For some, Valentine’s might be a corporate excuse to sell items to the public, but the concept behind it is so incredibly sweet. We don’t say ‘I love you’ enough on a daily basis to the important people in our lives. While we’re constantly rushing around and trying to keep up with everything, this is a chance to take a step back and show that important person you really love them.
Of course, that doesn’t have to involve gifts, it could be cooking them dinner, spending quality time talking with them or planning a holiday for later in the year. But if you do want to get them a gift, then I hope some of the below can help inspire you.
Havana Club Seleccion De Maestros
Seriously, ignoring my love and appreciation for rum for one moment, is this not the most stunning bottle you’ve ever seen? I wouldn’t want to finish it as it’s a piece of art!
But I digress, for any rum aficionados, this is the crème de la crème, the epithony of quality and luxury. Using hand selected reserve casks from the company’s finest aged stocks, this gold medal winning rum offers tastes of cinnamon, toffee, nutmeg, peach and lemon, combining a rich and sweet flavour.
Available to purchase from either The Whisky Exchange or Master of Malt, this is the ideal gift for virtually any of my friends or family! You can never go wrong with Havana Club.
Soundmagic P60BT Headphones
I love big headphones like this, they pack such a powerful punch, they have much better quality sound than in-ear buds and they tend to have a better battery life. Well if someone you know always has headphones on but they’re looking a bit dated then this is the ideal gift for them.
A single 10 minute charge will provide a whopping 5 hours of battery life, while a full charge holds 50 hours of playtime. This over ear bluetooth headset by SoundMagic has an active hybrid Sony noise reduction chip and active noise cancellation, as well as blocking out low frequency irritating sounds like airplane or train sounds.
These will also stay cosily on your ears for long periods of time, with memory foam ear pads.
Nikka Whisky 40th Anniversary
What would my dad want from his partner? Whisky. What would 90% of my mates want from their partner? Whisky. It seems to be one of the most commonly wanted gifts, but not just any whisky, a really decent one a step above what they would normally buy for a fun weekend, enter Nikka Whisky.
Japanese whiskies are becoming so incredibly popular nowadays, while this bottle is specifically brought in to celebrate their 40th anniversary, with aromas of honey, beeswax, pineapple, nutmet and ginger.
Available from The Whisky Exchange, this comes in a nice protective box and is a whopping 51.4%.
An Amazing Bottle Of Calvet Wine
Here are four amazing bottles to pick from, based on what drink that special someone prefers. Me and Raquel love something sparkling, therefore we would naturally go for the Calvet Cremant Bordeaux Brut, available from Ocado for £11.25.
If they’re a red wine drinker, something I’m becoming over the past 12 months, then the Calvet Prestige Cotes du Rhone would go perfectly alongside a beef dish if you plan on cooking for your partner on the night (or maybe order in if you don’t fancy the hassle).
Continuing with the food partnering, a bottle of the Calvet Prestige Sauvignon Blanc would work ideally with a roast chicken (who doesn’t love a roast), or a creamy pasta dish. But arguably the best of them all, the Calvet Picpoul De Pinet is a gorgeous wine with hints of acacia and hawthorn blossom, while it matches ideally with a seafood dish and some oysters, if you want to really embrace some luxury for the night.
SoundMAGIC E11C In-Ear Headphones
To get in-ear headphones of this quality at this price is incredible, they have a powerful bass and really clear music playing quality, with a rich and powerful sound.
There is also a fully featured remote and mic, ideal when taking a call while out and about, with a 3-button remote control to change the volume and control music and calls.
These are built to be very comfortable in the ears, ideal as you’ll have them in most of the day if at work, with the soft silicone eartips, but they’re equally secure, also ideal if you’re heading for a run.
Edifier X3 Lite In-Ear Headphones
These lightweight headphones are the latest in an amazing range by Edifier, with easy touch control so you can easily jump between music and phone calls.
The Edifier in-ear headphones have a 6 hour battery, but you can also bring the case with you, which has an additional 18 hours of battery life, which is pretty impressive.
This also has environmental noise cancellation, which is ideal for cutting out surrounding sounds as you walk to work or head out for a run.
Cocchi Rosa Americano Aperitivo
Following a summer in Italy, me and my wife really got into spritz, mixing prosecco with various aperitives. This is another brilliant example of one if your partner also loves a good spritz, with notes of strawberries, roses and vanilla.
The bottle also has instructions on how to make either a Cocchi Rosa Spritz or a Rosa Cobbler, so you could go the extra mile and buy all the ingredients, so you can make them on the day. That way you can pinch a few for yourself!
You don’t even need the prosecco for the Cocchi Rosa Spritz, just this bottle with tonic water, ice and optionally some strawberries.
With traditional Italian origins, this is a brilliant way to make you feel a bit summery while it’s cold outside (bring on the summer).
Amacx Vanilla Recovery Shake
Ask either myself or my wife and we would both say we would love something protein based for Valentine’s, as we’re really trying to get into shape and need to increase our protein intake.
If your partner is looking to improve themselves, then this is an amazing option, packing 20 grams of protein in each shake.
You can get this in either vanilla or chocolate flavour, while it mixes well in water or milk without any chalkiness or lumps. In fact, why not join your partner in their next exercise class and share the moment (or torture), then you have something to bond over.
Po Teletubbies Warmies
This isn’t just a soft toy, you can heat it up in the microwave so it’s nice and toasty and gives you a warm hug. Going back to our childhood, this is a great gift for someone that still enjoys a soft toy on the bed, especially if you’re away with meetings (I have to stay away in hotels a few days a month so it’s always hard to say goodbye each time).
But it doesn’t just heat up, the Po telletubby warmies are scented, so you can smell lavender in the air whether you warm it up or not.
This also isn’t one of those slightly filled bears, this is chockablock, really soft and high quality. They have each of the other Teletubbies, as well as the ‘Noo Noo’ vacuum if you prefer.
Neve’s Bees Face Serum
I really love a good serum, they make your skin look glowing and youthful, while they’re packed with active ingredients that can help replenish the skin. Read the ‘about us’ and you’ll instantly love the story of Neve’s Bees and the humble beginning from a 9 year old Neve excitedly wanting her own beehive for her birthday.
But it’s not just honey they’ve delved into, they have a range of beauty products, from moisturisers to lip balms, plus of course this amazing daily serum.
The formula is unfragranced and lightweight, with plenty of organic ingredients (what I like to see), including rosehip oil, sea buckthorn and borage oil. It’s 100% natural, it will help to reduce the appearance of fine lines, but if that wasn’t enough, they’re also donating 10% of profits to wildlife causes.
Smarter Card Game
I love hosting nowadays, whether it’s family coming round for prosecco by the fire or my mates visiting for some summer games in the garden. Either one, drinking games or family games are always needed to keep everyone entertained. You want something relatively easy to setup, with minimal mess and no long instructions, enter SMARTER.
This task and trivia based card game works for 2-12 people and a game normally lasts about 45 minutes.
You may have to act out a word, describe an activity, create a sound or have a general knowledge question. There are a hefty 244 cards, so you don’t have to worry about completing them all quickly.
Optima Natura Oils
This is an ideal gift if your partner loves a relaxing bath (cough, that’s me, I’m keeping this for myself), with soft music playing and bubbles in the water, as you drop 4-6 drops of the Optima Natura oils into hot water and the room will fill with a beautiful aroma.
In fact, if you really want to win some brownie points, you could offer a massage and use these oils directly on their skin, leaving them feeling soft and with a great scent.
There are 3 bottles in the pack, including Four Thieves, Eucalyptus and lavender oil. The lavender oil really does smell amazing in the bath.
French Soaps Fer A Cheval Marseille Liquid Soap
I cannot express how beautiful the orange blossom aroma was from this liquid soap. Utilising sweet almond oil and coconut oil for a more natural form of soap, this is a luxurious option for someone’s bathroom who is very house-proud, such as my wife.
Packed full of Vitamins A, B, D and E, lauric acid and vegetable glycerin, the Marsielle liquid soap will soften the skin, add and retain moisture and leave your hands feeling soft.
The 500ml bottle is only available online in the UK via the French Soaps website and is made with 100% sustainable, responsibly sourced palm oil.
Tolpa Facial Toner
Tolpa has a range of great skincare products, the serum I’m particularly keen of, while they also have the moisturising face wash gel, which contains hyaluronic acid, ideal for reducing the appearance of fine lines.
It’s a fragrance free formula, while it’s also hypoallergenic, so you don’t have to worry if you have a reactive skin and easily irritated. Containing 11 ingredients, including their favourite (peat extract), this will help to leave your skin feeling soft and smooth.
