up a few times each year and collect the coins to transfer into dollars. In fact, we not only add quarters, but we now fill the jar with all our extra change as we celebrate one another. We usually end up with well over a hundred dollars, which makes a sweet celebration of our kindness and love throughout the year. Some things we’ve done with our money are:
- go out for a special dinner to some place we’ve never been
- take a little day trip to a surrounding town while the kids are at school
- stay in a hotel for the night
- go to a play or musical
A Box Full of Surprises
Once again, I decorated a special heart-shaped box with shiny gems and, on my husband’s 50th birthday, I filled the box with fifty slips of paper. On each slip, I typed something I would do for him, with him, or give to him to do on his own. When I gave the box to my husband, I invited him to choose a slip each Sunday, so we had the whole week to complete the surprise. As a result, we had just about enough for an entire year. It was great fun! Some of my gifts included:
- Rent three movies and have a marathon weekend together
- Dreaming day for our next big adventure together…big travel plans
- Have dessert first or even in place of dinner
- Take you in the car for a secret drive experience
Massage in a Bottle
Yes! You read that right. Massage. Although I have also done a Message in a Bottle for my husband, this is a literal massage. I found and ordered a beautiful purple massage table online for an amazing price. It shipped to our house and arrived exactly on his birthday. That night, I was able to give him a massage. You might wonder how you can do that if you haven’t been trained. However, if you have ever rubbed his shoulders or neck or given a foot massage, you are ready. Just add a bottle of massage oil or lotion and some candlelight. My husband just loves all the special attention.
Spark the Magic
I’ve shared three of my favorite gifts here. In fact, all three are unique expressions of love that can be shared anytime, and they are also gifts that last for more than a day, sparking the magic of the moment, time and time again. Hopefully, what I’ve shared will spark an idea for you.
“Not what we give, but what we share
For the gift without the giver is bare.”
~James Lowell Russell~
Whether you do this for Valentine’s Day or some other day of the year, I send you love and wishes for a fun-filled celebration. Happy Love Day every day!
from my heart to yours,
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