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Alternative gifts for Valentine's Day

February 12, 2016

Hearts, stuffed toys and way too much red has bled it’s way into retail stores. 

It’s that time of year when everyone suddenly realizes their painful singleness or that they're head-over-heels in love, and with that comes gift-giving.

The State News is here to help you find that perfect gift for this upcoming Valentine’s Day—whether you’re buying for a significant other or a lovely friend.

1. A new twist on bouquets

Flowers are a staple in the Valentine’s market, which is fine, if you’re going for average gift-giving. To step your bouquet game up, though, try this: a bouquet of kittens or unicorns. If that's too girly, try dinosaurs. They have Stormtroopers, too. And while these quirky arrangements are somewhat pricey, you can easily make these on your own, personalized and for pretty cheap prices.

2. Nothing sweeter than homemade

Everybody’s a sucker for baked goods and chocolate, so instead of going out and buying a heart-cased set of commercialized unoriginality this year, make it yourself. 

The tutorial below teaches how to assemble you very own R2-D2 chocolate, but there are tons of silicon baking molds it can help your create.

3. Throw the cards down

Alternatives to a store-bought card includes simply writing a nice love letter — bonus points for actually mailing it to them. Others can step up the card game by making a 52 Reasons Why I Love You card deck. Cheesy, but effective.

4. Passion for fashion

Everyone wears clothes, so it always makes a good gift. However, there’s nothing cooler than something homespun — and you don’t have to know how to crochet to make someone a shirt. Iron-on transfer paper and transfer pens allow people to make their own designs and iron them right onto T-shirts, sweatshirts and basically every other kind of fabric.

5. It’s personal

The website Etsy is full of handmade goods that could make anyone's heart melt. From keychains engraved with a latitudinal coordinate  — perfect for long distance — very honest mugs, to making yourself or your loved one into an actual emoji, Etsy is the one-stop shop for handmade, unique gifts you don’t actually have to make yourself.

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