It’s almost Valentine’s Day — that time of year when you let your loved ones know just how much they mean to you (even if it’s just yourself). Whether you’re in a relationship or happily single, fluent in the love language of gifting or trying to find something for the person you just started seeing, we’ve lovingly crafted a master list of our very best Valentine’s Day gift ideas. Think of this as your trusty shopping companion for first crushes, picky boyfriends, and Valentine’s Day haters. For many of these gifts, the last shipping date is the 10 February, but don’t fret, we’ve also pulled together some last-minute options too.
If your ideal Valentine’s Day consists of a relaxed night in and a home-cooked meal, why not gift these incense sticks, recommended by Corinne Bailey Rae, to add some ambiance to your evening. You can find more Valentine’s Day gifts for under £10 here.
If you normally celebrate Valentine’s Day at Lucky Voice, consider this under-£20 wireless microphone. It connects via Bluetooth to Spotify, YouTube, and Alexa: no app required. You can find more Valentine’s Day gifts for under £20 here.
Buying your valentine a MUBI subscription is like gifting them a curated cinema ticket every single day; the perfect last-minute gift for any frequent cinema-goer. You can find more last-minute gifts for Valentine’s Day here.
Some of our favourite, highly giftable Valentine’s Day presents from Black-owned businesses — including this dried flower bouquet from Bristol-based Divina Botanica. You can find more Valentine’s Day gift ideas from Black-owned businesses here.
If your husband has a recipe spreadsheet, consider Nigella’s latest cookbook. Not only does it feature some interesting recipes (like black-pudding meatballs), but it’s got loads of ideas for how to use leftovers in other dishes. You can find more gifts for husbands here.
If your wife is the competitive sort, four board-game experts recommended Patchwork, created by accomplished game designer Uwe Rosenberg, as one of the best two-player games for beginners. You can find more gifts for wives here.
If his notebooks look like mini works of art, maybe he’d like a new medium. These White Nights watercolours came recommended by Strategist contributor (and artist) Natalya Lobanova. You can find more gifts for boyfriends here.
If she needs help relaxing, why not buy her this Renpho handheld massager. It was included in our list of the best-rated massagers on Amazon, as well as in the Strategist 100, our collection of the best, most-stood-behind products ever to appear on the website. You can find more gifts for girlfriends here.
Whether your valentine exclusively listens to Harry Styles or tries to draw you into in-depth discussions on Brutalism, we’ve got you covered — and all these highly giftable options are from ESEA-owned businesses. We love this recycled silver necklace with pearls from Loveness Lee. You can find more Valentine’s Day gifts from ESEA-owned businesses here.
If your valentine needs a case for the AirPods they got for Christmas, we like this one from Off-White. You can find more cheap, nice gifts from expensive brands here.
If you’re in search of a couples sex toy, Carolanne Marcantonio, a licensed master social worker and sex therapist based in Brooklyn, recommends the We-Vibe Tango. “Anyone can use it — you can use it on the testicles, the inner thighs, nipples,” she says. “The sky’s the limit, and the whole body’s covered in nerve endings, so we can really experience pleasure anywhere.” You can find more recommendations for couples’ sex toys here.
For the valentine who just wants a card this year, honest. We think that this watercolour card would look lovely in a frame. You can find more artful, tasteful, and funny Valentine’s Day cards here.
If your partner’s love language is trying out new recipes, Shannon Peter, beauty director at Stylist, recommends buying them a subscription to the New York Times Cooking site. You can find more gifts for long-distance couples here.
For a gift that will keep on giving all year round, Strategist contributor Sonya Patel Ellis recommends buying a houseplant for that special someone. In particular, Ellis favours this string of hearts plant (Ceropegia woodii), with its cascade of tiny heart-shaped, silver-veined leaves. You can find more houseplants to gift for Valentine’s Day here.
The Strategist UK is designed to surface the most useful, expert recommendations for things to buy across the vast e-commerce landscape. Read about who we are and what we do here. Our editors update links when possible, but note that deals can expire and all prices are subject to change.