Your guy may not expect to be wined and dined or have a dozen red roses delivered directly to his desk on Valentine’s Day, but that doesn’t mean you can’t show him you care! Surprise your sweetie with a sentimental gift that won’t cost you a thing, or rekindle the romance with something a bit sexier, like boudoir photos of you. We asked real women and experts to spill their most out-of-the-box Valentine’s Day ideas, and we even took it upon ourselves to offer a few. Ah, the things we do for love…
image: loveisartkit.com1. Snag him a Love is Art Kit
Get down and dirty in a different way this Valentine’s Day with a Love is Art Kit. Using your bodies only (yes, seriously!), you and your man can fashion your very own abstract expressionistic painting, and hang it in your house as a constant reminder of the special bond you share. The kit comes complete with everything you need (a plastic tarp, white cotton canvas, washable paint, disposable slippers and a soft mesh body scrubber) to DIY. Not to mention, Love is Art will be donating 20% of all proceeds to the World Food Program this Valentine’s season, so basically, it’s a win-win.
2. Wow him with flirty photos of you
In exchange for a couple bottles of wine and dinner, PR girl Kelli Hartsock managed to talk her good photographer friend into holding a photo shoot for her. “I intend on doing a few yoga poses in my yoga gear and putting a sign next to me saying, ‘See, yoga is fun’ (he won’t do yoga with me),” she says. “I’ll also do a normal photo of me cooking, another one of me in a corset reading his favorite book, another sitting at my laptop working in his shirt and so forth.”
3. Book an unforgettable experience for him
Has your guy always wanted to go sailing? Or perhaps it’s his dream to learn how to fly? Head on over to Cloud 9 Living and make him the happiest wifed-up dude on the planet! You can choose from over 1,700 unique experiences in 43 regions across the U.S. Plus, with experiences starting at just $59 and the average costing only $150, you won’t have to break the bank to blow him away with a gift he’ll cherish forever.
4. Make a picture postcard trail for him to come home to
Nothing says, “I love you” quite like a picture postcard trail, right? Grace Pamer, author of RomanceNeverDies.com, suggests printing out photos that hold a special meaning to you both. Then, on the back of each, write what made that moment or memory so dear and anecdotes from the time. “Have the postcards lead as a trail, either to the bedroom, where you’ll be waiting in your favorite lingerie, or to the dining room table where a candle lit dinner will be waiting for him.”
5. Send him a personalized video card
Let’s be honest, men adore heartfelt Valentine’s Day cards almost as much as us ladies. So this February 14th, step up your gift game and surprise him with a personalized video note from Animoto. Create your own slideshow set to music and include all the cute pics and video clips that capture the essence of your relationship. The best part is, it’s totally free to create!
6. Leave love notes for him on his car
Take a cue from self-publishing consultant Laura Orsini, who, one Valentine’s Day, got a stack of heart-shaped sticky notes and wrote on every single one of them something she loved about her then boyfriend and now husband. “I went to his house in the middle of the night and stuck them in the shape of a giant heart on the back windshield of his car,” she recounts. “I made sure to do it on a weekend so he wouldn’t be late to work pulling them off. He was very touched and said it even made him cry because my notes were some of the nicest things anyone had ever said to or about him.” Awww, adorable!
