If ever there was a year to use the 'Month of Love' as a way of thinking about every person that you love and be grateful to have them in your life, this is the year! We will no doubt find ourselves still neck deep in lockdown, but perhaps the outlook is going to be a more positive one by 14th February, we can at least hope!
Love has been the strongest felt emotion for the last 10 months as we have had to pull together as families, communities and even as a country, in a way we have never done before. At the forefront of all these efforts it has been love and the love we have for our families, friends, communities and our country that has given us strength to continue through such hard times.
This Valentine's Day we should celebrate love for each and every person we hold close to us. Not just in a romantic sense, although that is great too!, but in a wider and more community-spirited way too.
Fire cupid's arrow however you feel you want to this Valentine's Day, but remember to cast the net wide and offer someone you wouldn't normally associate with Valentine's Day a nod and acknowledgement that you are thinking of them. It is this sense of care that helps to keep us all connected to each other, not just romantically but with a sense of togetherness too.
We are pack animals and belong in groups. We have witnessed extreme levels of isolation, loss and separation, non of which are emotions we should feel on a regular basis. So this Valentine's Day, make sure you reach out, tell people how you feel and celebrate (as best as we can - thank goodness for deliveries!) all the various types of love you are lucky enough to have in your life.
Here are our top 5 fabulous gift ideas that your nearest and dearest might just love you even more for;
Gift For Him
Not Another Bill do fabulous personalised gifts, like this gorgeous Iphone case. All things technical tend to go down well with the men amongst us, and let's face it, the reality is we are all spending so much time on our phones at the moment, why not get him to do it in style?!
Gift For Her
Nothing says I love you more than a surprise breakfast in bed. This tray from The White Company, complete with a cup and saucer from Jo D (!), is the perfect surprise gift to totally spoil her and make her feel tip-top for the day ahead!
Gift For The Coffee Lover
Compostable pods, compatible with the original Nespresso machine and a refillable tin that contains 20 delicious coffee pods, this has got to be the ultimate Coffee Lover's dream gift. Don't throw away your tin, you can organise a subscription to the letterbox-friendly refills and do your bit for the environment as well as your coffee lover's desire for the mighty coffee bean!
Gift for the Tea Drinker
This has got to be one of the most spoiling treats to be given! Fortnum and Mason do hampers like no one else. This selection includes loose leaf tea, biscuits and the most divine chocolate truffles. There will be major brownie points to be gained for this one!
Gift for Sharing Together
Is the biggest romance across the world not with pizza...who isn't in love with this food? This would make the most fantastic gift to share together, during lockdown, Birthday's, picnics, camping, you name it, it will be loved! And so will you for the purchase. This Ooni portable wood-fired pizza oven will produce the most delicious pizzas and will be something to really enjoy together!
Remeber to share the love this Valentine's Day, and always Get Your Sip On! Love Jo xx
