Store-bought vs homemade Valentine’s Day gifts

Which would you prefer your special someone get you this Valentine’s Day?

Valentine’s Day is another one of those holidays where you rush to get that special someone something that shows how much you care about them in terms of monetary value. With the candy hearts, giant teddy bears and roses aplenty, the true meaning behind the holiday gets lost in a capitalistic mindset many have today. But what about the gifts that don’t necessarily come from the store, like a special playlist, a coupon book, or breakfast in bed? The idea of which is better and your own personal preference has been something I’ve discussed with many friends and family over the holidays. 

A store-bought gift can be tricky. Since it’s most likely something mass-produced, it has to have some meaning or connection to the receiver. I think that this can be difficult to achieve at times because it’s not usually very personal in terms of rarity, yet it has to hold a lot of meaning. To do this, you have to have a very good connection to the person or somehow make it more personal and unique. 

Homemade gifts are automatically very intimate and convey the connection a couple might have. If it’s something homemade, you have had to mentally connect whatever it is that you are making to the person you are making it for. This means you have them in mind, which can cause you to make different choices. 

With that being said, I think that it really depends on the gift. I guess to put it simply, the gift isn’t what matters, but it’s the thought. As cheesy as that sounds, I think that it’s true. I think many would agree with me too. In a survey done by GoodNews Network, over half of the responses were in favor of homemade gifts for the exact reasons I’ve stated throughout this article. 

All in all, it really doesn’t matter that much. We are all doing our best to make it in the crazy world and this is one moment we can stop and celebrate something cute and meaningful.