Ah, Valentine’s Day, with its myriad of cards and cut flowers and individually wrapped chocolates.  Okay, maybe this is not the most romantic or love-ly way to consider Valentine’s Day, but if the idea of another clutter and waste-producing holiday has you wishing you could just skip it all, then maybe it is time to start a new tradition.  There is no right or wrong way to show your love to those who mean the most to you.   Love should not be valued by the price of the gift, but by the strength of the emotion behind the gift.  Here are some ideas to show your loved ones how much you love them without adding much clutter or waste.

We were separated from Daddy last year for Valentine’s Day. So we took some photos with our own love messages and sent them to him in a frame.

• Homemade Goodies
  Cake pops, cookies, rice crispy treats, wrapped in a bit of paper tied with string make great valentines. They are sure to not go to waste.

• Photos
  “A photo is like a thousand words.” Depending on your loved ones, photos can be used in gifts, sent by email, or even posted on Facebook. What woman wouldn’t swoon to be tagged in this Facebook post.

• Handmade Gifts
  Instead of buying containers for trinkets that will both just be thrown away eventually, find a gift idea that will remind them of your love again and again. For example, one year, I made pillowcases for each of my 3 children out of fabric with a heart pattern on it. I used the pillowcases then to gift wrap a book. They still love to sleep on their “valentine pillowcases”.
• Wearable Valentine
  Unless they already have more clothes than can fit in their drawers, a great gift for valentine’s day is one that they can wear and wear and wear. A valentine t-shirt or some valentine underwear both make great gifts.

• Experiences
  One of my favorite gifts is the gift of memory-making experiences. Whether it is with the whole family, or you and your significant other, an evening of good food and conversation are mighty special. See a movie. Take a walk in the park. Go ice skating. Try the new gelato place. Go bowling. See a local play or a musical. Spend the night away (at a hotel with a swimming pool, if the kids are in attendance). Spa treatment, anyone? No waste there.

What Valentine’s Day gifts have been your favorite to give?  What Valentine’s Day gifts have been your favorite to receive? Valentine’s Day is one week from today. Are you ready?