Exchange books with your loved ones on Valentine’s Day

If you walk into any supermarket in late January, you’ll be bombarded with everything from chocolates to bath gift sets, all in deep red, heart-shaped packaging. You’ll then realise that Valentine’s Day is just around the corner and if you and your partner celebrate it, you will most likely be purchasing one of said red items on display.

But some people, even those in relationships, choose to ditch the holiday altogether or at least celebrate it without having to spend any money on things our significant other probably doesn’t need. In the spur of the moment two weeks before Valentine’s Day, I looked at my book case and turned to my boyfriend and said:  “How about we get each other a book instead?”

If I’m being honest with myself, I think this is one of the best ideas I’ve had in a while. Not only does this mean that I don’t have to stress about picking the right gift set or trying to make my gift non-cliché, but it also means that the gift could actually be meaningful. Instead of buying a box of chocolates which will be consumed within less than a week, or a cosmetic set that would eventually be abandoned and forgotten on the bathroom shelf, I could get a book.

The book you pick for your partner may be completely different to what they would choose

If you’re one of those people who doesn’t think books are a great Valentine’s Day gift, think again. We all know what a lovely feeling it is to receive the ‘I saw this and it made me think of you’ messages, and giving your significant other a book is pretty much just that. The book you pick for your partner may be completely different to what they would choose, but it gives an insight into what you think about them and what they like.

Having had this brilliant idea, I then found myself debating over what book to get. I had two options: do I get him a book that I know he’ll love or do I get him a book that I think he should read? That roughly translates to: do I get him a history book or a science book? After going through my options for a whole day I came to the conclusion that it would have to be a history book. I realised that if I were to buy him a popular science book, the reality would be that I would end up taking it from him and reading it myself.

Buying a book for your partner, or even your friend if you’re celebrating Galentine’s or Palentine’s Day instead, is a great way to not only demonstrate to them how well you know them, but you also receive a new book in return. I’m not sure what book my boyfriend will present me with, but I look forward to getting my hands on a new book regardless. A couple of years ago the idea of getting a Valentine’s Day card and some flowers would’ve been music to my ears, but as pretty as they can be, flowers eventually die. Books, on the other hand, can live forever.