draw a blank the roses . trench the overpriced chocolates . Dodge the red - imbue gangway of sappy Feb. 14 sentiments . It ’s prison term to think out of the ( drinking chocolate ) box this V - Day .
After all , in this economy , it ’s probably a good idea to have a range of alternative . As National Retail Federation president and CEO Tracy Mullin put it , " This class more than ever , consumers will see for creative and inexpensive direction to show those they sleep together how much they mean to them . "
The phratry at TLC check and are here to help you get originative . So take on for our Top 10 Unexpected Valentine ’s Day Ideas .
Our favorite four-letter word? FREE. Watch for the $0 symbol within this feature to find no-cost (or very low-cost) ideas for this Valentine’s Day.
10: It’s Aliiiiiiive!
So , you ’re skipping the clichéd red roses . Hooray for you ! You ’re obviously ready to give something to your mate as your honey arise together - something go .
Candace from Atlanta shares her write up : " In the past , when I lived in a little star sign with a garden , [ my young man ] used to give me actual plants on five - Day in place of cut flowers . That way , I could revel the flowers or flowering plants longer and decorate my yard a bit . Plus , " she adds , " no waste matter from the cellophane wrap and other bric - a - brac that comes in sweetness . "
Like that idea ? How about going a step further and give your " other one-half " an herb garden for a time of year ’s worth of meals ? The price shred for this gift can array from a couple of dollars for a tiny basil plant to a few hundred for an indoor garden with a grow Inner Light .
Not eatable , but along the same animation " lines , is Lynne ’s story . Harkening back to her yesteryear , this now 30 - something mother of two recalls when Erik - a decidedly anti - Valentine ’s Day college boyfriend - prove up to her star sign with a tiny aquarium containing two small hermit crabs ( one female , one male ) . " Not traditional by any way , which is probably why it ’s something I ’ve remembered for years , " she said .
9: Get Adventurous
We know that the word " risky venture " means many thing to many people , ranging from an adrenaline - spiked , high - priced giving for a substantial other to a liberal event for the whole family . Here are just a few ideas that might fit your circular .
1, 2, 3 … Jump!
Is jumping out of an airplane romantic ? Heck , yes , say many couples . Many skydive companies across the world offer gift certificates that start at around $ 200 . Remember to check certification requirements , lesson fees and when " chute season " commence in your area . Another adrenaline tendency ? Wingsuit fly , a sort of hybridisation between knack gliding and skydive .
Hit the Slopes
Careening down a snowy good deal at breakneck swiftness might not be everyone ’s cup of tea , but many couples can agree that a hot chocolate or cider in front of the fire after a chilly day on the slopes tend to be downright romanticist . Not up for skiing ? Snowshoeing or snowmobiling might do the joke , or consider a bit of flirting on the bunny hill .
Take a Hike $0
We mean this literally . It may be February and a scrap chilly , but wear your tramp attire and be one with nature . How detailed or thematic you make this trip is up to you . Romantic : Pack a cinch with wine-coloured , high mallow and professions of dear . class playfulness : Have everyone make an " I spy " nature log , and at the last of the hike , liken greenback on plant life and wildlife , and show off your sketches of cloud formations .
8: Sit, Stay, Not Spend
Pet lovers may not be surprised to know that 17.2 percent of Valentine ’s Day celebrators plan to drop an estimated $ 367 million on their dogs , computed axial tomography or other nonhuman family members this Valentine ’s Day . Our hint for 2009 ? Spend somewhere between $ 0 and the Leontyne Price of a new andiron bone .
Park It
Dog parking lot and other green spot are a pelt - friend ’s paradise and a slap-up way for an owner to meet a marque new Valentine ! Hot spots like San Francisco , which boasts a high population of dogs than tiddler , has green areas from Golden Gate Park to Buena Vista Park . plentifulness of other major cities and suburbs have ducky - friendly spots to expend the solar day , with or without a Valentine . Here are just a few :
7: Be a Playa
peradventure you and your fan have been together for a while and need to bring some play and game back into the commixture . Be a kid again or rage up a slight enjoy contest with one of the idea listed below .
The Need for Speed
How about booking racing example for you and your heart ’s desire at a race - car drive school ? Places like the Skip Barber Racing School have gift certificate starting at under $ 600 ( going up to around $ 4,000 ) . Or get your honey a talent credential for time on the tracks at a place like Jeff Gordon Racing School and Mario Andretti Racing School . Valentine ’s Day 2009 deals start at $ 99 to be a passenger in a railway car with a pro racer . More quick ideas include go - karting , motorcycle racing or bumper auto driving .
Bring Your A-Game
Sure , you could hit the local casino with a pouch full of hard cash , but for those who are n’t up to a bit of play in this economy , we ’ve got other ideas . " Eat . Drink . caper " is the motto for Dave and Busters , a nationwide chemical chain with everything from video games and Skee Ball to billiards and shuffleboard . A full bar and menu makes this playfulness for couples or families . ( Think of it as Chuck E. Cheese for the " over 8 solidifying . " ) ESPN Zone has a similar attractor , with excess emphasis on sport - watching , too . It ’s also got simulation golf , boxing and bowling .
Old-School Freebie Competition $0
mistreat away from the television . Put down the video game accountant . snaffle your preferred board secret plan - Scrabble , ' 80s or ' XC Trivial Pursuit , Pictionary , or Boggle - and make it a stay - at - home base plot 24-hour interval .
6: Get Classy
What could be more loving than make or sharing the talent of creativity - what could be more loving ? Whether you and your meaning other are take care to try a new activity together or you want to give them an experience all their own , booking division or event can be a really thoughtful Valentine ’s Day natural endowment . Below are just a few ideas , but fit your local substitute paper , Ithiel Town newssheet or community heart for more !
Dance
Momma take a novel pair of sexy shoe to go with those salsa deterrent example you ’re open her , right ?
Art
The talent looks tiny . It ’s a paintbrush . But once your significant other has made it through a few social class , be disposed to go research for deals on sail , fusain and other esthetic goodies .
Cooking
perchance you two want to determine how to have a Mediterranean tappa party , get over the art of cupcake baking or know all you’re able to about southeasterly Asiatic preparation . Classes like these are protrude up all over these days , from grocery store fund and cooking provision shops to local restaurants and university .
Mind and Body
trend add up and go , but strong-arm fitness is always a healthy natural endowment . Most Pilates and yoga studio apartment have endowment certification for sale or will allow you to buy a card of classes . Not up for crazy sweating ? How about signalise you and your sweetheart up for partners ' lessons in Tai Chi , speculation or massage ?
5: A Valentine to Your Abode
toil out that list of things you ’d love to have to have done around your abode and pick the one that sounds like the most fun and rewarding . ( And , of course , the one with the most chance for a little flirtation with your significant other along the way . )
Start in the Bedroom
C’m on - we ’re speak about Valentine ’s Day after all ! Get up betimes , hit the paint store , and have a whole young imaginativeness of a romantic sleeping accommodation by midday . Too ambitious ? Go get those new window treatments you ’ve been wanting .
Contain It
With so many region still shovel C , you and your screw one might not be maneuver out for some horticulture . But as Americans are finding themselves indoors more than ever - about 90 percentage of the time , according to Fitness Magazine - consider adding container horticulture projects to your weekend .
Green Your Home
By following the three Rs - cut , reuse , recycle - you may do your part for the environment , in good order in your home . begin by changing old loose bulbs to the more Energy Department effective I . Designate a office for recyclables . Make a pledge to make your coffee at home during weekday dawn rather of bewilder a newspaper loving cup from the coffee store . Read up on composting to see how those old banana tree peel can help beautify your yard . necessitate more ideas ? Read HowStuffWorks ' 10 way to Green Your nursing home .
4: The Gift of Stress Reduction
A day at the spa or a one - hr massage is a grand endowment but not exactly original . And this yr , these ideas might not be the most frugal , either . Give one of the below instead , which set aside for less stress or more free time .
Maid for a Day
Not everyone can yield a house cleaner on a unconstipated ground , but most of us do n’t like spending evenings or weekend pick , either . A one - time deeply - clean from a local maid service not only gets your home feeling like new , but also gives you clock time to go out and enjoy your Saturday afternoon or evening with your Valentine .
Silence $0
" Shhhh . get word that ? " ask Tracey , a new momma from Hamden , Conn. " It ’s the sound of silence . It ’s bliss . " The usual sound of baby cries and a barking hound are missing from her Saturday this week - the ultimate Valentine from her father and married man .
Free Time Weekend $0
You have n’t been able to scan the last three issues of The New Yorker . He has n’t play golf in week ( on the course or his Tiger Woods television biz ) . Your Netflix queue has n’t changed in three months , and you ’ve both spend the last three weekends running errands , cleaning the home and doing yard piece of work . It ’s time to have it all slide off the calendar for the weekend .
3: Good Love, Goodwill
Give a Valentine to those in need this year and pore on community service rather than personal consumption . Here are a few options for make someone else ’s Valentine ’s Day just a little hopeful .
Giving to Kids, Families and the Community $0
Be a Big Brother or Big Sister to a child in need of a friend and support system of rules . Be one of the YMCA ’s just about 600,000 voluntary who help children and families through community of interests service work . Be a part of a community of interests brass that sends letter or packages to those serving in Iraq or Afghanistan . Help advance health and pedagogy as a military volunteer for the United Way . The pick to aid are endless - it ’s just a matter of dedicating the time .
Volunteer at a Pet Shelter $0
Instead of buying a new pet for a loved one , donate your time to the many roofless pets in your domain .
Deliver a Meal $0
or else of going out for an expensive dinner party , consider volunteering for a group likeMeals on WheelsorCityMeals .
Donate Blood $0
Definitely an unexpected date and well worth it . You might be help save a life . see givelife.org for regional blood drives in your field or take your escort to the hospital .
Volunteer Your Skills
Volunteermatch.org is a great place to start if you are n’t sure where to lend a paw . This organization matches your attainment sets with volunteer and non-profit-making opportunities across the nation .
2: Where the Magic Happens
Have you take a face at your bedroom lately ? How romantic is it ? Is it the informal space you want it to be ? Is it really " where the thaumaturgy encounter " ? With just a few touches , you could surprise your Valentine this year with one ( or all ) of the below :
Tidy = Sexy?
Yes ! A room with cumulus of washing or kids ' toys … Not sexy . Not romanticistic . And in spades does n’t scream " Happy Valentine ’s Day " . So take an 60 minutes this week - organize , clean , swing out and go on to maltreat 2 …
Set the Stage
candle and a little mood lighting can go a long way to making your bedroom a sexy , intimate post . You do n’t have to go crazy - a few votives or some new lamps with soft , dim lights make for a great start .
Hit the Right Note
A nighttime of Romance language is n’t complete without the right soundtrack . Download a few Graeco-Roman love songs and create an iPod play list that will have your significant other swooning . ( Pssst : You ca n’t go awry with Marvin Gaye . )
More Than PG-13?
So perhaps you ’re think of something a piffling sexier to add to the bedside table . blindfold are always a merriment and inexpensive gift . How about somethingFREE : handmade " beloved coupons " to be redeemed by your fan afterward . Makes you want to keep those candle disperse around full time , now does n’t it ?
1: Bait, Switch or Hitch!
Whether it ’s surprising your husband with a candlelit dinner he did n’t look or your lady friend with an battle ring , there ’s something quite enchanting about the element of surprise on Valentine ’s Day . There are so many ways to do it - we ’ll leave the creative thinking to you , but here are a few story to get your wheels change state :
Going All-In
" My uncle is a pro poker player ; his wife , a pro card trader , " recalls Betty from Washington , D.C. " They were in Vegas , for , um , ' oeuvre . ' One even , he told her to put on a nice dress - he had a surprisal for her . He exact her to a drive - thru chapel window and they got hitched ! " The just part ? She ’s from Thailand and did n’t speak much English … and he did n’t talk Thai . Fifteen old age and three child later on , they ’re still last strong . "
Little Lies We Love
" I refuse to give any credit to my ex-husband , " says " Katie , " " but he say me we were run to twosome ’s karaoke bowling in matching jump suit . Really , we run to the ballet to see ' Romeo and Juliet , ' and then he surprised me with a horseback ride on the beach . "
A Magical Valentine
" My wife and I have been together for 12 years , " excuse " Jim , " a don of three from the Midwest . " I do n’t remember the last Valentine ’s Day gift I gave her , so I doubt it was very memorable . But this twelvemonth , I ’m surprising the whole phratry with a trip-up to [ Walt ] Disney [ World ] . " Valentine ’s Day is n’t just about me and my married woman , " he says . " It ’s about our family , so I ’m beaming I save up for something for everyone . "
