Men, listen up: Love is marketable, love is kind… choose gift wisely
It’s that time of year again, guys, when you are obliged to get your spouse/girlfriend/friend with benefits a gift for Valentine’s Day. Yes, it’s a drag, but thanks to capitalism, it’s sort of mandatory to buy her something, unless you want to sleep on the couch on Valentine’s night or be trashed-talked about for weeks to come by said spouse/girlfriend/friend. 
To make it a bit easier, we’ve come up with some unique travel gift ideas to make shopping for your Valentine a little less painful—and you just might get her something she’ll actually like and use.
The She-mergency Survival Kit is perfect for the woman on the go. The portable silver mesh carrying case fits in any purse, glove box or carry-on and is filled with 24 compact emergency “must-have” aides including hair spray, lip balm, a sewing kit, shoe shine wipes, facial tissues, bandages, deodorant wipes, double-sided tape, clear nail polish and dental floss. Available at thehappywomanstore.com.
Baggage worth looking at
Long days on the go can leave those dark patches even under the prettiest eyes, and the only bags any woman wants to carry should have shoulder straps or little wheels — so treat her to a luxurious, lavender-filled silk eye pillow. Lavender’s known for its soothing, relaxing properties and the eye pillow is great for home or travel. Available at www.janeincproducts.com.
Astronomical douche
Maybe you can’t get her the moon, you can buy her a star. The Name a Star system uses the Smithsonian astrophysical catalog when assigning names to stars, and you can choose your own constellation. We recommend being very careful if choosing this gift as some loved ones (or even really liked ones) may not appreciate the time and effort you took to go online, type in their name and punch in a credit card number. Various packages are available. Check out www.nameastar.com.
Pack up your love
Even if it’s too cold out to picnic in the park, you can have one right in your living room. The Picnic Backpack is fully insulated and comes with a detachable wine carrier, bottle opener, two plates, wine glasses, napkins, and a set of knives, forks and spoons. The set also includes a cheese knife, a wood cutting board, and salt and pepper shakers. Check out giftbee.com or Amazon.com.
Travel with an agent
The Travel Agent gift set by Philosophy has everything needed for a night away or a short weekend trip. The set comes in a clear travel pouch filled with samples of facial cleanser, moisturizer, firming body emulsion, a shampoo/bath/shower gel combo, and hair conditioner. Available at www.sephora.com.
Things to skip
A word to the wise – avoid the long-stemmed, red roses—it’s a bit overdone and not that creative, unless you scatter the rose petals atop 600-thread count Egyptian linens on the bed at that cute B&B you booked for the night or float them in a pre-drawn, hot bath surrounded by white votive candles and a bottle of champagne. And for the love of Cupid, no gas station roses.
They’re tacky, and yes, we know when they’re not from a real florist. Hold off on the chocolates and lingerie, too, unless the chocolate is an ingredient in the dinner you are making for us or the lingerie is something comfortable enough to actually wear. (Opt for a PajamaGram instead: www.pajamagram.com.)
Related posts:
