Skip the clichés this Valentine’s Day – because flowers and candy send the very special message that you have zero time to be considerate – and swap them for more creative and sentimental surprises. A little thoughtfulness goes a long way with these small-but-meaningful gifts given with love.
Kiss Pillows and Paintings
Contemporary artist Olesya Robison gives puckery pouts the glam-rock treatment in her Kiss collection, featuring oil-on-canvas conversation starters and in-your-face throw pillows with just the right amount of pop. The former – officially titled “Candy Crush Kiss” – features 24k gold flakes imported from France and genuine Swiss Swarovski crystals, while the latter gives your urban space a splash of champagne wishes and caviar dreams via one sultry smooch. $65-$1,000; olyrobison.com
The Gay Gospel
Twenty-something singles don’t have to spend another lonely Valentine’s Day down in the dumps when they can curl up with a confidence-boosting book. Author Justin Luke Zirilli’s The Gay Gospel levels the playing field for today’s young gay men with his no-nonsense but oft-hysterical advice on everything from sex and dating to family and finances. Couples, too, can enjoy this quick guide to love, relationships and everything in between that Broadway star Billy Porter calls “deftly concise, incredibly lean, yet amazingly practical.” From $6.95; justinlukenyc.com
360 Mini Massager
Instead of outsourcing your lover’s spa-quality shiatsu session, get hands-on at home this year with Moji’s 360 Mini Massager – the perfect palm-sized device to help put a little passion back in the bedroom. Equipped with seven rotating steel spheres to help ease the tension out of the toughest spots, this flexible massager features an adjustable clasp for a contoured fit so the two of you can take turns getting knotty – er, naughty – all night. $29.95 ; gomoji.com
Nip+Man
If your babe is focused on staying buff (lucky you!), Nip+Man male grooming products will help him stay studly and cuddly while enhancing that bangin’ bod. More than just a skin care line for men, this range of products – billed as incorporating a “number of plastic surgery alternatives” – are designed to emphasize natural contours and improve skin texture. Lineup includes the usual suspects like facial wash and after-shave lotion, but there also are more manly additions like Pec Fix, Bicep Fix and Ab Fix, the names of which alone will make you want to rip off his clothes. $60.84; GNC.com
Bits of Love Jewelry
If you’re not quite ready to take the legal plunge with your main squeeze, Bits of Love jewelry can help you effectively express your four-letter affection without signing an anxiety-inducing lifelong contract. Each solid-sterling silver ring is handcrafted in the United States, and a portion of sales benefit Street Poets Inc., a poetry initiative for at-risk youth that believes in the power of words to transform. $95; bitsoflovestyle.com
Perfect Reject Plush Sculptures
There’s a certain beauty in our own flaws – and those of our better halves – and that concept has never been captured more poignantly than by Perfect Reject, plush sculptures that aptly celebrate difference and diversity in a tattered-and-torn collection of misfit dolls. With an emphasis on tolerance and compassion, these handcrafted keepsakes are as unique as the love between you and your S.O., and each one is a testament to the resilience and imperfection of your individual relationship. Available in a wide array of animals and pop-culture icons, there’s a Perfect Reject to fit every personality. $150-$375; perfectreject.com
Casetify
Help your partner preserve his or her selfies, ‘usies’ and other photos while protecting their digital lifeblood with a custom case from Casetify. You’ll create functional sentiment – to complement an iPhone, iPod, iPad or Android devices – by pulling pics from Facebook and Instagram to build a collage of images in a selection of patterns, including a heart. Because each case is made-to-order, allow ample time to receive it before the big day. From $29.95; casetify.com
Brickell Men’s Products
Give your sweetie the gift of smooth, caressable skin – all over his beautiful body – with the full line of natural grooming products from Brickell. For V-Day, pick up the giftable-from-the-getco Men’s Starter Kit, which includes travel-size favorites including scented or unscented face wash, shave cream, aftershave, moisturizer, hand balm and bar soap. $45; brickellmensproducts.com
Whiskey Explorers Club
Does your squeeze have an affinity for high-end hooch? Send your message of love by the bottle with the Whiskey Explorers Club, a one-time or quarterly gift set that packs a powerful punch. Each For Whiskey Lovers shipment contains four 50ml flights of premium whiskey labeled with a generic code. To find out what brand of whiskey they’re tasting, your too-cute connoisseur can turn the experience into an interactive game where they’ll provide tasting notes and ratings while enjoying a rousing edition of My Whiskey IQ. From $75; forwhiskeylovers.com
Heart Swatch
Let your honey know that your love will stand the test of time with Unlock My Heart, the newest addition to the expansive heart-themed collection from Swatch. A portable lock of love and presented in a special box to make sure your romance never misses a beat, this latest addition is inspired by the love padlocks representing happy relationships that notably adorn bridges throughout Europe. $70; swatch.com
Mikey Rox is an award-winning journalist and blogger whose work has been published in more than 100 outlets across the world, including CNN.com, The Huffington Post, The Advocate, Instinct magazine, and Out.com, among many others. He lives in Manhattan with his husband and their cuddle-buddy furbaby. Connect with Mikey on Twitter @mikeyrox.
