Radio Thursday – Valentine’s Day Gifts

***The segment did not run on the radio today….it will run on Monday. I am going to leave this post up front until Tuesday morning…this way, The Bull listeners can find it easy***

Welcome Bull listeners!  Today I am sharing some of my unique Valentine’s Day gift ideas.  Flowers and candy are good choices, but you need to mix it up a bit.

MAKE THEIR LIFE EASIER GIFTS

The best gift that you can give someone is something that makes their day-to-day life easier throughout the entire year.  These are the kinds of gifts that show how much you really know someone.

• MomAgenda – The Kitchen Folio is life changing!  Inside this gorgeous pink (or blue if you wish) notebook are all of my papers, lists, schedules, contacts, etc…basically the heart of my home.  It contains 24 clear page protectors that are tabbed, and forms to fill in to customize your folio.  You can even fill out the forms online and print them out.  My folio has conquered my kitchen clutter for good!  My family even  knows where to find that piece of paper that they laid on the counter last week.  You can buy the pink Folio and have it monogrammed for an amazing Valentine’s Day gift for $37.  If you click here you can save 10% on your purchase.

• Keurig Single Cup Coffee Maker - My daughter’s orthodontist office has one of these for the waiting room, and I was smitten right away!  What makes the Keurig stand apart from the other single cup coffee makers is the variety & quality of the beverages that you can make.  There are over 50 different drinks that you can make with this one coffee maker!  From Caribou Coffee, Southern Pecan, Green Tea, to hot chocolate, iced tea, and iced coffee. You can even have Emeril’s Gourmet Coffee! Really, the choices are amazing!  The machine is so easy to use, you can have a cup of gourmet coffee in minutes, simply by pushing a button. Just pop in a K-cup and press brew.  The K-cups are available at Target or online.  The machine is available online or at Macy’s.   Retail price is $169.99.  What a great way to start off Valentine’s Day….bring your sweetie a cup of French Vanilla joe!

BE UNIQUE GIFTS

Sometimes you want to give a gift that the recipient has never ever laid eyes on before.  There is something to be said for finding a truly unique & one of a kind gift.

• Love Bracelet by Alex and Ani – First of all, they are eco-friendly and support a variety of charity organizations.  But most of all they are beautiful and unique.  By selecting your bracelet from the “bangle bar” on their website you can create a one of a kind gift that has meaning behind it.  Each thin bangle is adorned with your choice of beads, charms, or jewels.  They expand to fit every writst out there.  My set consists of 7 bangles that represent the power of love, luck, protection, and peace.  What a sweet gift.  The prices start at $12 and you can buy as many or as few as you want.

• Hunter Scarf by C. Marchuska – Okay, I know you are thinking “how can a scarf be a unique gift?”.  This one is.  First of all, it is made from organic bamboo.  This makes it perfect for the socially conscious individual….and really, really soft.  Second of all, it is super long and unisex.  That makes it a little different, right  But the best part….Brad Pitt wears one!!  If it is good enough for Brad, why not your special someone?  $50

FOODIE GIFTS -

Isn’t the stomach the quickest way to someones heart?  Grab a fork and win the race!

Destination Dinners – This is a great way to make make cooking authentic international dishes fun and easy.You choose a kit based on a place.  Choose from Thailand, Korea, Japan, and more.   Each Kit includes premeasured amounts of hard to find spices, sauces and dried ingredients, preparation instructions, a shopping list for fresh ingredients (easily found at your local grocery store), table setting suggestions and fun facts and trivia about the destination you are “traveling” to. Kits range in price from $25 – $30 and feed between 4 and 10 adults depending on the kit.

Nuvo Sparkling Liqueur – This is the worlds first “sparkling Liqueur…it is a pink bubbly vodka with a splash of French wine.  It has a fruity taste and can be mixed into cocktails or just sipped from a champagne glass.  The bottle is gorgeous and  made to appeal to females.  Why hide that engagement ring in the bottom of a glass of champagne when you can put it in the hippest drink in town.  In fact, Nuvo is popping up in many of the new music videos.

AFFORDABLE GIFTS

Times are hard for many right now.  I hear you.  I have a few great low cost Valentine’s Day gift ideas.

• Restaurant.com – At restaurant.com you can purchase gift certificates to select restaurants in your chosen location.  You simply input your zip code and they will find the certificates that are available in your area.  Usually you can select from either a $10 or $25 gift certificate to the restaurant that you choose.  Recently, I picked up a $10 certificate to my favorite barbecue restaurant for only $2!  What an affordable way to take someone special out to eat. This is a great way to try the new restaurant down the street…

• Stationary – Go a little old school here…..pick out a box of fancy, cool, or personalized stationary.  Write a love letter on one of the cards and give your sweetie the box with the one that you wrote on top.  I would be impressed!  You can find really unique stationary at Swoozies or super affordable stationary at Target & Walmart.

Disclaimer: I was not paid for this posting. The Keurig and Love Bracelets were received and kept for testing purposes. The opinions in this review are solely my own.

February 5, 2010. shopping.