20 Fun, Healthy And/Or Romantic Gift Ideas For Valentine’s Day 2020
With Valentine’s Day 2020 just around the corner, many of us still haven’t purchased gifts for the most important person(s) in our life. And let’s face it, you ought to be a little more creative than buying someone chocolates, flowers and/or a greeting card from a big-box retailer. In turn, here are 20 fun, healthy and/or romantic — and in many cases also absolutely creative — gift ideas which you ought to be able to order online within the next few days and still receive in time this year’s Valentine’s Day.
Based in Toronto, Canada, StickerYou Inc. aims to provide the best platform in the world to create custom products that make what matters “stick.” The company produces high-quality custom stickers, labels, decals, iron-ons, temporary tattoos and more. But the kicker is that StickerYou has proprietary die-cut technology to help you create and order your products exactly as you need them in any quantity — as little as one individual item — in any size and shape you may ever need. So you can get as create as you like with a one-of-a-kind design to show how much you care about someone else.
BestSelf Co.’s stated mission is to inspire you to think bigger and achieve your goals so you can become the best version of yourself and lead a life you can be proud of. The company creates tools that get you planned, productive, and positive, because, with these skills in your pocket, you can achieve anything. So whether you want to run a marathon, build a business, write a book, raise incredible children, or increase your financial wealth, you can rely on its tools, resources, and community to help make your goal(s) happen.
Offerings from BestSelf Co. span all sorts of genres, time-frames and hobbies. There is the SELF Journal, there are calendars and posters, there are online-based courses, and even game-esque card decks. In turn, there is something for anyone who is look to be their “best self” in the near-future.
Candy Couture California makes t-shirts that are actually scented. Packaged beautifully in a posh and sassy, black and glossy resealable bag, this high-quality fabric tee is paired with original artwork that alludes to the scent perfectly. With over 17 scents available, there is something for everyone, including cotton candy, lavender, bacon, gasoline, coffee and pine-scented offerings. These t-shirts hold their scents for about 15 washes, yet they create a gift that ought to be talked about for years after receipt.
Since 1972, Brewferm has been a family-owned business and a leader in the homebrew market. Direct from Belgium, they offer homebrew mixes and brewing kits along with everything you need to produce the finest beers in the land, all in your own home. Each kit comes with all the equipment you need to clean, ferment, and cap your pints, as well as all the ingredients carefully premeasured and ready to brew. Simply add sugar and water and then follow the instructions.
Among Brewferm’s offerings are the Tripel Terror (a strong and malty beer that’s slightly spiced), Flemish Fiend (an aromatic beer with lingering licorice notes), Belgian 1774 (a brown ale with light sourness and a sweet aftertaste), Dubbel Damme (a Belgian Dubbel that’s dark, chocolatey and rich), Divine Deliverance (a Belgian IPA with that signature herbal, bitter aftertaste) and Sinister Stout (a dark smooth beer with hints of chocolate and coffee).
mindbodygreen, as founded by Colleen and Jason Wachob, is a media platform where you will find a 360-degree approach to wellness that weaves the mental, physical, spiritual, emotional and environmental aspects of well-being together. Why? Because the Wachobs believe that these pillars of health are interconnected. Exploration is at the heart of everything done at mbg—from the studies covered to the strong science backing up their products. They feature the best research and medical expertise available in each and every area that they explore.
Since 2009 mindbodygreen — or “mbg” for short — has been on a mission to make the research-based solutions of functional medicine and holistic healing widely available. Now the company is excited to be able to share with you essential tools for sustainable health by offering their own line of supplements, in partnership with Thorne. With a “quality over quantity” mindset in tact, instead of overflowing your cabinets with a variety of vitamins and supplements for various ailments, mbg has created four superior, all-encompassing solutions for you. Taken together or separately, these four supplements will be essential tools for your sustaining your health as well as allowing you to “Marie Kondo” your medicine cabinet. More info on nr+, hemp multi+, magnesium+ and probiotic+ can be found at www.mindbodygreen.com.
Founded in 2011 by Evan Mendelsohn and Nick Morton, Tipsy Elves is a holiday-themed apparel company. It sells holiday sweaters and other holiday-themed items through its website and other online vendors, and donates part of each sale to charity. Expect year-round holiday sweaters, onesies, dressing, leggings, patriotic gear and other topical fashion items. In other words, there is always plenty of time to order yourself the best possible “ugly Christmas sweater.”
Within its first year of sales, Tipsy Elves sold over 1,000 sweaters, reaching about $370,000 in total web sales, and in the following year it reached nearly $1 million in sales. In 2014, the company’s revenues had been projected as $12 million. Just a few years later in 2018, the website had reportedly done over $70 million in sales and sold over two million products since its launch. Ultimately its exposure via the Shark Tank program led to generating more than $100 million in sales. Tipsy Elves is always adding new items, and among its latest popular offerings are officially-licensed items from TV’s The Office.
Billing itself as “the world’s most comfortable shirt,” Buttercloth was founded by Danh Tran, who grew up working in his family’s small tailor shop in Vietnam. By the age of ten, he was designing and sewing his own clothes, and dreaming of coming to America to become a fashion designer. Tran is proof that dreams really do come true, as in 1994, his family immigrated to California. He took fashion classes at a local college and landed a job at Mattel, designing clothes for Barbie. When he had saved enough money, he enrolled in his dream school, the Otis College Of Art & Design. After graduating he was recruited by 7 For All Mankind, then House Of Howe, and later Affliction Clothing, where he was Head Designer for 10 years.
Tran always hated wearing dress shirts, so he set out to make a dress shirt that felt like his favorite t-shirt. Using a special blend of 100-percent long fiber cotton and a unique manufacturing process, he developed a profoundly soft fabric he named Buttercloth. It has incredible breathability, six-way stretch and an exclusive double-finished construction that Tran says “makes you look like a Friday night, but feel like a Sunday morning.” He quit his job, sold his house, and cashed in his 401K to start the company. One of his first customers was former Los Angeles Lakers star Metta World Peace, who was so impressed that he invested in the company and serves as the brand’s ambassador to the sports and celebrity world. Buttercloth’s explosive growth online also caught the attention of ABC’s Shark Tank, and October 2018, viewers watched Danh make a $250,000 deal with investor Robert Herjavec who is helping to grow the Buttercloth brand worldwide.
Sand Cloud was built on the sunny beaches of San Diego by three friends with a dream to reinvent an age-old product, the beach towel, by elevating its design, using sustainable materials and donating a portion of all sales to marine conservation charities as a way to protect the beaches they love. So when you purchase a beach towel from Sand Cloud, you not only get a sand-resistant, ultra-absorbent Turkish cotton towel, but also help Sand Cloud in its mission as a portion of every sale goes to a worthwhile environmental charity.
The Sand Cloud team — which also makes clothing, accessories and related bundles — notably partners with the Pacific Marine Mammal Center, Marine Conservation Institute and Surfrider Foundation San Diego to rehabilitate injured sea turtles, clean up beach litter and sponsor events that spread awareness of the dangers of ocean pollution. Its orders come with a “100% Happiness Guaranteed” clause beyond free U.S. shipping when you spend more than $75.
Simply put, Jacques Torres is one of the world’s most famous pastry chefs and chocolatiers. Torres got his start as a chef in his native France, working under two-star Michelin chef Jacques Maximin in the early 1980s. He went on to earn a Master Pastry Chef degree, and in 1986 Torres became the youngest person to ever win the prestigious Meilleur Ouvrier Patissier De France competition. Within the 1980s, Torres also moved to the United States and became the Corporate Pastry Chef for the Ritz Carlton Hotel Company. This led to working with Le Cirque as its Executive Pastry Chef for 11 years. Concurrently, Torres became the Dean of Pastry Arts for the International Culinary Center.
In 2000, Torres — also the recipient of the James Beard Foundation Pastry Chef Of The Year honors — moved on from Le Cirque and opened up a chocolate factory and retail store in Brooklyn. Less than two decades later, Torres now has seven namesake shops in New York, including two pop-ups for the holiday season. A few years back he opened Choco-Story New York: The Chocolate Museum & Experience, at which attendees discovered chocolate’s journey from tree to chocolate bar through a self-guided tour of what was believed to be New York’s first ever chocolate museum. Beyond overseeing those popular locations, Torres has also kept busy as a judge on the Netflix series Nailed It, authored several best-selling cookbooks, and worked with a variety of charitable causes.
For those seeking a more traditional Valentine’s Day gift, you will want to check out the 2020 Valentine’s Day Collection from Jacques Torres. The “I Love You Puzzle” features Torres’ custom hand-made chocolate in puzzle form. Another winner is its “Heart Truffle Box,” which features an assortment of great flavors in truffle form: Orange with White Chocolate, Raspberry with Milk Chocolate and Dark Ganache dusted with Cocoa Powder.
Flaviar is a club for fine spirits enthusiasts. Launched in 2012 in Europe, the New York-based company’s mission is to help everyday people build their dream home bar. Both an online-based and a real-world community, Flaviar currently ships to 35 states, offering free shipping. Participating brands include Glenfarclas, Patron, The Macallan, Lagavulin, Yamazaki, Bulleit Bourbon, Sipsmith, and Woodford Reserve. Flaviar membership is currently priced at $300 per year, or $95 a quarter.
Co-founder Grisa Soba was born and raised in Slovenia and has an extensive background in the beverage industry. With a father who worked in Slovenia’s largest brewery, Grisa was immersed from an early age to the world of brewing and distilling. His passion for spirits developed as he trained himself in distilling and created his own absinthe and vodka. He later started a boutique advertising agency which worked with multinational spirits companies such as Pernod Ricard in Europe and also owned a cocktail bar in Slovenia. Soba shared the Flaviar concept with his friend Jugoslav Petkovic, whose experience in e-commerce and technology startups led to Flaviar’s founding in 2012. Soba spoke with The Hype in December 2019 about the successful company’s past, present and future.
Bruno Solari and his four siblings, Giulia, Diana, Tony and Kelley are 3rd generation farmers in the Calistoga area of Napa Valley, California. The Solari’s farm merges old-school sensibilities with new-school techniques. New from The Prisoner Wine Company is Eternally Silenced. The first pinot noir from The Prisoner, as launched this winter, this fresh red is perfect for those seeking something lighter in body, red fruit forward and easily pairable.
Elegant, soft and well-balanced, Eternally Silenced has cozy winter aromas of pine needles, cranberries, dark cherry, clove and brown spice. Keeping pace with the rest of The Prisoner Wine Company portfolio, this pinot noir is expertly-blended to reach a unique yet approachable harmony. Sure to command attention at winter table settings or a gathering with friends with its hand-dipped wax exterior, Eternally Silenced is suitable alongside anything from roasted root vegetables to pork roasts or simply on its own. Yet another Paltrowitz household favorite from The Prisoner.
I just reviewed The Complete Language of Flowers by S. Theresa Dietz. #TheCompleteLanguageofFlowers #NetGalley https://t.co/rsAe1SmHtO
— NonstopReaderBookReviews (@BookNonstop) January 19, 2020
S. Theresa Dietz’s Complete Language Of Flowers
For centuries, symbolic flower meanings have fascinated readers, writers, poets, and suddenly smitten couples alike. Extremely popular during the Victorian era, these floriographies flourished and versed the public on the hidden meaning of popular flowers like peonies (bashfulness) and tulips (passion).
In turn, The Complete Language Of Flowers is a comprehensive dictionary for over 1,001 flower species. The 20+ years of ongoing research put into the subject of floriography symbolism and powers by author S. Theresa Dietz were driven onward by her fascination with all things magical and mysterious, along with her deep abiding love of all trees, plants and flowers.
Along with a visual depiction, each entry by Dietz provides the flower’s name, characteristics, and historic meanings from mythology, medieval legends, folklore, and flower poetry. Coupled with stunning full-color illustrations, this beautiful reference is a must-have for gardeners, florists, and flower enthusiasts. Priced around the same amount as a nice bouquet, yet this beautiful-looking book is bound to last far longer on your display shelf.
whispr makes luxury CBD self-care items within the plant-based beauty and wellness space. In turn, whispr does not simply “bottle CBD oil” as it views CBD as “an effective vessel to carry people to a place of wellness and abundance within themselves.” Its products aim to strengthen immunity and inspire healthiness inclusive of one’s body, mind and soul.
My favorite of the whispr products available is its full spectrum roll-on elixir. The exilir is infused with a therapeutic blend of essential oils and active botanicals. This includes peppermint, orange peel, lemon, clove bud, avocado, and rosemary oils, which are rich overall in nourishing fatty acids, antioxidants and minerals and ought to help reduce pain from sore muscles or tightness. Meanwhile, its earthy-mint notes leave your skin healthy, glowing and smelling gorgeous. After all, when you are free from stress and pain, life can be pretty amazing.
If you and/or your better half are the sort that enjoying grilling, Keto Primo may be part of a suitable Valentine’s Day present. Keto Prime is keto-friendly barbecue sauce, as sweetened with monk fruit. It turn it is not only perfect for those following keto diets, but also those with low-carb, low-glycemic, diabetic-friendly, paleo, and Atkins-related needs. Just two net carbs per two-tablespoon serving. Its “Superfood” ingredients include Monk Fruit, Apple Cider Vinegar, Pink Himalayan Sea Salt, and Butter.
Formulated by two moms, with a butcher as a “secret weapon,” this family-owned barbeque sauce stands up to regular, sugary ones. Whether you use as a marinade, on the smoker, in the oven, on the grill or in a crock or insta-pot, Keto Primo has the consistency of “regular” barbeque sauce, and you get that caramelized taste that one loves.
Founded by skincare expert Kim Wellen, Mantra Mask began with a desire change the beauty industry for the better. Wellen believed that natural, high-quality skincare should be affordable for everyone. She also knew that true beauty starts from within. Inspired by the positivity and encouragement of her daughter, Wellen set out to build a skincare brand that takes a personal approach to beauty.
New from Mantra Mask are five skin-nourishing beauty masks enriched with multi-tasking CBD oil. One of the first to harness the power of natural ingredients in a sheet mask, Mantra Mask aims to nourish your skin and your soul.” Free of parabens, sulfates and other harmful chemicals, the highest-quality ingredients keep skin at its best while the brand name itself inspires positivity that radiates from the inside and out. Truly an ideal under-eye area mask.
Hugs Wellness was born in Austin, Texas in the Spring of 2019 with the goal to help consumers reprioritize their daily wellness routines by making self-care as easy and enjoyable as possible. Meanwhile, a percentage of its proceeds commendably go towards providing a bed for a person in recovery at 10,000 Beds.
The brand’s Full Spectrum Tinctures and “Pick Me Up” Drink Mix were the first additions to its wellness line and follow strict third-party lab testing to ensure quality and performance. Grown in Colorado, the tinctures provide a full-plant taste, rid of any bitterness, and offered in raspberry and mango in either 500 mg or 1000 mg bottles. Ingredients include MCT Oil, Full Spectrum Hemp Extract, Organic Mango or Raspberry extract for flavor.
New to the Hugs fold is its CBD-infused Bath Bombs. Its rose and lavender bath bombs ought to to help create an intimate, beautiful and canna-friendly V-Day celebration.
EverSmile’s mission is to create new and advanced oral care products that will change patients’ lives. In turn, their products aim to game-changers for those seeking fresh breath, white teeth, and clean orthodontic appliances on the go.
I had the pleasure of trying its WhitenFresh, which ought to last about 60 days if used three times daily. WhitenFresh freshens breath on-the-go while whitening teeth. As further relief, you ought to expect no tooth sensitivity when using. As an added bonus, subscribers get a discount when purchasing directly via the EverSmile website.
Lauren Wood’s The Warner Bros. Years
Few movies are more synonymous with Valentine’s Day than the 1990 romantic comedy Pretty Woman. The film is notable for its stars Julia Roberts and Richard Gere, and of course, the theme song that inspired it, Roy Orbison’s #1 hit “Oh, Pretty Woman.” Yet there’s another song closely associated with the film: the adult contemporary smash “Fallen” by Lauren Wood.
That song is the centerpiece of The Warner Bros. Years, a 19-song retrospective that combines Wood’s self-titled 1979 album — featuring her soulful hit duet with Michael McDonald — with Cat Trick, her 1981 follow-up that included “Fallen.” The Warner Bros. Years is a proper February 14th release from Los Angeles-based record label Blixa Sounds, and it marks the first time these albums have been released on CD in the States. For this release, the recordings have been digitally remastered from the original tapes and packaged with a 16-page booklet, including archival photos as well as lyrics.
Swiss Diamond Nonstick Cookware
If cooking together is a frequent activity with someone special in your life, then Swiss Diamond is one of the brands that ought to be in your kitchen. Swiss Diamond is dedicated to empowering the home chef by manufacturing what many reviewers have called the highest-quality non-stick cookware in the world, as produced in Sierre, Switzerland. They use cast aluminum and actually reinforce its nonstick coating with real diamond crystals. In turn, the coating of each Swiss Diamond pan contains up to 240,000 real diamond crystals for a long-lasting non stick surface.
A great starting point is Swiss Diamond’s XD Nonstick Fry Pan. Designed for cooking without oil, this 12.5” Fry Pan makes for a great introduction to a healthier lifestyle. This wide nonstick fry pan is large enough for family-sized one pot meals, and is ideal for everything from delicate egg dishes to browning meats. The XD coating allows for superior culinary results consistently, and the improved food release properties in the diamond-reinforced nonstick coating provide you with years of trouble-free cooking with an impeccably simple cleanup. Additionally, the extra thick cast aluminum body provides you with a superb cooking platform that will not tip, spin or warp while cooking all of your favorite recipes. And if that isn’t enough, it was dubbed the “Rolls-Royce of Nonstick Fry Pans” by the Wall Street Journal.
BetterBody Foods has a goal of to make healthy eating easy, and its Organic Chia Seeds are one example of just how doable this is. Chia seeds pack a punch in terms of nutritional value, texture, taste AND versatility. In fact, “chia” was the ancient word Mayans used for strength. And just one serving of organic chia seeds gives you protein, fiber, calcium, iron, zinc, phosphorus, thiamin and omega-3 fatty acids. Furthermore, because of all their fiber, chia seeds can absorb around 12 times their weight in water, which then gives you more sustained energy and helps you feel fuller longer.
As Chia seeds are virtually tasteless and can be added to your favorite foods, you can easily add them to your smoothie, juice, yogurt, salad or cereal for a nutritious boost. They also support virtually all dietary restrictions considering they are gluten-free, vegan, nut-free, raw, low-carb and paleo-friendly.
TweetAbout the Author
Darren Paltrowitz Darren Paltrowitz is a New York resident with over 20 years of entertainment industry experience. He began working around the music business as a teenager, interning for the manager of his then-favorite band Superdrag. Since then, he has worked with a wide array of artists including OK Go, They Might Be Giants, Mike Viola, Tracy Bonham, Loudness, Rachael Yamagata, and Amanda Palmer. Darren's writing has appeared in dozens of outlets including the New York Daily News, Inquisitr, The Daily Meal, The Hype Magazine, All Music Guide, Guitar World, TheStreet.com, Businessweek, Chicago Tribune, L.A. Times, and the Jewish Journal. Beyond being "Editor At Large" for The Hype Magazine, Darren is also the host of weekly "Paltrocast With Darren Paltrowitz" series, which airs on dozens on television and digital networks. He has also co-authored 2 published books, 2018's "Pocket Change: Your Happy Money" (Book Web Publishing) and 2019's "Good Advice From Professional Wrestling" (6623 Press), and co-hosts the world's only known podcast about David Lee Roth, "The DLR Cast."
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