All the Best Valentine’s Day Gift Ideas

In this article

• Gifts for every budget
• Gifts for her
• Gifts for him
• Gifts for kids
• Gifts for everyone

Valentine’s Daymayfall on the same date every year — but if you’ve been procrastinating, we’re not judging. In fact, we’ve combed through our archives and the internet for a smattering of gifts that won’t give away how recently you purchased them, from a body oil will keep their skin hydrated to “the Volkswagen of pens, with a Jaguar engine,” according toAndré Aciman.Read more here.

Any gift is sweeter (for you) when you get it on sale, andplentyof great gifts are discounted right now. Deals editorSam Dalyrounded up 33 things (and counting) that are marked down and would make a thoughtful gift, from both real andfauxbouquets to some pretty pink headphones.Read more here.

[Editor’s note: There are multiple ways to receive most Nordstrom items before Saturday, including expedited shipping (which can be free for Nordy Club members) and in-store pickup. But it all depends on what you’re buying and where it’s going, so we recommend checking your specific options prior to purchasing.]

If there’s anything we’ve learned after writing about gifts for a decade, it’s that a meaningful Valentine’s Day present doesn’t have to cost a ton. To prove our point, writer Dominique Pariso sifted through our archives for gift suggestions under $25, including all-natural mineral bath salts from Japan, plastic-free meal-prep containers, and some nicely packaged lube.Read more here.

If you have a slightly higher budget, Strategist writer Brenley Goertzen found a few dozen gifts under $50 for all kinds of valentines, including the girlfriend who is in culinary school and the husband who works from home.Read more here.

[Editor’s note: To receive anything directly from Maude before Valentine’s Day, you’ll need to order with expedited shipping before February 12.]

We have good news for anyone who’s sweating about their partner’s expensive taste: Many designer brands offer small luxuries at (relatively) reasonable prices. So if you can’t yet swing a bona fide boar-bristle brush from La Bonne Brosse or a leather handbag from Coach, some pretty hairpins or a card case are nice alternatives.Read more here.

[Editor’s note: Some of these items may require expedited shipping or in-store pickup to arrive on time, so check delivery dates carefully.]

Whether you’re shopping for the girlfriend who has perfected the photo dump or the wife who is trying to reset her circadian rhythm, we’ve found a gift for her (and then some) in our Valentine’s Day gift guide for every type of woman. Our favorites include some functional lingerie and our Best in Classtravel pillow, but there are more than 45 gifts to choose from should those not suit her fancy.Read more here.

Beauty writerTembe Denton-Hurstkeeps her gifting philosophy to the point: “Listen well, buy thoughtfully.” If she’s been racing to watch all the Best Picture nominees, get her a nice-looking projector; if she’s trying to use her phone less, get her a book light for nighttime reading. Denton-Hurst found 38 such thoughtful items.Read more here.

There’s no more opportune time to splurge than Valentine’s Day. And while these price tags are steep, Denton-Hurst can personally attest they’re worth the price. Some of her most elegant recommendations include Diane von Fürstenberg’s favorite Hermès notebook cover and a wish-list-topping mohair blanket.Read more here.

[Editor’s note: Some of these items may require expedited shipping to arrive on time, so check delivery dates carefully.]

If you’re still stumped on what to get her, Denton-Hurst has even more ideas in her regularly updated list of gifts for girlfriends of all types, no matter the occasion — from an ice-cream scoop for the dessert lover to AirTags for the girlfriend who loses everything.Read more here.

For this year’s roundup of the best Valentine’s Day gifts for wives,Denton-Hurstinterviewed many tasteful, stylish wives about the gifts they’d most like to receive — and included several of her own picks (she’s a wife herself). She’s got ideas at every price point, from a $22 makeup bag that will keep her organized on the go to some buzzy ankle and wrist weights.Read more here.

And if you need even more ideas, Denton-Hurst has a whole other list of gift ideas for wives, which she updates year-round. She recommends mixing highbrow and lowbrow — as in stuffing a towel warmer with fuzzy socks or gifting her a trendy cookbook with afancy olive oil. For even more options,find the rest of our suggestions here.

According to Strategist writer Erin Schwartz, “a great Valentine’s Day gift strikes the balance between personal and indulgent.” Of course, that’s easier said than done, so they scoured our archive for every gift that simultaneously says “I love you” and “Iknowyou.” All you have to do is decide whether the man in your life would appreciate a handmade comb that folds into a pocket-size package, an analog foot massager, or one of the 50 other gifts on the list.Read more here.

Boyfriends can be difficult to gift. To avoid worrying and searching for hours, tech writerJordan McMahonsifted through the Strategists’s archives to round up 45 of the best pieces for every type of boyfriend, from the “aspiring chef” to “devout gamer” and everything in between. Among his top picks: a French pop-colored headset and a gold-standard cocktail mixing glass.Find more picks here.

As our resident picky guy and a senior writer at the Strategist, Michael Zhao has encountered many expensive products that don’t quite live up to their promises. To help you spend your money on splurgy gifts that are actually worth it, he compiled a list of his favorites, including a design-forward coffee maker and leather sneakers that can be resoled again and again.Read more here.

If you still need more ideas for your boyfriend, McMahon also keeps a year-round list of the best ideas for Valentine’s Day or otherwise, whether he fancies himself a grill master or could complete a 1,000-piece puzzle while blindfolded.Read more here.

Finding the best gift for a husband who has everything (and says he doesn’t want anything) is hard — especially when you just found one less than two months ago for the holidays. To help you top what you got your husband in December, McMahon combed through our archives for a gift that will be sure to delight no matter your budget.Read more here.

Senior writerLauren Roremembers being “obsessed” with Valentine’s Day as a kid. Now, she says, “as a parent of a preschooler and first-grader, I can’t help but want to make the holiday memorable for them, too.” She prefers useful treats, like toys and cards, to candy, and on this year’s list are on-the-go Magna-Tiles in the shape of a heart, mood rings, LEGO sets, and plenty more.Read more here.

“Along withcandyandflowers, a cuddly teddy bear is one of the most classic Valentine’s Day gifts,” says writerAmelia Jerden. But there are plenty of other stuffed animals worth giving to your partner, friend, or kid for the holiday, and Jerden rounded up 36 of them, from pigs and penguins to macarons and coffee.Read more here.

[Editor’s note: Some of these stuffed animals may require expedited shipping or in-store pickup to arrive on time, so check delivery dates carefully.]

Giving flowers for Valentine’s Day is a classic, but you can do better than plastic-wrapped roses from the bodega. WriterArielle Avilarounded up all the best bouquets you can order online (including several she tried for herself).Read more here.

[Editor’s note: Delivery times and dates vary by bouquet and location.]

When it comes to romance novels, “what lights up one person might be overwrought or ick inducing to another,” Denton-Hurst says. And so, she spoke with booksellers, critics, friends, and even one of her former professors about their favorite romance books to curate a list that spans the spectrum of preferences, from Akwaeke Emezi’s sexy but divisive forbidden romance novel toNew YorkMagazine “Sex Diaries” columnist Alyssa Shelasky’s recently releasedMore, Please,which compiles anonymous accounts from people with varying levels of experience with non-monogamy.Read more here.

[Editor’s note: Orders from Bookshop.org may not arrive by Valentine’s Day.]

“I am not a candy snob,” says senior writerLiza Corsillo. “But when I’m buying candy for Valentine’s Day, especially for someone I want to impress, the bar is a bit higher.” Luckily, fancy candy has never been easier to find, and Corsillo rounded up the best of it — classic BonBon gummies, licorice balls from Denmark, espresso-filled candy bits, and plenty more.Read more here.

[Editor’s note: Some of this candy may require expedited shipping or in-store pickup to arrive on time, so check delivery dates carefully.]

Skip the basket; just send them fruit (really good fruit). Strategist contributorOset Babür-Winterrounded up the mail-order fruit that will brighten your valentine’s February, from a big box of blueberries to a seasonal box of tropical fruits.Read more here.

[Editor’s note: These gifts may require expedited shipping to arrive by Valentine’s Day, so check shipping times carefully.]

Whether or not you believe the way to someone’s heart is through their stomach, our kitchen and dining writer Emma Wartzman will go on record that food makes a perfect Valentine’s Day gift. Her evidence includes an assortment of miniature marzipan fruits and this set of visually appealing Flamingo Estate olive oil and balsamic vinegar. And of course you can’t go wrong with a box of chocolates — especially if it’s this one from Compartés that includes chocolate-dipped fruits, chocolate-covered nuts, and peanut-butter cups.Read more here.

[Editor’s note: Some of these gifts require expedited shipping or in-store pickup to arrive on time, so check delivery dates carefully.]

For even more edible gift options, consider Wartzman’s roundup of presents for true gourmands. Her short list includes a set of single-origin hot-chocolate mixes, Sweet Deliverance’s specialty granola, and a chai-themed collaboration between East Fork and Diaspora Co., but there are more than 30 gifts to choose from.Read more here.

[Editor’s note: Some of these gifts require expedited shipping to arrive by Valentine’s Day, so check shipping times carefully.]

Our writer and resident jewelry collector Ambar Pardilla is here to let you in on a secret: “Although a lot of fine pieces come with a four-figure-plus price tag, you don’t actually have to spend a fortune.” After hunting down the best fine jewelry under $500 from places that we’ve written about, have been recommended to her, or are personal favorites, she turned up more than 50 gift-worthy pieces. Our shortlist includes a dainty plum-shaped charm from Catbird, a timeless bean bracelet from Tiffany & Co., and some Ted Muehling “berries.”Read more here.

[Editor’s note: Some of these gifts require expedited shipping or in-store pickup to arrive on time, so check delivery dates carefully.]