Okay, tomorrow is the 14th of February which means I’ve left it pretty late for a Valentine’s Day post.  That’s true, although my excuse is I’ve been unwell for a little while and seeing as you’re here too probably means you’ve left the all important love date to the last minute as well.  Touche.  Yes, you have less than 24 hours to grab a dubious looking monkey clutching a heart or a cheque book containing ‘vacuuming the house in your smalls’ IOUs.  It’s times like these that give you cause to wonder.

Like a lot of our holidays now, it’s easy to be swept under by the commercialisation of Valentine’s Day and its annual barrage of ready made love tokens.  Manufacturers like to think they know what we want and sell what’s cheap and quick to churn out.  Sometimes they’re cute enough for a purchase on a whim but we would never go out and buy ourselves these things.  It’s the thought that counts.

Valentine’s Day is the biggest event on the calendar for the lingerie industry, if we’re not buying it for the bedroom our partners are secretly buying it as a gift, and at Valentines, sex sells.  Or so we’re convinced.  From adverts to store windows, magazines and the special 14th Feb shop displays, we’re told the sexier the better: lingerie should be red, lacy and flesh revealing.  Every year we’re told what to buy and what the other sex wants, and just as dependable is the number of us who’ll fail with probably the worst gifts ever.  But it doesn’t need to be like this.  It’s the thought that counts.

Miss Mandalay’s red Amelie collection – red and lacy in a good way

So, what is Valentine’s Day all about?  What are we supposed to buy for our significant other?  Teddies and flowers, heart shaped boxes of chocolates and naughty knickers are great to receive but not in the same way as a book is for an avid novel reader, a mug for a coffee lover, the latest shooter game for a computer gamer or even a pair of welly boots for someone who loves to walk their dogs.

And if you really want to buy your special lady some lingerie this Valentine’s,  how about buying what she loves?   If your other half loves lacy lingerie, great!  Equally, if she likes to wear big knickers, high waisted it is.  If your better half’s underwear drawer is full of quirky cartoon pants, what’s wrong with buying a cute set of boy shorts?  This kind of gift means so much more because it’s personal and when you acknowledge something so individual about a person, it’s touching and that’s how thought – and love – is shown at it’s most real when gifting.

Valentine’s Day is tomorrow and you have less than 24 hours to buy a gift.  Don’t stress and get taken in with a generic gift, your inspiration is right in front of you.

Happy Valentine’s Day!

Becky x