February is the season of love because, by the 14th, people across the globe come together to celebrate Valentine’s Day. During this time, hearts, flowers, and other items that show one’s affection often adorn streets, malls, and establishments. Most importantly, Valentine’s Day is when people show their love and appreciation for their significant others, friends, and family. After all, love isn’t limited to couples or spouses.
Although historical claims vary on how the tradition of giving gifts during Valentine’s Day began, it went down throughout the years as a globally accepted practice. As the years passed and people began to broaden their idea of love, the public celebrated Valentine’s Day with people they adore and made it more inclusive.
One of the celebration’s highlights is when people give each other gifts to show their admiration. Malls, shops, and markets all try to provide what the public want or need for Valentine’s Day as they try to find the perfect gift for their loved ones.
The most common gift is a bouquet, with roses as the top choice because they’re associated with passion and other emotional meanings. However, others go down a more personalized route by working with the recipient’s favorite flowers to create a more meaningful and heartfelt piece. Fortunately, flower stores also offer other species of flora, like sunflowers, tulips, stargazes, and more, to bring color and variety to an ensemble.
For the more creative minds, they know that flowers aren’t the only things they can put in bouquets. Other familiar sights are balloons or stuffed toys, but the options aren’t limited to those alone.
Several specialty shops and flower stores around the metro offer to create unique bouquets with fruits, balloons, novelty items, and more! For instance, since chocolates are a favorite treat on Valentine’s Day, practical and sentimental individuals buy chocolate bouquets to appeal to their recipient’s sweet tooth, while presenting their gift through a decorative approach.
Other items that people use to make bouquets include liquor, makeup, food items, and even gadgets. It all boils down to what the recipient would enjoy receiving. Buyers can also change the bouquet’s appearance and quality depending on their time and budget. But if they’re feeling creative and sentimental, they can try to create the bouquet themselves for a more personalized touch.
Another usual gift for Valentine’s Day is letters. There are several ways to craft a letter, but most recipients prefer handwritten ones because it shows extra effort from the sender. The other option is buying a ready-made Valentine’s card from the store before adding sweet messages. But, again, with creativity, the possibilities are endless on how to turn usual love letters into something memorable.
Others burn the edges of the paper for an old-fashioned look, while others use eye-catching containers like glass bottles or scented envelopes with a wax seal to hold their messages.
Thanks to technology and the internet, innovations are available to consumers with just a few clicks. Like bouquets, they can order customized products or engage services to deliver their messages uniquely. Since Filipino culture is familiar with harana or serenading, singing telegrams are still prevalent in some areas in the metro. where people want to take their message a step further.
Speaking of music and other theatrics, online platforms and other applications now allow people to create unique music or art to dedicate to their loved ones. Local artists also offer services to help make the process easier without diminishing the thought.
Besides chocolates, letters, and bouquets, people also gravitate toward buying jewelry during Valentine’s Day because it’s an intimate gesture. Rings, necklaces, and bracelets are the most common accessories given during this global celebration. However, the increased popularity of permanent jewelry made heads turn their way.
Permanent jewelry is an old trend that gained relevance in the last few years. Instead of a traditional clasp, bracelets, rings, and necklaces are welded together on the body. It’s an excellent idea for people with deep connections with their friends, family, or significant others.
In the meantime, some people choose Valentine’s Day to try new experiences to create significant memories with their loved ones. Since the stomach is another way to a person’s heart, going to restaurants with good ratings and fit a budget can be a memorable gastronomic adventure. Fortunately, the Philippines isn’t short of dining destinations.
Yet those who prefer staying home during Valentine’s Day can try making a new recipe or ordering out to satisfy any cravings for the day.
Besides food, other locations worth visiting throughout the country offer unique experiences. There are museums to satisfy historical and cultural curiosities, amusement parks to try new rides and play games, and more. But if people are willing to go further for Valentine’s Day, beaches, mountains, and other breathtaking tourist destinations are also available.
If traveling far isn’t anyone’s cup of tea, staycations are a popular trend for people, who want to experience the exhilaration of going places without straying too far from home. Many hotels offer Valentine’s Day packages to allow guests to stay for a few days to enjoy Valentine’s Day and indulge in luxury.
Finding the ideal gift this Valentine’s Day doesn’t have to be challenging. People can reflect on what their recipients would appreciate and what shows their genuine affection. They can also try determining the other person’s love language, which defines how people give and receive admiration, to see what would warrant the best reaction.
Valentine’s Day.
Even though giving gifts is among the five love languages, some people prefer other approaches, like words of affirmation, acts of service, physical touch, and quality time. It’s good that products and services offered during Valentine’s Day cover all the available love languages.
Valentine’s Day shouldn’t be limited to couples or spouses. It’s the season of love, which knows no age, gender, or other boundaries, so it’s also a perfect moment for families, friends, or colleagues to show how they appreciate one another. Whether a gift is handmade or store-bought, it’s a comforting gesture to give and receive gifts during Valentine’s Day because it indicates how a person can love and be loved.
