January went by so fast! You think so too? 2 days to go for the love month! I just love countdowns. They give us reason to look forward, make our days count in anticipation for events and milestones in our lives. Valentine’s is around the corner. Some hate it, some love it, some save up for it, some look forward to it, so dread it, some are are so into it. So which one are you? I’ll admit it. I like the thought of celebrating love but not in an exaggerated extravagant way but just meaningful enough to remember.

People nowadays celebrate Valentine’s day with family, friends, or their partners. But through the years, most Valentine’s days are for couples in love. Are you thinking and planning of what to give your loved ones on Valentine’s day? Sharing some gift and valentines day ideas. Hope these will help you make memorable moments together.

• Flowers– Of course blooms! Don’t you just love fresh flowers? Some prefer huge bouquets, while others just a meaningful number but for affordable flowers, Dangwa flower market (located at Dimasalang Road, Sampaloc Manila) is still on tip of the list. Remember to go on February 13 morning or afternoon and it really gets crowded. You can also go to Farmer’s Market (one of Metro Manila’s best wet markets located General Araneta, along Edsa) in Cubao Quezon City or Market Market mall in McKinley Parkway Taguig (Go to the middle outdoor tiange area called the Fiesta Market. A trusted and tested shop is Tina Berin’s Flowershop). If you’re schedule is really hectic and you’re willing to pay extra, you may buy online from flower delivery services like Flowers by Pablo, Island Rose, Flower Delivery Philippines, or Flowers Express.

• Chocolates – Ferrero Rocher chocolates for valentines for some, other imported ones like Cadbury, Lindt, Sees, Hershey’s, Galaxy, Godiva, Toblerone, Ghirardelli, Guylian, Patchi, and many more. Others prefer simple local ones too. It’s all about the sweet thought and gesture for the sweet tooth self in all of us. Or maybe you can also give something you baked yourself?

• Cards / Love Letters – greetings cards and love letters are slowly vanishing today. But it remains to be one of the sweetest things you will ever receive and it’s a loving and practical thing to give too. A DIY card will give more meaning or a beautiful greeting card from bookstores with a touching note will do too  (Hallmark cards forever 😉). Classic cheesiness right? But hey, it’s still a very sweet gesture don’t you think? I kept a box of love letters we made for the past 15 years and it’s nice to see that they’re well kept and our children can also have a glimpse of their parents’ love story.

• Teddy bear / stuffed animal – Through time, this has been a symbol of love and courtship. It’s a nice symbol of love and admiration too. It’s the first base before you give a real pet to your loved ones. Another classic but still sweet too. You can buy bears or stuffed animals from department stores and toy stores.

• Spa treat – a nice and relaxing way to spend valentine’s or to bond is to get a soothing massage or spa treatments together. A good way to escape from your busy schedules and one out-of-the-ordinary way to spend valentines. There are good packages at these excellent places: The Spa, Chi Spa at Edsa Shangrila Mandaluyong, Willowstream Spa at Fairmont Hotel Makati, Mandarine Spa at Westgate Center Alabang, Neo Day Spa at Bonifacio Global City Taguig, Le Spa at Sofitel Philippine Plaza Hotel, Devarana Spa at Dusit Thani Makati. You may pick other tried and tested spas that will suit your budget too. Pick a massage or package that suits your needs and make it an unforgettable date.

• Dinner – There are so many restaurants you can go to these days. Some prefer to dine in famous restaurants, some in hotels, others prefer to set up an intimate and special meal in their own home. Setting up your dining experience in your home is a practical and good idea if you have the time, resources, and the right ambiance. Some people love going to what’s in and famous places that you see in social media while others like us (most of the time) love the classic places for special events in our lives. Some restaurants have special Valentine’s packages so watch out for those too. Why not try something unique or try restuarants are not commercialized?

• Jewelry / Accessory– These gifts last for a long time if you take care of them. It doesn’t matter if it’s pure gold, diamond, silver, pearl, or beads.  Again, what’s important is the thought and meaning of the gift to each other. Jewelries are timeless gifts.

• Couple or Matching stuff – Couple shirts, sports shoes, bracelets, pillows, mugs, caps, jacket, bags, watch, and many others. Remember you can never get too cheesy with love. Just don’t make these couple stuff too loud. The idea of having the same things and using the same things with our loved ones just makes our heart melt when we experience the same thing together even in the smallest everyday things. Sharing a life means sharing small moments.

• Movie, Show, or Concert – Watch a feel good movie or a concert or maybe a show you’ll both enjoy. I remembered watching The Wolfman for Valentine’s 2010 hahaha! It didn’t fit the occasion but we found it to be a unique way to celebrate it (we actually did remember it often too and of course a good dinner followed after the movie). It’s also nice to support our local movies or shows. I remembered our family watched Gary V and Regine Velasquez concerts as a family back in the 90s for Valentine’s (when the local music industry was booming).

• Stroll in the park – There are numerous nice parks in Metro Manila. Try this and you’ll feel relaxed. It’s a simple way to bond and talk at a lower cost compared to trips and staycations. It’s not your usual date activity but it’s worth it. It’s also nice to bring the whole family. Check out a good list of parks here

• Plan a unique experience– Why not try something new or something you’ve never done before as a couple or family like go surfing perhaps? Or go on a nature day trip on the outskirts of the city, go to museums (National Museum in Manila and Fort Santiago became one of our date places before back then), try trampoline parks like Jumpyard or Trampoline Park, watch the hot air balloon festival that happens yearly, plan a staycation on nice hotels or AirBnb places around the city, sky dive, scuba dive, go shopping! (well, if you have enough budget to spare), or other things you don’t normally do. It would be really fun and memorable. Make it matter to both of you not just to the people around you.

Remember, don’t succumb to what social media says or feeds you. We all have different preferences and we love doing different things. Do everything with the purest intentions and love and everything will be perfect.

Celebrating our 15th Valentine’s day this year as a couple and now with 2 babies ❤ Love multiplied ! Happy Valentine’s day soon!