Look, shopping for Valentine's Day gifts is hard. Unlike your standard birthday and holiday gifts, a Valentine's Day gift needs to have that little extra sugar, spice and romance. While you can never go wrong with flowers, you might also want to give something with a little more thought behind it to show that you really know the person who has your heart. That said, flowers are still a must.
Our team of shopping pros laid their hearts bare to share the most romantic Valentine's Day gifts they've ever received. Keep in mind, we're a tough crowd. Pleasing people who shop for a living and know every possible Valentine's Day gift idea isn't easy! All of these gifts, however, have won our hearts and have a plaque in the Romantic Gifts Hall of Fame. If you're looking for gifting inspo, these ideas are tried-and-true with a 100% success rate.
From sentimental artwork to fancy chocolates (yes, chocolates are classic for a reason!), scroll below to shop the editor-approved Valentine's Day gifts that still have us swooning.
Etsy
"My boyfriend and I aren't big on Valentine's Day. I'd rather have a home-cooked meal and some quality time than a present (although I never say "no" to flowers!). One year, however, he surprised me with a custom watercolor painting of the bar where we had our first date, down to the pumpkins on the front stoop and burgundy mums in the flower boxes. There are tons of digital watercolors on Etsy, but this artist is the real deal. Now, it's framed and sitting on a shelf in our living room."
—Amanda Garrity, Gifting Editor
Sur La Table
"Ever since our very first Valentine's Day as broke college sophomores, my fiancé and I have done the same thing: See how quickly we can eat a large pizza while watching a movie with a $10 bottle of wine — and I love it every time. One year, though, he surprised me with a Sur La Table cooking class where we made our own pizza. I was so unbelievably touched (and may have teared up a bit) that he kept our tradition alive, with a fresh twist to keep me on my toes. It was also "date night" themed so we were surrounded by other couples, which made it even more fun. Sur La Table offers a ton of classes throughout the year both in-person and online — like this pasta-making one."
—Sarah Weldon, Trending Writer
Etsy
"In my opinion, nearly any gift can be romantic — it all comes down to context. For example, I once dragged my husband into a housewares boutique and was browsing the kitchen section when this adorable pastry-print serving tray caught my eye. I casually made a comment about how cute I thought it was, but that I probably shouldn't spend money on it. I ended up leaving the store empty-handed, but lo and behold, several months later, my husband surprised me with it for Valentine's Day. It was such a thoughtful gesture — he'd listened! — and I use it all the time to display my homemade treats."
—Britt Ross, Senior Deals Writer
Loren Hope
"I have a lot of jewelry. It's the gift I ask for every birthday, Christmas and Valentine's Day because it rarely ever disappoints. But one year, I was surprised with one of these vintage Opaline glass boxes to store my jewelry in and I almost cried tears of joy when I opened it. Not only because it's so beautiful, but also because I was surprised with a gift I genuinely love. (I've been told I'm very hard to shop for, so this is no small feat.) Now, in addition to collecting jewelry, I also collect these boxes because they're so special to me."
—Jeanine Edwards, Shopping Director
Godiva
"I told my husband I wanted one thing and only one thing this Valentine's Day: chocolate. And when it comes to chocolate, Godiva is queen. This box has 36 different chocolates, including caramels and ganaches. I want to eat the entire box while watching Bridgerton."
—Kate Ellsworth, Commerce Editor
Etsy
"For the first five or six after having our son, my life definitely revolved around him — and only him. After a while I started to envy all the fun art classes I was driving him to, so I signed up for an adult art class! My husband noticed I got frustrated after smudging some charcoal drawings I was working on in transport, so he got me this portfolio to bring to and from class for Valentine’s Day. Truth be told, it sometimes feels like I'm taking myself too seriously when I cart my stuff around in this, but it's so practical and attractive that it's easy to get over. The romantic part of this gift was him seeing that I was reviving my interests and finding balance in being a working mother, so he found a sweet way to say he had my back as I tried to fit the things that are important to me back into my life."
—Janelle Randazza, Commerce Editor
Flamingo Estate
"I'm not big on Valentine's Day, but if someone were to offer me a little something from Flamingo Estate, I wouldn't say no. This brand is so effortless and luxurious in an understated way. I hate super-perfumey candles and soaps or lotions, but I adore the Flamingo Estate Heirloom Tomato Leaf Candle for its earthy, fresh, authentic scent. It makes my living room so much more inviting. The catch? It's $60, which feels excessive and definitely not something I'm picking up for myself — which is why it makes the perfect gift."
—Lisa Schweitzer, Senior Writer
Goldbelly
"Call me traditional but, as someone who writes about food fairly often (I'm also a Taurus, if that says/means anything to you), decadent chocolate has always held a special place in my heart. I like the idea of something the recipient isn't likely to indulge on themselves. This box from Godiva is an elevated classic, while I like Compartes for something a bit more bougie/refined and Vosges for the more artistic/exotic. It's also fun to taste-test the gourmet flavors together (assuming they feel compelled to share)."
—Kristin Granero, Senior Commerce Writer
