Valentine’s Day: Putting a price on love

It’s February, and Valentine’s Day is right around the corner. For some, it is a day filled with anticipation. For others, it is just another regular day as usual. As with all popular celebrations comes the usual onslaught of businesses peddling their various Valentine’s Day promotion, pushing for you to purchase something special for your special someone.

Don’t get me wrong, giving gifts is certainly the easiest and most straightforward way to go about showing your appreciation to your significant other. However, it is shaping people’s expectations in the wrong way: that love and affection can be bought through money. That your love for your partner is directly proportional to the amount you spend on a Valentine’s Day gift. It pressures you to fork out your hard-earned money every Valentine’s Day because if you don’t, then you might end up celebrating alone next Valentine’s Day. Therefore, Valentine’s Day is a must to celebrate for those with a significant other.

However, with so many brands constantly telling you that they are selling the perfect gift for your significant other, how can you decide which gift is the perfect one?

Truth is, whatever you choose to purchase as a gift just gets used once and put away most of the time. Except for when you know for certain what they wanted and got it for them.

So there lies the problem. Why spend money on material object that you ‘think’ they will like? Why are you relying on brands to tell you what your significant other likes?

When you’re the one that knows your significant other best?

Here’s some ideas for a great Valentine’s Day Experience:

If you can’t figure out any specific item that they would really treasure, then why don’t you give them a precious experience, a memory that both of you will remember fondly?

Spend some quality time with them this Valentine’s Day. With the MCO restrictions in place, there’s not too many places that you could go. Instead, you can spend time at home with each other, by helping with the cooking in the kitchen, or you can learn how to bake cookies or decorate a cake together. Here’s an idea, how about renting a BBQ grill for a hands-on dinner?

Try a new hobby and create new memories at the same time! If your significant other has a particular hobby that they are passionate about, like painting or photography that you never quite understood, you can use this chance to get to know them better by showing interest in the hobby. Try asking a few questions about it, and get the appropriate tools and equipment too, so that the both of you can new memories during Valentine’s Day. Of course, there’s no need to waste money on hobbies that you may not like. Instead, opt to rent them instead on RentSmart Asia! A newbie trying out a DSLR camera for the first time? Rent a camera for a day and see if you like it.

Always wanted to try a game? Rent a PS4 console and try out some multiplayer games for some bonding time with your significant other. It is also a good chance to get into a different genre of games or for persuading your significant other to try a game that they never tried before.

Since the theaters are closed this MCO, use this as a chance to have a movie date at home. Open up Netflix, choose a movie (or a drama series) and enjoy! You can also rent a projector for a big screen effect. Dim the lights, get cozy with a blanket and a big bucket of popcorn and stream the night away.

If you’re fond of taking photos, you could take this chance to reminisce the past, look at the photos and talk about your fond memories with each other. Recently went on a trip? You can take this chance to print out your favorite photos and put it into a nice album before gifting it to your significant other. Rent a printer if you don’t have one ready at home. Talk about important events in your life and invite your significant other to do so as well, as learning and understanding your significant other can help deepen your relationship.

MCO has taken a huge toll on everybody. 2020 had been a rough year, and 2021 has been full of challenges so far. Use this chance to catch up on your significant other, and check up on their mental well-being. Talk about how they have been coping with stress and work-life balance since working from home, and what concerns they have about the future. Talk about how you can assist them with the new normal, such as a routine for exercising and dietary nutrition.

The most important thing is for the both of you to have fun. Don’t stress too much about what gift to give your significant other, just go with your heart. Happy Valentine’s Day!