Valentine's Day gift ideas for any budget

Are you struggling to decide what to give your partner this Valentine’s Day?

Here’s a list of ideas for any budget to help get you started:

1. Sweet treats or food

You can’t go wrong if you buy your significant other their favorite candy — or snacks for those who don’t have a sweet tooth. Though chocolate is typical for Valentine’s Day, there are many alternative options like gummies, cake, cupcakes, cookies and conversation hearts, for example.

If your partner is a foodie, you could take them out to dinner at their favorite restaurant or purchase takeout and eat it while watching a movie. To avoid wasting time debating the movie or genre, be sure to decide together ahead of Valentine’s Day.

Reservations may be easier to make this year, as Valentine’s Day falls on Ash Wednesday. For those observing, it might make more sense to eat out another day of the week.

For those who do have a sweet tooth, Linda Calcagno, manager of the Valos Chocolates retail store in Arnold, said she’s seen more business this year compared to the past.

“We’re just always busy at this time of year — big season for chocolate,” she said.

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However, the purchases have been pretty much the same, according to Calcagno, like heart boxes, heart-shaped chocolates and various novelties ahead of Valentine’s Day.

“They’re just getting early orders,” she said. “Most of the business comes next week.”

As the holiday creeps closer, she said one of Valos’ bestsellers is fresh fruit, especially strawberries.

Other items like chocolate heart-shaped dishes and little gift packages with assorted chocolate will become more popular closer to Valentine’s Day as well, Calcagno said.

2. Bouquet of flowers

When thinking of Valentine’s Day, a bouquet of red roses immediately comes to mind. However, if you find out what your significant other’s favorite flowers are, a bouquet of those could be even more meaningful.

Trending lately has been LEGO’s Botanical Collection, which includes various flower sets like bouquets. This could be a great way to give your partner a more permanent version of traditional flowers. You can even build them together during a date night.

Emily Pasqualino, founder of The Paper Heart, a party boutique in Latrobe, said wooden flower arrangements have been trending as well.

“We call them forever flowers,” she said of the lifelike alternative to real flowers.

The arrangements are the same size as their real counterparts, and sometimes they sell out before she has a chance to put them on The Paper Heart’s website.

3. Simple clothes or jewelry

It might be hard to purchase clothing for your significant other without worrying if they will like the gift enough to wear it, especially if they’re usually picky. It can be even harder if you haven’t known them for very long.

Simple yet tasteful items could be an alternative, such as a solid color sweatshirt in their favorite shade or a statement jacket or sweater that can match a lot of outfits. Jewelry can also be a beautiful gift, but make sure you know if your partner prefers gold or silver before purchasing.

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Target, Walmart and Amazon offer a lot of these easy-to-style clothing and jewelry options, and they’re relatively cheap, too.

Bows have become extremely popular recently, a trend that Pasqualino said popped up during the Christmas season. They’re now shifting into Valentine’s Day, and she believes they will remain prevalent come spring.

“Bows are everywhere,” she said, citing examples like hair bows, clothing with bow designs and decorations with bows.

Last year, decor featured Barbie- and disco-themed displays and colors, but she said those trends are still popular alongside the bows, which she said are a vintage trend as well from the ’60s.

“It’s wild; I cannot believe the bows … but I’m loving it — it’s cute,” Pasqualino said. “Bows are it right now.”

4. Affordable activities

Your best option might be to take your significant other out for a date night to try something new if they prefer experiences over material items. Pittsburgh has many fun options like cooking classes, candle-making, wine, distillery or brewery tours and mini golf.

If you’re looking to splurge, you could give your significant other tickets to see their favorite sports team, musical or performer. Tickets to Pittsburgh Penguins’ home games are available.

Purchasing tickets to travel or sightseeing are also options for more adventurous couples.

5. Thoughtful or sentimental gifts

Putting intention behind Valentine’s Day gift-giving enables your partner to feel special. Thoughtful gifts are usually fairly inexpensive, and you can get the items you need at your local craft store.

This could mean getting them a stuffed animal or a personalized card with a handwritten letter. It could also mean putting together a homemade project for your significant other — like a dating coupon book, a “reasons why I love you” jar or even “open when” letters.

Trinkets are always an option as well, especially if your significant other likes small items.

Pasqualino said candles are always a good gift idea. Anything Taylor Swift-related is extremely popular.

“That’s huge right now,” she said of Swift, who recently won two Grammy Awards. “I don’t think Taylor Swift’s going anywhere.”

If you’ve been dating for a longer period of time, you might prefer to buy your partner something personalized that you know is related to their hobbies or interests.