A Guide to Practically Perfect Valentine’s Day Gifts for Parents
They are your champions. They love you no matter what (even when they're mad or annoyed). Without them you’d literally be nothing. They did make you, after all. And, after all of these years, they still provide nuggets of wisdom and love that surprise you. Valentine’s Day is a lovely time to show them that you love them right back! This is different than honoring their wedding day (although anniversaries are important, too!). This is different than their separate birthdays (although they deserve to be honored separately as well!). This is about showing them how you appreciate them for being your parents, being the dream team (that made plenty of mistakes along the way) that made you, YOU. Here’s how to do just that:
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Drop the distractions
Your parents have been through a lot together while raising you. Now, they consider quality time to include sitting next to each other in bed on their separate iPads. Sigh. Give them a chance to unplug and reconnect with why they fell in love in the first place...because they really enjoy each other’s company! From activity books to card or board games to picnic baskets, you’ll find something that’s perfectly them and will relight that fire without them having to work too hard.
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That’s the ticket!
Even better, get them tickets to an event that they’ll always remember. It could be the concert of a band that they loved when they first met (you’ve heard the stories thousands of times) or a comedy show of a current comedian they love (dad humor...who gets it? You!) or tickets to a college or pro game (your family watching sports was a pillar of your childhood). This is a great gift to go in on with your fellow members of the flock (i.e. siblings) because tickets can be pricey. But they will love it!
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Honor the past
Although this isn’t their anniversary, it’s a fine time to remember their beginning, or middle, depending on their age. Plenty of fascinating collections or reprints of newspapers on key dates exist. Personalized histories of their favorite sport are also a nice touch. But, the real core of this type of Valentine’s Day gifts for your parents is to dig deep and connect your love for them on a personal level. Do you cherish those bike rides you’d take together when you were little? How about getting your parents bikes to pick it back up together again? Did you take an amazing family trip one summer? Get them something that will remind them of that time together all those years (or not so long) ago.
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Show some love
They might not need any more nick nacks or junk in their house. They might even be trying to downsize depending on their age. But, they’ll always find room for something sweet from their special kiddo...a.k.a. You! Frame up or use some of your favorite images from your most precious family memories to create a unique gift. Make them glow with pride by giving them something wearable that commemorates your appreciation from cufflinks to jewelry to tee shirts. Of course, we love the idea of writing them a thank you letter and popping it in the mail for an unexpected surprise. Highlight the things that they’ve said or done over the years that you will never forget and appreciate. They will cherish it forever. Other heart shaped or red or pink versions of everyday useful objects are also great gifts for parents on Valentine’s Day because they’ll remember it’s special by the color every time that they use it; which will be often! We’re talking about cups, toothbrushes, soap dispensers, serving dishes, plant pots...anything that will be useful for them. Think about what their daily routine is and riff off of that!
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