Alternative Gestures of Affection

Valentine’s Day is coming up, a holiday that baffles more people than any other holiday during the year. In the age of Tinder and Hallmark cards, how do you show your significant other/Tinderella you care? Even the classic Valentine’s Day dinner is almost impossible since everything from Federal Hill to the McDonald’s dollar menu is booked till the end of February. In the spirit of saving despairing souls, we here at Motif have compiled a list of alternative gestures, gifts and dates to get you through the holiday intact.

First up, gifts. Flowers and chocolates are the usual standby, but what if your significant other hates flowers or has a chocolate allergy? There are numerous artsy, personalized gifts you can give your SigOth. Is there a favorite photo of the two of you? You can get it printed on a sheet of aluminum for a dynamic art piece that will last. Our recommendation is AdoramaPix (adoramapix.com/app/products/prints), but there are a number of other sites that create them.

But photo prints aren’t your only option! Record your voice saying the name of your lover and have the soundwave recording etched into a print, engraved onto jewelry or sewn onto a pillow or even a stuffed bear. Take it one step further with Pillow Talk! To be released in 2017, it has a wristband that transmits the sound of your pulse to a pillow speaker that you’re guy or gal can use while sleeping. Perfect for those who travel for work or are stuck in long-distance relationships and crave that closeness.

Don’t limit yourself to material gifts either. You can have a friend fly a drone and transport a bottle of champagne or wine to your date. Make the flight as short as possible and don’t do it anywhere near the airport or military installations. Looking for something longer lasting and surprising? Hide little love notes around your love’s place of residence. Write things like “Thinking of you right now,” or “Missing you,” or even jot down a cherished memory. Don’t forget to hide them in places where they won’t be found right away, like in between books on the bookshelf, under the orange juice in the fridge or behind the computer monitor.

Everyone loves food and has midnight cravings. There’s nothing better than going into the kitchen to make a mouth watering double-chocolate cake or some Valentine’s Day sweets to end your night. But what if your loved one has never been that good at baking? Get him a personal cookbook to make their late night cravings come to life with Tasty, the Cookbook (tastybook.com). With 114 pages and 49 different recipes all made up into the best of the best recipes and split up into seven different categories, this is definitely the way to go!