Supermarkets and grocery stores become dominated by multicolored flowers and rich-tasting chocolates every February like clockwork. For decades there has been a repeat of unoriginality and lack of creativity in gifts given to one’s partners on the cherished holiday of love — that needs to be fixed.
There are various reasons why chocolates are a commonly given gift for Valentine’s Day. For one, they contain chemicals like phenylethylamine. This chemical is known for releasing endorphins into your brain which ultimately results in giving you the same type of happy and fuzzy feeling you may feel when you’re in love.
While this may not be common knowledge to many and may not be a sole motivator for people to buy chocolate as gifts, it is still a scientifically proven fact and people are dedicated to having this feeling and wanting to share that feeling with those around them whom they love dearly.
Another plausible reason is that chocolate has simply been a very common gift for centuries. Chocolates seem to hold significant and cultural meaning to people as they have transcended the gift-giving world for many ages and through many cultures.
Flowers are also a very common gift, not just for Valentine’s Day, but a basic gift for every holiday and every other special occasion. Flowers have many meanings that are associated with them that may cause people to overuse this gift.
People may give flowers to their partners to communicate their emotions, and show sympathy, and flowers are simply a common way to make a positive connection or even to apologize without saying words. While a meaningful symbol, flowers are way too common to those who don’t know how to use their own words and ideas and can only express themselves through their gifts.
In addition to being overrated and overused, chocolate is a type of candy that contains components to which a large portion of the world is allergic, such as milk, nuts, and soy. The same thing goes for flowers; flowers contain pollen, a common thing numerous people are allergic to. While most allergies may not be deadly, it can still be a nuisance for those who are allergic. They can cause sneezing or a swollen face because their partners were inconsiderate and didn’t think through a more original gift idea.
Besides flowers and chocolate, there is a large quantity of diversified items that would be exponentially better and even more creative. Valentine’s Day is a holiday about love. It is a holiday that allows one to express their love and affection towards their partner.
Good gifts don’t necessarily have to cost a fortune; often, the best gifts don’t. The best gifts are usually the ones that come from the heart. Anyone can purchase a bouquet of flowers or a box of chocolate but not everyone knows your partners like you know them.
You could include a concert ticket to their favorite band or even just personalize a gift for them. Take them hiking, skydiving, or even a night for just the two of you.
The idea of flowers and chocolates shouldn’t be thrown away too fast, though. They are truly good gifts to get when one is in a rush but at the same time, flowers and chocolates won’t feel very special to your partner when the realization hits them that everybody else is getting the same thing as them.
Gift-giving isn’t about the money or the symbolic gifts of a holiday. It’s about the thoughtfulness that goes into the gifts that make them special.
