Last minute Valentine’s Day gift ideas

It’s the final count down. Literally. Valentine’s day is only two days! Those who are simply too busy and haven’t noticed the big day getting closer and closer, or procrastinators who knew two weeks ago but thought they’d wait another week … well with two days to go now is the time when all of us who haven’t been able to get a gift in time will be scrambling to come up with something that doesn’t look like we bought it 15 minutes before the date. If this is you, and you’ve left your shopping a lot later than you would have liked, don’t feel alarmed. As stressful and panic-inducing as it may feel to not have a gift this close to the day, it’s not the end of the world. Why? Because there are plenty of last-minute gifts that you can scrape together, both homemade and bought, that look as if you put hours of thought into it instead of rushing to get it done in time.

I’ve been there quite a few times. Not necessarily with gifts for my boyfriend each time but gifts for friends and family too. Trust me when I say that these gifts are a life-saver. There is no need to resort to a simple bouquet of roses or a box of heart-shaped confectionery when you have these gifts on standby. The homemade ones are quick and easy to assemble, and the ones you can buy are easy to find (and may even have same-day delivery options that you can make use of if you can’t exactly squeeze shopping into your busy schedule). So, if you’re panicking that you don’t have a gift yet for your partner, you’ve come to the perfect place. Here is a list of ten gifts, a mix of homemade and buyable ones, that you can arrange last-minute for your partner that will definitely make them feel loved and appreciated. And, since there isn’t much time left to get these gifts sorted … let’s get started!

A loving coffee mug 

For some, myself included, that first hot beverage of the day is a must. I certainly couldn’t function without it. If your partner is a caffeine addict, or you know they can’t start their day or survive work without continual fixes of coffee or tea, why not gift them with a loving mug? There are stores all over the place selling Valentine’s Day themed cups, or if you’d prefer to give them a more personal cup with a sweet message or anecdote that suits them, stores are selling those mugs too. My favourite place to buy mugs, especially ones that are gifts, is Typo because I can usually find the one perfectly matched for the recipient, but Cardies sells great mugs too, and there are plenty of online stores where you can source the perfect cup. This is a great last-minute gift because it still screams thoughtfulness and yet is very easy to arrange, plus your partner will think of you every time they use it, which is always great! (P.S. If you want a fun way to gift this mug, you could always fill it with heart-shaped chocolates)

52 reasons why ‘I love you’ cards 

Sweet, thoughtful, easy to make and destined to bring a tear to your loved one’s eye, or at least the biggest smile ever. All you need to make this is a deck of cards and your partner in mind because … you guessed it. All you need to do is write one of the reasons you love them on each card in the deck. It’s a simple gift, but so easy to show how much you adore and care for your partner and it won’t take you longer than an hour to make. You could print out your reasons on the computer and then stick them onto your deck of cards, write your reasons directly onto the cards or use a printable. No matter which way you choose to make them, there is no way your partner won’t be able to see how much you love them when you hand over this gift. My boyfriend made one of these for me for Valentine’s Day last year, and it did bring tears to my eyes. Now it sits on my bedside table, and it makes me smile every time I page through it. Everyone loves hearing why you love them, and this gift can remind them over and over again.

Mini-projector 

Who says you need to go out to enjoy a romantic movie together? If you and/or your partner are movie fanatics, or you know your partner loves nothing more than cuddling while watching a cheesy romcom, then this is the perfect gift for them. You can buy a mini-projector at most tech stores, or you can order it online, and set up the ideal at-home movie date for you and your partner. You could set up inside with plenty of pillows, blankets and snacks, or drag a mattress or lounger outside and project your chosen film against a wall. Not only is this a great gift because your partner can now watch movies comfortably in bed without a tv or laptop, but the giving of the gift includes a great at-home Valentine’s Day movie night where you can cuddle and relax with your partner. It’s two birds with one stone or cupid’s arrow.

A mixtape 

Who says mixtapes have gone out of fashion? They may seem a bit old school, but if your partner loves music, or the two of you have a playlist of songs rather than just one, then this gift is no longer a laughable gift from the 60s. I actually made one for my boyfriend for our first Valentine’s Day together, and while the CD I gave it to him on was definitely old fashioned, the songs were certainly a hit. What I love about mixtapes is that they are incredibly easy to make (there are so many simple ways to turn youtube videos of songs into mp3 files online) and you can be so creative with the songs you put on them. You could simply do a mixtape of their favourite songs, or show them how much you love them with romantic songs, or let them remember all your happy times together with your couple songs or songs you have special memories attached to.

A polaroid, some film and a plan 

Does your partner always have a camera in their hand? Do they love taking photos everywhere they go? Well if that is the case, then, much like the mini-projector, this is a great gift combined with a date for your special someone. Buy your loved one an Instax polaroid (there are polaroids available everywhere!) and some film but don’t stop there. Instead of merely wrapping their gift and handing it over, why not go on an adventure together and make the most of the gift? You could be tourists in your city, or revisit all of your favourite/old date locations, and everywhere you go snap a pic on the polaroid for a great photo album later. It is perfect for photography lover’s, and a great way to make memories together.

Date night idea jar

Is it just me, or is it sometimes tough to come up with new and exciting date ideas once you’ve been dating for a while? I mean, I love going to the movies with my boyfriend, but we have been dating for two and a half years, and once you’ve been to all the date spots a few times over, it might start to feel that you’ve run out of fun ways to spend time together. That doesn’t have to be the case though! If you feel like you and your partner struggle to think of date night ideas, then why not give them a date night idea jar? Do some research (or simple google or Pinterest this gift and it should come up with plenty of ideas for you) and fill a jar with as many date night activities or ideas that you can think of. That way, whenever you and your partner can’t seem to think of what to do, or can’t agree on what to do, all that is required is to pull a slip out of the jar, and the hard work is done for you. This is a great way to mix things up, so you aren’t going on the same dates over and over again, and perfect for an indecisive couple or couple that can’t seem to agree on where to go.

Digital photo frame 

Sometimes I love nothing more than to go through my old photos and be reminded of all of those great memories. After all, what is a picture other than a snapshot of a memory, frozen and now available for you to look at whenever you want? So, what better gift for a person who loves photos than a digital photo frame? It saves all the hassle of needing to get photos developed and put into albums, and it’s so much easier to look at than scrolling to find pictures on your phone. Plus, what I love so much about this kind of gift is it is transportable. My boyfriend got one for me, and one of the big reasons I love it so much is because I can take it with me when I travel, so I can take all of my memories, and pictures of friends, family, my cat and my boyfriend wherever I go. This is another gift that you can find at most tech stores (he bought mine at a Samsung/camera store) or online.

Homemade sharpie mug 

Yes. I know I’ve already mentioned the mug idea. But what happens if you have an excellent idea for what you want on your mug but can’t seem to find a place that sells it? It would be a shame to let that idea go to waste. The solution is quite simple – make the mug yourself! I know that this might sound very complicated, but homemade sharpie mugs are one of the easiest crafts in the world to make. All you need is a plain mug (white is usually best), some sharpies in whichever colours you want and an oven. Draw your design on your mug using the sharpies, allow it to dry for a whole day, put your mug in a cold oven then turn up the temperature to 235 degrees Celsius and bake for 30 minutes. Once your mug is done baking, turn off the oven and let your mug sit in the oven for 15 more minutes, then crack over the oven door and let them sit for a few hours. This one may take quite a bit of the remaining two days, but it will be worth it because you get to give your partner a mug custom-made for them, which I’m sure will make them love it even more.

How about a voucher? 

Some people might think that giving someone a voucher is a cheat because you didn’t actually buy them a gift, but sometimes a voucher is the best gift you can give. What happens when you know your partner loves books but aren’t sure which book they’d want to buy and read next? Or you know they love a particular store but aren’t sure what to get them from said store? A voucher solves all of those problems. By giving your partner a voucher to a place they love, you are still showing you know them but also giving them the freedom to choose a gift for themselves, something they may enjoy more than if you were to pick something they’ve already bought. Just make sure, when getting a voucher, that you choose an appropriate store and an appropriate amount. After all, you’d choose different amounts when getting a book voucher compared to a tech voucher compared to a clothes voucher, right?

Customised care package 

Last but not least, nothing says ‘I love you’ more than a customised care package filled with things you know your partner will adore. The best part about this gift is you can adjust it depending on what you think your partner would enjoy the most. If you know your partner would like nothing more than a quiet night in, you could fill your care package with a new set of pj’s or a fleece blanket, their favourite drink and some comfort snack food. Or, if your partner has been working hard and hasn’t had two seconds to relax, why not put together a little spa kit? You could add in a face mask, some bath bombs and even homemade body scrub (If you’d like to check out my craft tutorial for a homemade body scrub, click here: https://tallblondetales.com/2020/02/08/valentines-day-craft-tutorial/). Pinterest is full of great ideas for care packages, and what’s best is that they are so easy to customise to your partner’s needs. It is a great way to say you know what they need and that you are thinking of them and want them to feel good.

And so there you have it! Just because you’re shopping for gifts last minute, doesn’t mean you have to resort to simply buying some themed gifts, like a small bouquet and some heart-shaped chocolates or sweets, from the first store you see. I hope that if you are one of those who are scrambling last minute for a gift that this list has been helpful, and that even if you have all of your presents sorted, this post has given you some inspiration for the next time you need a gift for a special someone. Which of these gifts would you choose to give someone as a last-minute gift? Or do you have any other last-minute gift ideas that you’d like to share? As always, thank you all so much for reading! Please remember to hit that little like button if you enjoyed the post, share with any friends if you know they’re looking for last-minute gifts and subscribe so that you don’t miss out on any future blog posts. For Friday, I wish you all a very Happy Valentine’s Day and hope you have a day filled with love and lots of chocolate.

Lots of Love

Blondey on a Mission xxx