Valentine’s Day gift ideas for the procrastinator

Time’s up: The clock has run out on your chance to get your significant other the perfect gift. Instead, here’s a list of subpar gifts that require minimal time and effort.

We’ve all been there, well except for me because I’m chronically single. It’s Feb. 13 and bae sends a text saying, “I can’t wait to exchange gifts tomorrow!” You feel the panic start to set in and you aren’t even at the disco. It’s time to kick it into super-drive as you desperately brainstorm ideas for a gift that will take their breath away without taking your paycheck with it. Stop scrounging through the couch cushions and check out these five ideas for last-minute Valentine’s Day gifts.

You can go classic. Flowers and chocolate are always a safe option and, thanks to your terrible planning skills, they are readily available literally everywhere. If you want to spice it up, go for an unconventional bouquet filled with something other than red roses. I wouldn’t recommend spicing up the chocolate. Spicy chocolate is for dares, not gifts for your significant other. If your situation is a little more dire and your S.O. will be over any minute, run to the backyard, or your neighbor’s, and grab the most flower-like weed you can find. Hand-picked flowers almost mean even more than store bought.

You can choose to stay in. I guarantee there is the potential for at least a two-star meal in your kitchen. Putting the time and thought into cooking a meal for your S.O. will speak volumes about what they mean to you. Cook together for an added twist. Incorporate a trip to the grocery store together to pick out your favorite ingredients, find a recipe on Pinterest that you both know is way better than whatever you will manage to concoct and get to cooking. This activity is also conducive to impromptu dancing in the kitchen together, so be sure to play your favorite playlist, preferably one you made together.

Embrace the cheese factor. If you’re anything like me then you love puns, and the cheesier the better. If you don’t, that’s really punfortunate. Laughter is the best medicine and it’s also something that connects us to each other. Spend the day making each other laugh by taking advantage of the endless pun generator that I call the internet. This suggestion encompasses gifts and cards. Get them a case of a certain green soda to thank them for all they Dew for you. Bake muffins in the morning while telling him he’s a stud muffin. Get her some Burt’s Bees chapstick to remind her there’s no one you’d rather bee with. I could go on, but I don’t want to ruin all the fun for you.

You can get crafty. You and I both know you have a Pinterest board full of DIY projects that you’ve never gotten around to doing until now. It’s time to go back in the archives and find one that you can do with the limited supplies you have on hand. Ideally, the craft is something romantic and cheesy or something that can be useful to your S.O. One of my personal favorites is the crafts that the receiver opens over a period of time, such as “open when” letters or a “when you’re bored” jar full of date ideas. This is the gift that keeps on giving, so essentially if your S.O.’s birthday is within the next month or so, you’re off the hook.

Get some of their favorite things. This is a chance to prove you’ve been paying attention to all of their little requests and things that make them smile. Go somewhere like Walmart, Target or TJ Max and find a bunch of the small things that have proven to make your S.O. happy. Maybe it’s a face mask, bag of beef jerky or a pair of fun socks. Whatever it is, they’re sure to be thankful that “you remembered.” Find a basket or bag to throw everything into and add a cute note to top it all off. This option is a good one when you have a little bit of time left and can make a quick trip to the store without breaking the bank.

I hope that at least one of these is a viable option for you and your S.O. this Valentine’s Day. If you’re reading this and looking for an idea as they’re knocking on your door, share it with them and say that you want to decide together. Also, congratulations on not being single during Valentine’s Day. If you’re here for comedic purposes and, like me, are as single as that sock you found in an otherwise empty washing machine while doing your laundry, treat yourself. Do a craft for fun, cook yourself dinner and buy yourself a couple of your favorite things. It’s just another day to love yourself and remind yourself of those you love. Happy Valentine’s Day and have fun, but not too much fun.