Gift Guide: Valentine’s Day Gifts for Every Relationship Type

Valentine’s Day is significant to your relationship, whether it’s new, ancient, or somewhere in between — even if you both choose to skip it and people watch all night (a fine way to spend an evening).

Either way, your specific relationship style can help you determine the best gift to get for the occasion. Whether it’s a nighttime-only affair or more than a decade in the works (or both), show your Valentine this year that you’re definitely on the same page.

We know there’s no perfect mold for love so we strongly recommend you mix-and-match as appropriate from our suggestions for every relationship bucket.

For the ‘wouldn’t-call-us-a-couple’ couple

At this stage, neither of you is that serious — so don’t take gifting too seriously. While your romantic future might be literally blank, show some (limited) interest in helping them shape the next couple of days — perhaps even involving yourself in them — with Moleskine’s Smart Planner. The elastic hardcover binds together 12 months’ worth of ivory-colored, acid-free pages, all of which are smart enough to work with the company’s stylus, the Pen+ Ellipse. Your fresh flame will appreciate the space you’re giving them to write to their heart’s content.

More focused on their lips than their scripts? Answer an everyday need with Cucumber Mint lip balm from Burt’s Bees. You can gift four tubes for $9.99, which is brilliant if you want to secure a soft midnight kiss soon as well as several more in the next couple of weeks. Or consider helping your casual partner manage their cords with cord tacos, which show up in many configurations to help them stay charged during your romantic forays.

For the mostly-bedroom couple

When your connection is largely beneath the sheets, the most common gift you give each other is, well, not online. But you’re still in a place — wherever it is — and that place should be as comfortable and comforting as possible.

A bedside lamp will let them know you’re here for the mood. Complement sleek decor with a highly-rated touch lamp which can envelop you both in soft white to get things started and later in a dim red to get things get going. If they’re less into the refined and more into the wild, take the steampunk approach with this dimmable and minimally designed wrought iron lamp. Get weird (in a good way) with a retro industrial design that lets you twist the vintage incandescent lamp to life. And for those looking to invest a bit more heavily in their nightlife is the tree-shaped, smart, and speaker-equipped lamp that will wirelessly charge your devices so you can handle more sensitive things.

For the (recently) cohabitating couple

You’re still getting to know each other’s habits — some good, some bad — so be sure you’re contributing equally and magnanimously to the home you’re building.

Show your partner this place is a priority and they are the reason for that with a robotic vacuum and mop combo. iRobot’s Roomba 690 Vacuuming Robot & Braava jet 240 Mopping Robot Bundle will both save you time for each other and help you clean up your act. You can of course get each item separately. The Roomba 690 Vacuuming Robot is a workhorse: WiFi-enabled, smart home assistant-activated, and programmable, it can handle a week of planned cleanups and focus on especially messy spots with its Dirt Detect sensors. The Braava jet 240 Mopping Robot boasts similar capabilities, as well as an ability to fit into tight spots and navigate around a virtual wall you can set up with iRobot’s Home App.

It’s also okay to shun wires and machines. There are plenty of other great options. I’m especially drawn to this Australian-made Rising Smoke Incense Holder. Its father-daughter design team built in a compartment in the base that catches fallen ashes. Closer to home is the Minnesota handmade Palo Santo Cleansing Set.

For the adventuring couple

Your Instagram is enviable and you’re all over the place in the best ways. Good for you and all that but also it can be challenging to add to the repertoire of adventure gear you already own.

If you’re planning some deep adventures away from home or away from cities, rebel against grid reliance and turn to the sun to charge your devices. LuminAid lets you power its lights and charger-light combos through solar energy. Picture your partner coming home to a dark home lit up by nothing but a lantern you powered with the sun —also maybe say something nice as they approach because otherwise it’s creepy. My favorite part about LuminAid products is the white body and orange strap, two colors that will go a long way in preventing any misplacement. Wherever you end up going, keep track of your destinations in another gridless fashion: a stylized globe made out of cork. You get 50 pins to start with so use that as your North star — and beat it.

For the culinary couple

Little gets me more weak-kneed than cooking up a storm with the person I love. And if you share in that excitement, you know the importance of having the right tools in the kitchen. OXO’s cooking and baking sets are a stylish way to retrofit your cabinets with a look and function that will fuse your culinary duet. The 10-piece Good Grips Non-Stick Pro Set covers all your oven needs for $150 — including deep and shallow pans of varying sizes, shapes, and function. Variations include the 2-Piece Pan Set, the 5-Piece Pan Set, and the Baking Sheet and Half Sheet Pan. Once you finish creating food, store what’s left — if anything. I’m a fan of the 14-Piece Freezer-to-Oven Safe Glass Set. I always prefer glass over plastic when it comes to my food storage, mostly because I get to keep it anywhere and cook it however I like.

If you’re already culinarily well-equipped or want to throw a nice touch into your Valentine’s Day present this year, start by leaving more love letters — and shopping reminders — using magnetic clips. OXO’s Magnetic Mini Clip Pack gives you eight white-and-black or multi-colored clips for less than $20.

For the romantically extra couple

Okay, okay, of course I’m going to get to the couple that simply shines through the entire period of Valentine’s Day — or any other excuse to prove their undying love to each other. It’s gross but endearing. Whatever.

Experiences last a lifetime and Valentine’s Day could be a perfect opportunity to quite actually go that extra mile . We strongly recommend you plan travel in tandem with your traveling partner. But nothing is stopping you from delivering the idea of travel with one of Away’s sleek suitcases. I like the Carry-On, which comes in 12 colors and really packs some punches for $225. Composed of a polycarbonate shell, the minimalist suitcase fits an ejectable charger for your devices, a hidden laundry bag for your love-soaked clothes, a TSA-approved combination lock, and 360-degree rotating wheels. Larger variations include the aptly named Bigger Carry-On, the Medium, and the Large.

It never hurts to gift someone you love with peripherals they might not prioritize getting otherwise. Consider Luxebell’s Digital Luggage Scale, which can measure up to 110 pounds. Or grab a set of four BPA-free, fully squeezable, and easily-refillable shampoo and soap bottles. Then wrap it up with the highly-rated Trtl Pillow. The machine-washable travel pillow comes in various colors and only weighs half a pound.

For the show-binging couple

What’s worth sharing more than a binge-worthy show? That’s right: A blanket. And since anything can happen under the covers, make sure you’ve got that covered. Meet your Valentine at their texture of choice, though, or they may not reciprocate your enthusiasm.

Cashmere is a worthwhile investment and so is Fishers Finery’s Fringe Blanket, which gives you a choice of six colors, from warm stone to Cabernet red. This highly rated chenille throw comes in nine colors — my favorite is ivory. And with twenty different colors and design options, this highly rated cotton, cable-knit throw looks best in dark grey. This navy blue fleece blanket looks very inviting and nappable, and buyers  love this lavender fleece-flannel blanket.

For the Always On-the-Go Couples

Show that you understand your partner’s busy lifestyle with your Valentine’s Day gift. Started in 2016, Senreve's luxury bags are specifically developed with an ambitious woman in mind, so if that sounds like your wife, girlfriend, or partner, Senreve has you covered. Their 4-in-1 Maestra is a versatile everyday bag comes in three sizes to fit everything from an iPad to a 15" laptop. If you think your loved one would prefer a smaller, hands-free option, Senreve’s Aria Belt Bag is a great choice and can also be worn four ways. All bags are made with 100% Italian leather, come in a variety of colors, and are stain and scratch-resistant, making them the perfect on-the-go companions. Order now to take advantage of Senreve's Valentine's Day offer: complimentary hand-painted monogramming on orders over $300.

For the couple headed for marriage

Your upcoming wedding day forces you and your partner into the largest hosting event of your lives, so get some practice.

Kate Spade’s wine decanter is monogrammed ours and that could be seen as a romantic and lovely gesture to some but I read it as a warning to dinner guests considering swiping (or draining) it). Other home bar options abound and can really bring your hosting game to a new level. I like this sophisticated-looking ice bucket and accompanying scoop — that matte finish, though, right? This custom-monogrammed wine trough could display any one letter of your choice. If I was being gifted with it, I’d hope for a G for Gideon or great or at least good. You can always double up two monogrammed gifts (because you’re a pair), pairing one with this acacia-and-slate tray to carry wine — or dessert — to your guests.

For the married with babies couple

I know from family that kids are… time-consuming. Give your partner this Valentine’s Day the greatest gift: Alone time. Take the kid or kids and disappear, leaving them to their own devices. Present this idea with a set of sub gifts they can use during their solitude.

This fleece robe is a great first step to enjoying a day with wine and literature and silence. It’s highly rated and comes in different sizes and colors like oatmeal, navy with nordic snowflakes, and black with faux fur. Soothe their soul with aromatherapy through a stress relief candle from Bath & Body Works. Elevate showers with eucalyptus and spearmint shower streamers. And at the end of the day, after the kids are back and sleeping and it’s time for you both to slip into dozing, round out the day with the best relief you can give the person you love: a massage. Your hands are great as they are but complement them with massage oil — simple is fine, really.

We know couples come in many more forms and shapes and abstract ruminations — some of our buckets are metaphors, you know what I mean? Of course you do.

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