20 Cupid-Approved Valentine’s Day Gifts for Each Love Language
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Valentine's Day gifts can be tricky when it comes to gifting your S.O. because while it's still considered a “Hallmark Holiday,” there's still an unspoken expectation that some degree of sentimentality should be taken into account. Dr. Gary Chapman’s famed book The 5 Love Languages: The Secret to Love that Lasts has long been touted as a relationship bible of sorts, and is predicated on the author’s theory that each person expresses and perceives love and affection in romantic relationships with one of five love languages—words of affirmation, acts of service, receiving gifts, quality time, and physical touch.
Of course, the book’s intention is to help couples improve their communication styles and habits with their partner—not function as an unofficial gift guide for couples—but the iconic relationship book can also be used off-label to help guide you to a better gift for your partner too—yes, even if their prescribed love language isn’t receiving gifts. Even if you haven't read the seminal book. yet, you can still glean some thoughtful insights to help you find a more meaningful gift for your Valentine based on the language they most closely identify with (if you or they don’t already know, you can take the official love language quiz here to find out.)
Whether you’re looking for a non-cheesy Valentine's Day gift for a new partner, the perfect anniversary gift for your wife or husband of two decades, or even a close platonic friend who's going through a hard time, knowing the giftee’s love language is actually a huge help when it comes to picking out something special that’ll make them melt. While you don’t need to read the book to pick out the best gift based on their love language thanks to this roundup, it is a solid read for anyone looking to improve or maintain a strong bond with a romantic partner. Either way, we've outlined the best tangible gifts for an S.O. based on each of the five love languages.
Acts of Service
The Acts of Service love language follows the phrase “actions speak louder than words” (and, in this case, sometimes tangible gifts). Gifts that they'll actually use, save them time, or reduce their stress levels are all good guidelines to follow, but we've come up with some out-of-the-box options we think they’ll fancy too.
Buy on Bed Bath & Beyond, $180
Quality Time
If your partner’s love language is quality time, it's all about choosing a gift that both of you can enjoy together, make together, or experience with one another. This love language type is fueled by receiving their partner's undivided attention and values, creating memories together.
Words of Affirmation
It should first be noted that for giftees whose primary love language is words of affirmation, a thoughtful hand-written card or love letter is an absolute must. Once you have that first (and crucial) step down, you can start brainstorming other gift ideas that align with their appreciation for oral validation, unexpected compliments, and supportive remarks. Generally speaking, the gift you choose should convey a special message—even if just a symbolic message.
Buy on Personalization Mall, $40
Physical Touch
If your partner’s love language is physical touch, that means they value more than just hugs and kisses. Feeling physically close creates a sense of heightened intimacy and can be expressed through simple gestures like holding hands, PDA, and even snuggling.
Receiving Gifts
For people whose love language is receiving gifts, physical and tangible tokens of affection are of utmost importance. In other words, each gift received from their partner is viewed as an expression of love. Of course, this doesn't mean that any old generic gift will excite them, so we've rounded up a few sensual (and universally palatable) options below.
Buy on Saks Fifth Avenue, $325
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