15 Fun, Healthy And/Or Romantic Gift Ideas For Valentine’s Day 2021
With Valentine’s Day 2021 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 15 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.
Priced at only $19.99, each Kisses 4 Us soft-touch laminated box is filled with 30 Unique Kiss Cards. Each card contains an explanation of the type of kiss plus, extra trivia, fun facts and tips to enhance your kiss experience. This set also includes 5 “Create Your Own” Cards and an Idea Book. Kisses 4 Us is intended to ignite romance, and you can feel free to hide the set’s cards around your home to keep the celebratory kisses going year-round.
Don’t let the name of the website fool you, HalloweenCostumes.com is the largest online-only retailer of costumes in the world. With over 10,000 costumes and 3,500 exclusives, the site has plenty of awesome products you will notfind anywhere else. You will find attire and costumes for people of all ages, body types, interests and style preferences. Even dogs have options on the site. Thus, you have a prime destination for costume-related shopping for St. Patrick’s Day, Purim, Christmas and even Valentine’s Day.
I had the pleasure of checking out some top-notch attire from HalloweenCostumes.com. That includes “ugly sweaters” related to WWE legend “Macho Man” Randy Savage, Nightmare On Elm Street villain Freddy Krueger, and the titular character from Alf. All of these sweaters were striking in appearing, well-crafted and truly unforgettable.
Hennessy X.O 49 Commemorative Set
Beyond Valentine’s Day… Just in time for Black History Month, the world’s best-selling cognac has launched a new limited-edition Hennessy X.O 49 Commemorative Cocktail Set to celebrate the odyssey and achievement of the first Black South Asian American Madam Vice President of the United States. The commemorative set features a 750ml bottle of Hennessy X.O, the recipe for The 49th, a custom ice mold with display tray and elegant keepsake glassware, etched with the historic number 49; the set is available starting Monday, February 1st at CocktailCourier.com, while supplies last with a suggested retail price of $259.99. Furthermore, to honor this legacy, Hennessy has pledged an additional monetary donation to the Thurgood Marshall College Fund — a long-term partner of Hennessy — in support of the advancement of Black women into the C-Suite.
OMNOM is Iceland’s first and only bean-to-bar chocolate maker. Its handmade, small-batch chocolate offerings include single-origin selections from Madagascar, Tanzania, Nicaragua, and Peru. Omnom’s newest superfood creation is the SuperChocoBerryBarleyNibblyNuttylicious flavor, a delicious, nutritious dark chocolate bar made from organic Tanzanian cocoa beans, as sprinkled with cranberries, salted almonds, puffed Icelandic barley and cacao nibs. Omnom chocolates — as featured within the first episode of Zac Efron’s Netflix series Down To Earth — are available on Amazon, while select flavors are also available online through Murray’s Cheese.
Just in time for Valentine’s Day 2021, OMNOM has unveiled its Love Collection. This set consists of a beautiful gift box featuring a sweet candygram card and 2 Icelandic chocolate bars: Sea Salted Toffee and Lakkris + Raspberry. It is available via OmnomChocolate.com for $18.99. The 2 individual Valentine’s Day bars sans gift box are also currently available through Amazon for $8.99 each.
Buttery soft yet incredibly-durable money clips, gorgeous charcuterie and cutting boards made from architectural bamboo, expertly crafted Apple charging docks… Left Coast Original has hit the nail on the head when it comes to being traditional yet chic. From what I can tell, the depth of customization offered by Left Coast Original is unparalleled. From classic engraving to ink infusion, you can keep it simple with adding initials or a date to your gift, or get as fancy as stamping a cherished photo or engraving a meaningful quote. Left Coast Original wants each and every piece they thoughtfully-create, to be that bespoke gift that will be used and appreciated for years to come.
A customized Left Coast Original charcuterie board currently sits on a display shelf in my kitchen with the names of me and my wife displayed. A thoughtful gift you will want to display and also use year-round. Amazingly the company offers state-shaped boards — Texas, California and Alaska included — meaning that there is truly something for everyone from Left Coast Original.
Swiftwick MAXUS Zero Tab Socks
Within the colder months of the year, staying warm is key. Swiftwick’s MAXUS Zero Tab socks are designed for comfort, featuring a micro tab that prevents contact with the back of the shoe for maximum protection from blisters. They also deliver compression performance benefits you can feel within a relaxed comfortable fit. Its plush footbed is constructed using high volume fibers that wick moisture 40 percent better than competitive materials with a thin, lightweight upper to increase breathability. Ideal for fitness, running and golf alike, just as they are for “Netflix and chill” scenarios.
Mozart Strawberry White Chocolate
Mozart Chocolate Liqueur is full-bodied, creamy milk chocolate liqueur. It is handcrafted with only natural ingredients, refined with Belgian chocolate, and gluten-free. Creamy and smooth, Mozart Chocolate Liqueur’s offerings include Cream, White, Dark, Strawberry and Pumpkin Spice flavors. You will not need dessert — or another drink — after enjoying some Mozart Chocolate Liqueur. For home mixologists seeking to whip up some special Valentine’s Day cocktails, the brand’s website includes plenty of recipes.
Washington State-based Tavour is a company that tries thousands of beers from small craft breweries, ultimately bringing you the gems you can’t get at the store. In turn, Tavour works directly with hundreds of independent breweries to curate craft beer gift boxes with one-of-a-kind selections. In turn with selections as diverse as the Vanilla Ice Cream Stout from Wild Leap Brew Co. in Georgia and the Juicy IPA from WeldWerks Brewing in Colorado, a Tavour purchase is ideal for any sort of gift-giving opportunity you may come across.
Excellent beer offerings aside, Tavour has been onboard with the on-going “Black is Beautiful” beer-related campaign, which brings awareness to more individuals and helps to bridge the gap. Started by Marcus Bakerville, the head brewer and founder of Weathered Souls Brewery, this partnership includes more than 500 breweries from around the country; to join this partnership these breweries have decided to donate 100 percent of the beer’s proceeds to local foundations to support the black community and commit to the long-term work of equality.
Should you want to know more about the inner-workings of Tavour, The Hype ran an exclusive interview with the company’s Megan Birch in 2019.
United Sports Brands’ Masks & Gloves
United Sports Brands is a portfolio of leading, category-defining sporting goods brands, each rich in heritage and authenticity. These brands include Shock Doctor, McDavid, Cutters and NATHAN, and those brands’ products are sold at top retailers in more than 65 countries around the world. With global headquarters in Southern California, United Sports Brands also has regional offices in Belgium, Japan and Canada.
Nathan’s Run Safe Face Mask is designed to keep you running and keep you — and others around you — safe. Featuring Quick-Flip, patent-pending technology that allows access to hydration and nutrition without removing the mask or touching your face. These masks are currently available in black, blue and flourescent yellow.
The Reflective Gloves from Nathan are built for the runner’s life, both comfortable and stylish. They are smart device-compatible, so you do not have to take your gloves off to answer a phone call or take a picture, while they come with a built in chamois to wipe your nose in the cold. Their stretch spandex fabric comes with a brushed fleece lining for dexterity and warmth.
Drinkmate Countertop is reportedly the only at-home beverage carbonator that allows the user to carbonate ANYTHING in the fridge; that includes water, juices, iced tea, coffee, wine, cocktails, mocktails, and even flat soda or beer. Its patented and detachable Fizz infuser and dual-stage valve system allows for better control on release of CO2. It is easy to operate and easy to clean with no electricity or batteries required. Available in 3 modern colors — matte black, royal red and ivory white — through Amazon and IDrinkProducts.com for $99.99, the Drinkmate Countertop comes with a 3 oz. starter CO2 carbonator so you can start carbonating right away, working with the most common brand of 14.5 oz. CO2 carbonators out there.
The Tactica M100 Multitool adapts to consumers’ needs and ensures they have the tools to tackle any challenge. Made from 70 percent glass composite material, the M100 weighs a mere 1.6 ounces so consumers can have their tools at their fingertips without the weight of a tool bag weighing them down. Its internal storage compartment allows the user to pick and choose the tools they might need for their next outing without packing heavy toolboxes. It fits smartly in pockets, backpacks and suitcases alike. All Tactica products are TSA-approved too, which means it goes where consumers go. Thus, no matter the destination or application, Tactica has got your back. Tactica products are available through Amazon and TacticaGear.com.
Sky Valley Foods creates high-quality, organic, nutritious and simply-delicious salad dressings and specialty sauces — including condiments, marinades and pasta sauces — for the natural and organic foods consumer under its Sky Valley and Organicville brands. Available at independent stores, natural food chains and retail grocery stores alike, there truly is something for everyone within the Sky Valley Foods product collection.
It is very hard to choose a favorite from what I tried from the Sky Valley and Organicville brands, to say the least. Sky Valley’s Tikka Masala Sauce is plant-based, gluten-free and only 90 calories per recommended serving. Organicville’s Pizza Sauce includes no added sugar, while Non-GMO, Whole 30 Approved, certified paleo and only 30 calories per recommended serving. Sriracha, teriyaki, sambal oelek… it’s all there within the Sky Valley fold!
Posted by Eric Knight on Thursday, May 7, 2020
Spirity Cocktails has introduced what is reportedly the world’s first non-alcoholic cocktail, as crafted with spirits distilled from tea. This led to the brand becoming the first non-alcoholic cocktail awarded by coveted San Francisco World Spirits Competition. The brand introduced 3 cocktails to the market — Mindful Margarita, Mindful Mule and Mindful Negroni — with additional cocktails planned for this year. The brand launched exclusively on Amazon in July 2020 and is priced $14.99 per 4 single-serve cocktails.
Commented Master Distiller and creator of Spirity Cocktails Eric Knight in a prepared statement: “Rethinking my personal relationship with alcohol left me feeling abandoned by my social construct that evolved around alcohol, leaving me feeling left-out and unaccommodated. I had 20 year’s experience making wine and spirits and I knew there was an answer, I just needed to take action and work it out through trial and error.” Continued Knight: “All of my cocktails have a unique bitter finish that lingers and intensifies after each sip, similar to the sensation created while sipping on an alcoholic cocktail.”
Founded in 2008, Qobuz’s mission statement is to “offer the digital world the aspects of music fandom that audiophiles, those who love music best, have always cherished.” This not only entailed “quality sound” but also “quality editorial and a freedom of choice.” In turn, Qobuz was the first music service in the world to retail CD-Quality, 16-bit/44.1kHz files for streaming, and another world-first in liaising with both major and independent labels to ensure the provision of 24-Bit Hi-Res files, which make up the bulk of its catalogue — featuring millions of genre-spanning tracks — today.
Presently, there is only one streaming service where you can check out the band Tool’s catalog in that aforementioned “24-Bit Hi-Res” audio format, and that is Qobuz. In turn, audiophile-minded Tool fans must check out Qobuz. While browsing around the service, I was able to find that high-quality audio-fare for titles by The Beach Boys, The Beatles, Cheap Trick, Whitesnake, Weezer and KISS, so I always have plenty to listen to on Qobuz. As its subscription plans start at $12.49 per month — discounted at $149.99 for the full year — there is no doubt that Qobuz is worth checking out if you are a major music fan who enjoys streaming high-quality music via desktop or (phone or tablet-based) app.
Bushwick Kitchen’s Sauces & Syrups
Bushwick Kitchen is a sauce company which is known to serve up finger-licking, flavor-addicting sauces and condiments for foodies looking to elevate their meals or share a unique culinary gift with friends and family. Bushwick Kitchen was founded in January 2014 by an entrepreneur and a culinary enthusiast with the ambitious goal of launching a business from concept to finished product in 30 days. The first product, Bees Knees Spicy Honey, was born. By the end of the first year, Bushwick Kitchen had shipped over 9,000 bottles of honey — all bottled, one at a time, by hand, in Brooklyn, New York to every state in the USA and 27 countries.
Nowadays, the Bushwick Kitchen line has grown to 15 lip-smacking, tongue-drooling products, including its Trees Knees maples, Weak Knees srirachas and our Bees Knees honey collection. Sourced from the best sugar makers in the U.S., Bushwick Kitchen’s Trees Knees maple syrup is 100 percent organic and Grade A for rich amber color and flavor. Trees Knees maple syrup is made with all-natural, minimal ingredients to ensure the highest quality and taste in every bottle, all of which gluten-free, paleo-friendly and vegan. Every bottle of deliciousness continues to be infused, mixed, packaged, and shipped from the Northeastern Region of the United States.
Here a Bushwick Kitchen enhanced cocktail, as recently released by the brand to select journalsits, called the Butter Maple Cocktail:
Ingredients:
– 2 oz. Aged Rum
– 0.75 oz. Amaro (Sweet Vermouth)
– 0.50 oz. Lemon Juice
– 0.75 oz. Maple Butter
– 3 shakes of Angostura Bitters
– Garnish: Orange Peel, Mint
Method:
– Combine ingredients into a shaker with ice.
– Shake and strain into rocks glass.
– Garnish with an orange peel and mint.
Notes:
– The cocktail is well balanced with citrus, oak, and buttery maple goodness.
– Recommended Aged Rums: Plantation Dark, Plantation 5 Year, Flor de Cana 7 Year, Zaya Zaya, El Dorado 8 Year, Appleton Estate Signature
– Amaros to look for: Averna, Ramazzotti, meletti, Montenegro. If you cannot find Amaro, a quality sweet vermouth like (Dolin) would work as well.
– Food Pairings — Sharp Cheddar (Cabot), BK Gochujang Sriracha, Triscuit — Cured Salami, Goat Cheese, BK Salted Honey, Ritz Cracker
RIGWA’s bowls are aimed to be “your most versatile bowl.” The RIGWA 1.5 keeps warm items warm for up to 4 hours and cold items cold for up to 8 hours. With their airtight seal, they are spill-proof yet also easy to open with 2 fingers. They store up to 1.5 quarts sweat-free, and material-wise, they are both BPA-free and made of food-grade stainless steel.
TENZI is a fast, fun dice game that encourages fast reactions. Easy to learn, it has been named one of ASTRA’s “Best Toys for Kids.” To play TENZI you must roll your 10 dice as fast as you can, which makes the game instantly competitive and fun for the whole family. However, there is not just 1 way to play TENZI, and TENZI sets include instruction for 8 other TENZI games, including SPLITZI, MEGA TENZI, and TENZI TOWER. Each set also comes with 4 sets of 10 colored dice for 2 to 4 players and a nifty 1.5 x 1.5 x 10 inch dice storage tube to keep your high-quality TENZI dice organized. Looks great, plays great.
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."
Related Posts
Apropos Delivers ‘Heartbreak’ Ahead of Valentine’s Day with Stunning Visual →
Valentine’s Day: Are You Tired Yet? How Much Do We Spend? →
Empowerment and Unity Radiate at the 123rd National Black Business Conference →
