RONNIE SAENZ / ASST. OPINION EDITOR

Whether it’s flowers or perfume, we’re all expecting something from that special someone this Valentine’s Day, but sometimes that romantic gift  really isn’t that special. When it comes to gift-giving, the best intentions don’t always yield the best results. So,  I’ve put together a list of a few things you shouldn’t give your partner for Valentine’s Day — that way you can avoid any embarrassment or hurt feelings. 

Starting off strong, the absolute worst gift you can give your partner is a gift card. Nothing says, “I don’t know what to give you, but I don’t want to give you money,” like a gift card, which isn’t any better than money anyway. A gift card is just cash  you  can  only  use in one place which technically makes it a worse gift than money because now your options are limited to one place. When gift-giving, you want to make sure that you give the person something personal. A gift card basically says, “I don’t know what you’d like, so go pick it out yourself.” 

It’s fine for people you don’t know very well, like a coworker or a distant cousin, but for your partner? Your soulmate? No, you need to do better. You should know your significant other well enough to know what they like.

The next gift on the Valentine’s Day chopping block is a box of chocolates. The thing with gift cards is that they do not belong anywhere close to your Valentine’s gift, but a box of chocolates seems perfectly reasonable. It seems simple enough, and there are so many options for heart-shaped boxes and assorted chocolates for that special someone. However, the fact that it is so heavily commercialized and predictable makes it trite. 

In fact, according to the National Retail Federation, Americans spent an estimated $2.2 billion on Valentine’s Day candy in 2022 with heart shaped chocolate boxes ranking as the second most popular candy. We’ve seen it so many times it won’t feel special at all to just get a box of chocolates for Valentine’s. It’s forgettable and can only work as a compliment to something better.

The last gift I think you should never give your partner is a bit controversial, but going out for dinner is a terrible gift. I don’t think this counts as a gift, because it’s just a date. Does a date really count as a gift? Some people think so. I don’t, because dinner is the bare minimum, it’s literally needed for survival. Some say that an expensive dinner with planning and effort can be a great gift since it can make someone feel special, while sharing time with their partner. My issue is that at its core, you’re just spending more time with your partner. Yes, it’s expensive and there was effort involved in making it happen, but at the end of the day it’s just a date.

Some will say that “it’s the thought that counts,” no matter what gift you get, or it’s the fact that your partner  put in the effort to get you  something  that  matters — not so much what they got you. I disagree. When it comes to gift giving it’s more than the thought that counts, it needs to actually mean something. Gifts need to be  specific to the recipient and represent that you know them well. Giving  someone any of these gifts above is a sign you really don’t know your partner that well, and would rather phone it in than getting closer to them. 

These  tips  aren’t  for everyone. Maybe  your  partner  really  likes  chocolate   or gift cards to the Cheesecake Factory. That doesn’t mean these choices are generic, and for the vast majority of people, a turn off. As a single guy, who am I to say? But you know what they do say: coaches don’t play. So get them some flowers, a charcuterie board, some fine cheeses, wine or just anything  you  know they will love.

Gift cards fail to show the thoughtfulness your partner deserves. Photo courtesy of @puravida/Instagram