Valentine’s Day Gift Ideas
So, you care deeply about how your purchases affect people, society and the environment. You are health conscious and try to reduce your exposure to harmful chemicals. With Valentine’s Day coming up, you want to show your love, friendship or appreciation while still sticking to your values.
For this list, I will break it down into three main themes.
- The classics: flowers and chocolates
- The gift of an experience
- Clothing and jewelry: including an EcoPetites Coupon!
Part 1. Flowers and Chocolates:
The problem with flowers is not only the classic agricultural issues of how it is grown and fair labor practices, there is also the issue that cut flowers have a short life, which affects transportation. Flowers are flown all over the world, often making multiple transcontinental trips, before they even reach your doorstep.
This is a good reason to support local farmers first of all, and then look for fair trade and/or organic options next. To find a local florist who support local farms in the US, go to SlowFlowers.com where you can search by your location.
This works great if you live someplace like California, but not so well if you live in Minnesota, as I do, in February. Time to get a little creative, if you really want to do the flowers thing. Go to Organic Bouquet to find organic flowers which will ship anywhere in the US. But still, these may be travelling great distances.
Here are some gorgeous alternatives. Eco Flower has stunning arrangements made from natural materials. I found some lovely handmade paper bouquets on Etsty, such as these from Paper Blossoms by Michal
Another alternative is to buy a potted plant.
Now let’s talk chocolate. Look for fair trade, as child labor is a wide-spread problem worldwide in cocoa production. (for more information, look up “child labor in cocoa production” in Wikipedia. My favorite organic chocolate shop is Lake Champlain Chocolates. You can order directly, but this is one that you may be able to find in your local co-op.
I just found this one! For raw, vegan, organic, fair trade, gluten free (wowsa!!) go to Lulu’s chocolates If you try it, let me know how you like it!
Sometimes it is hard to feel like it matters, but remember, anything that you do that is better-than what you did before makes a difference!
Visit my Pinterest Board for inspiration or links to shop.
Part 2: The gift of an experience.
Novelty = Romance. I recently read that infusing a little novelty helps partners feel happier with their relationships and improves their ability to accept their partner for who they are. It doesn’t have to be big, nor do you necessarily want it to be: big changes are stressful. Novelty is anything that is out of your routine such as going dancing, skiing or seeing a play (for more info, read the book Life Reimagined, The Science, Art and Opportunity of Midlife by Barbara Hagerty. It’s good!) Have an indoor picnic on the floor at home, which is something you can even do with little ones running about. Take a cooking class together. Or learn any new skill together, which will also just be good for each of you as individuals. I will never forget the first time I watched a Cirque do Soleil show and how magical it was. A visit to a greenhouse at an arboretum in the winter (I’m thinking of Como Conservatory in St. Paul for you locals) is one of my favorite things to do on a bitter cold winter day. I hope this gets your creative juices flowing!
Part 3: Clothing and Jewelry
You can broaden each other’s horizons and experiences even with clothing and accessories. Introduce your partner to a brand that is new to him or her. By doing a little research and finding gifts that match your partner’s values, you are demonstrating attentiveness. Everyone wants to be seen for who they are. What could be more romantic than that?
Follow my Valentine’s Day board on Pinterest to find ideas for gifts. I started a board for Men’s EcoFashion! I personally have purchased the Ecoths Brand which you can find at Aventura Clothing, and found it to be high quality, interesting details and incredibly soft. American Apparel is a sweat-shop free, ethical brand that is easy to find, as they are big! Aside from their commitment to ethical production, you can also find organic cotton items. Just put “organic cotton” into your search criteria.
For petite women’s clothing, here is a coupon for my shop! (you knew I had to put in that plug, right?) Love2018 for $30 off an order of $100 or more—including gift cards, folks! Valid through Feb 15th, 2018.
Happy shopping and planning for a memorable Valentine’s Day! We can celebrate all forms of love. There is even a dedicated Singles Appreciation Day on February 15th to spread the love.
Have a great week!
