Here’s a poem:
Roses are red.
Violets are blue.
This Valentine’s Day, do something true to you.
OK, so that's not Pulitzer Prize winning poetry, but the sentiment still remains.
This Valentine’s Day, instead of racing to the corner store for a last-minute bouquet of roses or covering your kitchen counter with candy-heart messages, think outside the box and celebrate love in a way that reflects who you are.
For example, maybe the idea of making fancy dinner reservations feels a bit boring or stereotypical. Instead, you could turn this Valentine’s Day into a culinary date night where you and your significant other browse the International aisle of your supermarket. Pick a county, select your ingredients and attempt to make a rich and flavorful meal at home together. Even if dinner is a bust, it will be a unique way to bond with the one you love.
Below is our Valentine’s Day Gift Guide + a few more ways to make the holiday feel unique and celebratory.
Our Valentine's Gift Guide
Under the Stars Candle
A candle that transports you to the outdoors? We’re all about it.
Hand-poured in Colorado and made with essential oils that smell like a walk in the woods. Give your evening some mood lighting and good scent.
Peace Blanket
This blanket goes where you go. Give the gift of a blanket that will love you on the beach, in bed, on a mountain top, while resting in a field of flowers.
Our Peace Blanket is love in cozy form.
Get Outdoors Prayer Flags
At Trek Light Gear, we have a few different types of Prayer Flags. For Valentine’s Day, give one that speaks to what the recipient loves.
If we were getting the gift, it would be the “Get Outdoors Prayer Flags” with their blatant love of nature, trees, and hanging in a hammock underneath the stars.
This Must Be the Place Sticker
Maybe the one you love is always dreaming of an adventure? If so, stickers are a great reminder of what they love and can be used in a variety of ways.
For us, the mountains are always a good reminder to get outside and enjoy life’s beauty, so maybe this sticker will be right up your alley too.
You Are My Sunshine Key Tag
A key tag that tells it like it is.
Love in the form of a daily reminder - give the gift that’s an ode to sweetness and a lyric people can’t forget.
Field Guides
Inspiration is a great way to fuel the passion between you and your loved one.
Our field guides can serve as a way to brainstorm about your next trip together or where your heart is yearning to go.
Pick one and start talking about what kind of adventure your love will take you on.
BONUS: Unique date-night ideas
Speak a new love language
Language around Valentine’s Day all sounds pretty much the same. Take our “poem” at the top of this post, for example. But! That doesn’t mean you can’t mix things up and find a new way to say “I love you” to the one you care about. Download Duo Lingo and find a language you both want to learn. Start practicing and see if you can learn a new language in which to express love.
Take it outside
We can’t help it - we love the outdoors.
Don’t spend Valentine’s Day cooped up, even if there’s snow on the ground or sleet on the pavement.
Ice skate in the park. Take a winter walk with a thermos of hot cocoa. Stargaze next to a winter bonfire. Snowshoe down a new path.
Celebrating in the great outdoors is one of our favorite things to do.
Be creative
Sure, you can buy cards a-plenty at pretty much any gift store. But a homemade Valentine’s card? That’s where it’s at.
Get creative with how you express love this year. Write a mini play about the first day you met. Draw a portrait of your partner or loved one’s face. Create a slideshow of your favorite pictures of you two timed to your favorite song.
The point is, none of these creations have to be “good”. It’s the thought that counts.
Give love to others
Love is something all people crave - even if they don’t know it.
Valentine’s Day is an opportunity to express the love you have to give to those who need it most.
This year, spend the evening serving the homeless. Make Valentine’s Day cards and drop them off at a local retirement home.
Find a way to share love with those who could use a boost.
Skip it all together
Valentine’s Day can feel like a greeting card manufactured holiday. So, with that in mind, maybe just skip it?
Instead, celebrate Galentine's Day with friends, coworkers, or just yourself. Take yourself to a museum. Have an indulgent brunch. Send your BFFs love texts.
Give yourself a break from taking this holiday too seriously and just enjoy yourself.