Valentine’s Day shouldn’t be the only time of the year to express your love. And it shouldn’t be limited only to lovers. The 48hrs Team tells you how to express your love for your near and dear ones through the art of gifting
Love knows no boundaries, so make this Valentine’s Day a special affair for your partner, friends and family alike, as you shower them with the gift of love and create memories that they will treasure forever. From Pandora’s Valentine’s jewellery collection to a Charlotte Tilbury lipstick, we all know that chocolates and roses are fine, but you need something more enchanting. Keep it fun and flirty with custom robes and lingerie for your partner, or take your parent’s breath away with a personalised photo keepsake box or a beautiful pendant with their name or initials.
FOR THE TEA LOVER
Whether your love is a tea connoisseur or they simply can’t do without their cup of evening chai, these gifts are sure to get something brewing on this special day.
For Him
We couldn’t think of a better gift for him than this Contemporary Classic collection of teas from The Good Life Co. For those who revere tea, this elegant trunk with a medley of nine luxurious tea blends, carved of wood with hints of gold on the rim, is the ultimate memento. It includes Geisha, Mogo Mogo, Little Buddha and Strawberry & Cream to satiate a yearning for liquid wisdom.
Price: Rs 5,099
Where: www.tglteas.com
For Her
She will be head over heels when she unwraps this beauty. Give her more reason to invite her troupe home and get chatty over a cup of freshly brewed tea. A ‘tetsubin’ or a cast iron teapot is a classic Japanese teapot. She’ll relish her brew prepared in this pot because, is it believed, the cast iron material distributes the heat evenly inside the pot to better extract the flavours and constituents of the tea.
Price: Rs 3,900
Where: www.qtrove.com
FOR THE FRAGRANCE LOVER
If your mantra for this Valentine’s Day is ‘to live on love and fresh air’, we might have something sweeter lined up for you. These fragrant options will spruce up the occasion.
For Him
Sure, perfumes are great, but if you really want to set the mood for the evening, why not get him this set of fragrant elixirs titled Away! from The Fragrance Co. With pleasant aphrodisiac connotations such as the chocolate and strawberry-infused Love Potion, a blend of patchouli, bergamot and lavender in Serenity, and a unique blend of white fir, bergamot, cinnamon, lemongrass and eucalyptus in Indonesian Palms, this gift is sure to set the right ambiance from the word go.
Price: Rs 1,999
Where: www.thefragrance.company
For Her
Inspired by a London garden in the first light of day as flowers blossom with a spirited burst of energy, the latest addition to the My Burberry family, My Burberry Blush is a fresh and sparkling Eau de Parfum that will impress the lady love in your life with just one whiff.
Price: Rs 5,500 (for 50ml)
Where: Parcos, Shopper’s Stop and other retail stores.
FOR THE STATIONERY LOVER
Add a little oomph to your beloved’s work or home by gifting them some chic accessories. Our picks are sure to impress your love on this day and we bet you’ll cross their mind all through their day.
For Him
Taking inspiration from the timeless and tasteful craftsmanship of vintage cars, this Fortune of Monte Cristo gift set is a lovely addition to any stationery enthusiast’s collection. The set includes 12 note cards with matching envelopes, 12 folded cards with matching envelopes and 1 tear-off notepad. Personalise it and add a dash of love.
Price: Rs 2,250
Where: www.thepapierproject.com
For Her
Is there a sweeter way to remind your girl that she’s your bae than with this desk organising tray from PropShop24? We love the floral and spotted design on this piece. It can be put to versatile use as a serving tray or a desk organiser for the office or home table. You’ll be on her mind each time she picks something off it.
Price: Rs 1,100
Where: www.propshop24.com
FOR THE CONSCIENTIOUS GROOMER
This Valentine’s Day, pamper yourself or your dearest with these pamper hampers.
For Him
The perfect shave is hard to achieve, but with this exclusive Truefitt & Hill shaving set, allow your man to bring the best version of himself to the table (quite literally). The hamper includes a shaving bowl, an aftershave balm and cologne, and you can pick the fragrance that will suit him best.
Price: Rs 9,200
Where: Truefitt & Hill stores across the city or www.truefittandhill.in
For Her
What do women want? Relaxing mornings that are spent pampering themselves with beauty essentials! And, there’s no better day than Valentine’s Day to do just that. Inclusive of a face cream, cleanser, lip balm, soap and rosewater, the KAMA Ayurveda hamper is the ultimate gift for her.
Price: Rs 2,500
Where: www.kamaayurveda.com
BEDTIME TREATS
Start your day this Valentine’s with a quiet and romantic breakfast in bed as you binge-watch your favourite movies and TV shows snuggled under the covers.
For Him
A satin smooth and utterly comfortable pyjama set for a lazy day in should make for a perfect Valentine’s Day present, especially if the day’s plans include staying in bed all day long. Made from pure cotton, this Derek Rose pyjama set is a classic, something you just can’t go wrong with.
Price: Rs 13,510
Where: www.derek-rose.com
For Her
A sultry but cute piece of nightwear will make for the perfect Valentine’s Day gift. And especially if it’s Victoria’s Secret.
Price: Rs 2,540
Where: www.victoriassecret.com
THE FAMILY VALENTINE
It’s the day of love, and there isn’t a better time for you to express your gratitude and heartfelt love for your family and closest friends? This year, let those who have stood by you time immemorial be your Valentine, and gift them something special.
Blossoming love
Bring the Zen art of calmness to your parents’ home with this elegantly simple Tibetan Bloom Terrarium Kit. An urban green solution, this DIY terrarium kit comes stocked with succulent plants and decorations.
Pick it up from www.mybageecha.com for Rs 1,899.
Smart use of time
Instead of just splurging on yourself (we’ve all done that; it’s alright!), this Valentine’s Day get your father a smartwatch that will outsmart him! An elegant and sleek smartwatch, The Fossil Q Smartwatch comes with a range of quirky new features.
Pick it up from Fossil stores across the city for Rs 19,178.
A chocolatey delight
Delight your friends and siblings with this delicious chocolate and coffee-laden food hamper from Foodhall. Filled to the brim with chocolate bars, scrumptious dips, salty snacks and heaps of confectionaries, it’s simply a marvellous gift! And who knows? If you’re lucky, they may just share a few yummy knick-knacks with you.
Pick up the Epic hamper from Foodhall stores at Palladium, Lower Parel for Rs 6,100.
DIY YOUR WAY TO THEIR HEART
A gift doesn’t have to be store-bought. If you’re feeling a little crafty and want to give a beautiful handmade gift to your loved ones, here are a couple of ideas
LOVE POTION
A cute and fun gift, this will give both of you a memorable evening along with a hangover.
What you’ll need: Champagne or wine, long-steamed glasses, pomegranate juice, watermelon juice, a heart-shaped ice tray, heart-shaped cocktail stirrers, a wooden box/ wicker basket and some decorative material
Get crafting
- Decorate a wooden box or basket using ribbons and glitter.
- Personalise wine glasses using vinyl sticker cut-outs. Paste them on the glasses using contact paper.
- Assemble the kit in the box/ basket and surprise your Valentine with a personalised cocktail kit.
EXPLOSION BOX
Surprise your Valentine on this day of love with a fun explosion box filled with memories and sweet nothings.
What you’ll need: A large sheet of cardboard, tape, glue, a pair of scissors, photographs of the two of you, coloured paper and some decorative material
Get crafting
- Cut out six square pieces of the same dimension (20x20 cm) out of the cardboard sheet.
- Place five square pieces flat on your work station and tape them together to form a plus sign.
- Stick photographs on each side and decorate each section as per your liking.
- Place a gift like a chocolate or a small teddy bear in the middle of the five pieces.
- Now, pull the four sides up to form the sides of a box, but don’t stick them together just yet.
- Cut four rectangular strips (20x3 cm) out of cardboard for the lip of the lid.
- Stick the rectangles on all four sides of the last square. Fold them up and tape to form the lid.
- Put the lid on the box to hold it together.
- Tie a ribbon around the box and decorate the outside of your gift box.