Valentine's Day: Gifts To Avoid

On the eve of Valentine's Day, you may still be looking for the perfect gift. Contrary to the old saying, it's not (just) the thought that counts! Even if you believe you're doing well, some gift ideas might be poorly received by your partner. So dear Valentines, here is a list of gifts to avoid at all costs, to ensure your celebration of love goes smoothly.

What are the gifts to avoid for her?

Among the gifts to avoid for Valentine's Day are, of course, the cheap items. A tacky piece of jewelry or a trinket can be misinterpreted. They may suggest that you place little value on your relationship. There are also all gifts with negative connotations because they emphasize age, style, or the role you attribute to your Valentine!

To avoid these blunders, you should definitely not give a woman:
- an anti-wrinkle cream: no need to remind your beauty that she's getting older! After all, everyone ages, even you, my dear.

- a piece of costume jewelry: the idea of jewelry is good, but a too fragile piece will unfortunately not last long, and that's a shame.

- a stuffed animal: even if it's very cute, your beauty is no longer a child, and besides, her cuddly toy is you.

- a cheap bouquet of flowers: for some women, flowers are a whole symbol. So it's better to avoid garden flowers, supermarket ones, or worse, plastic ones!

- a household appliance: times have changed, gentlemen, so it's no longer possible to treat women as maids.

- a bathroom scale: there's nothing worse than this object to suggest to your beauty to lose weight and therefore to offend her!

What are the gifts to avoid for him?

In relationships, stereotypes are tenacious. So, if your Valentine isn't an athlete, a handyman, or a skilled lover, there's no need to rub salt in the wound! Here are the Valentine's Day gifts to avoid at all costs so as not to offend your sweetheart.

- tools: just as with household appliances for you, ladies, the same goes for your man in the hardware department! Let's avoid talking about chores and contentious issues on February 14th!

- a pair of socks: not only are socks not a very original gift, but they're also neither romantic nor sexy!

- a gym membership: steer clear of this backhanded gift! There's nothing worse to suggest to your Valentine that he needs to lose weight and get moving. Even if it's not your intention, you risk implying that he's too fat, too lazy, or too sluggish.

- flowers: unless your Valentine is passionate about gardening, try to find a gift that aligns more closely with his interests.

- a self-help book: giving your lover "Sex for Dummies" or "Relationships for Dummies" is not a very subtle hint. Don't be surprised if he doesn't appreciate it, not one bit!

What is the ideal Valentine's Day gift?

The perfect Valentine's Day gift is the one that hits the mark. To find it, you must really know your partner, their tastes and current desires.

If you're lacking inspiration, here's the top 3 most given gifts in 2023 for Valentine's Day, according to a YouGov study conducted in February 2023:
1- Flowers are the most popular gift, for 27% of respondents.
2- Perfume is favored by 21% of respondents.
3- Jewelry takes the third spot on the podium, for 12% of respondents, because they allow one to express love and commitment.

These gifts may not be the most original, but they are safe bets if you avoid the previously mentioned pitfalls. Now that you know the mistakes to avoid in finding the ideal gift, go for it! The worst mistake would be to not give anything at all! Happy shopping and happy Valentine's Day to everyone!