Practice Mindful Giving for Valentine’s Day

Instead of spending ridiculous monies on red roses, teddy bears ands chocolates for V-Day this year, why not try a little mindful giving for Valentine’s Day instead.

I’ve always loved giving gifts to people. From the buying, to the wrapping, to the giving, it’s so rewarding to be sharing love and joy any time of the year giving gifts to people.

But the best types of gifts I love to give, are those which are gifts I have either made and designed myself, or someone else has handmade and I am supporting their businesses and giving to someone I care about. This is also a more sustainable way to shop as well, as you are either creating to purchasing a gift which is less of a throw away gift and more of a keep sake.

Mother Theresa once said, there are three main things which are important in life. They were, to be kind, to be kind and to be kind. And there’s something to be said in that, as being kind to the earth and to the ones you love, really is a great way to be in life.

Of course, sustainable and mindful gifts don’t always have to be something handmade. They can also be something which doesn’t impact on the earth, such as gift vouchers and food gifts. These make great alternatives to purchasing something more wasteful on Valentine’s Day such as teddy bears and expensive roses, which tend not to last too long these days.

Check out below, some of my mindful giving ideas, which are sustainable as well.

Buy Eco-friendly:

Look for gifts which have been sustainable sourced and are eco friendly. This can be products which are completely recyclable, and even made from recyclable materials. So many great beauty products are available today, which are either completely packaged free or are made from sustainable ingredients in packaging which is completely recyclable and even naturally breaks down itself after a while.

Buy Second Hand:

Check out some antique thrift shops which may have some cute homewares, or even a fashion statement handbag from the 1950s you could purchase and give your loved one. This is a great way to give old items new love and a new home, without it costing too much. Reusing items for gifts (as long as they are appropriate and in good condition) also helps local businesses.

Useable Gifts:

Instead of getting a gift which may end up a dust collector on someones shelf, think about giving a gift which is more useful than not. If you still want to give roses, why not try giving an actual rose plant. This way, it will flower all year long, and every time it does, your loved one will think of you. This goes for any plant really, they make great gifts for people. Which can either be planted in their garden (if they have one), or sit on their bedside table.

Travel Gifts:

Think about giving a gift which is a mid-week stay to weekend getaway sometime. It may not work for the actual weekend of V-Day, but you can book anytime after that, it will still be a really nice gift to give on the day and something to look forward too later on. My partner and I rarely give gifts on special days, including V-Day. Instead, we will take the day off and go on a road trip somewhere to explore some cool sites. Or go out for lunch and watch a movie.

Homemade Gifts:

Why not make some cute biscuits , chocolates or truffles to give, instead of buying them. Just check if your loved one has any dietary requirements first before making them. Gifts which can be enjoyed with others with a good cuppa, are great. I love receiving home baked goods from friends and family for special occasions, and on V-Day, there are so many great recipes online to check out.

Homemade can also be a gift as well. Maybe you want to make them something. Or maybe you left it too late to start that gift and you may need to give to them for as birthday instead LOL. Cooking is easy for gifts, as it takes no time at all. However, there are some easy homemade gifts you can make in no time at all, like lip balms, a body scrub or even a pretty little gift card.

Happy V-Day for Sunday Everyone.