How to Make This Year Special with Valentine’s Gifts for Her

Last Updated on April 20 2024

Lovers all over the world look forward to Valentine’s Day, but often these feelings are tinged with a little trepidation. After all, this annual celebration of love and relationships calls for a suitable Valentine’s Day gift. And let’s be honest here, finding a gift for a loved one can be rather daunting, whatever the occasion. However, as Valentine’s Day is filled with emotion and love the gift you choose for your beloved should have significant meaning.

When we humans talk of love it sets our heads spinning and hearts racing. For some finding love is the ultimate goal. Love is a special human feeling that binds people together, and knows no boundaries or discrimination. But what does it mean to the Aussie’s, and how do they choose to celebrate such an occasion?

Recommended Valentine’s Gifts for Her

How the Aussies feel about Valentine’s Day

As with many special occasions, the Aussies love to celebrate in style. Valentine’s Day is no different. Some say that Australia is the most romantic country in the world, so it’s no surprise that Valentine’s Day has a special place in its heart. And it’s not just considered to be a day for lovers, but a day when love and affection is strengthened between family members, work colleagues, friends and neighbours.

The most popular Valentine’s Day gifts for her are flowers and chocolates, pretty much the same as many other countries. And let’s face it ladies, we all adore receiving them from people we love. Australians also celebrate with carnivals and festivals. As well as celebrating with Valentine’s gifts for her there is also the tradition of sending cards. Not just to the people we know, but also anonymously. Extravagant cards are sent to sweethearts and those admired from afar. While the sending of email and text Valentine messages has become very popular, particularly among the younger generation, sending Valentine’s cards is still a prevalent custom. But do you know where the tradition comes from?

A brief history of Valentine celebrations

Valentine’s Day is celebrated in many different countries, right across the globe. Some traditions are slightly different, and the true origin of the day is a little bit hazy. It appears to have been created from a number of different customs and legends, that have developed into the celebrations we partake in today.

Christian saints and legends
There are going to be plenty of you out there who wonder how the tradition of Valentine’s Day came about. Could it really be a ploy by retailers to get more money out of consumers, or does it have a story that goes way back in time? You’ll be pleased to know that it does have a history, and is not some brilliant money spinning idea created by card and gift manufacturers and stores. It has come about through a number of legends relating to early Christian saints and martyrs, along with a sprinkling of Greek and Roman mythology.

There are three Christian martyrs associated with the beginning of Valentine’s Day. Which one is true, we really aren’t sure. It could even be a combination of all three. The three martyrs were named Valentine, hence the name of this special day. They were all executed, but for different reasons. One was said to be responsible for marrying couples in secret, after Emperor Claudius II had banned such an alliance. He felt that male soldiers should love only Rome. It is said that these Valentine guys were executed on February 14th, and left a farewell message for their jailors daughter, signed of course “From your Valentine”.

Mythology and symbolism
Roman and Greek mythology also have a part to play in the history of Valentine’s Day. The Roman god Cupid, was the son of Venus (the goddess of love). We’ve all heard the tale of Cupid, merrily going around shooting arrows into his victims, and making them fall in love.

The Greek god Eros is the god of love, and is often depicted as an adult male symbolising sexual power.

Valentine’s Day in the Middle Ages
‘Love’s arrows’ was further developed in the Middle Ages, and St Valentine became a romantic and heroic figure, particularly in France and England. The poet Chaucer, is often associated with St Valentine and romantic love. Some historians make the claim that he was the first to make the connection, when he penned a poem in honour of the engagement between Richard II and Anne of Bohemia, in 1381.

In 1400 a court was introduced to preside over love contracts and treacheries. It may or may not surprise you to know that it was known as the Court of Love. And where else could such a court be than in the city of romance – Paris. How were the judges chosen? Based on their poetry reading abilities and decided on by a group of women.

Valentine’s Day in Victorian times
It became very popular in the mid-1800’s to send handmade Valentine’s cards to people to declare their feelings of love. These cards would be detailed with hearts and cupids, and be made using colourful pictures, lace and ribbon. They also contained inside sweet messages of love for the recipient. Advances in printing technology meant that these handmade cards could be replaced with printed ones, leading to an increased popularity in the tradition of sending love messages.

Valentine’s Day and modern celebrations
The traditions of Valentine’s Day are celebrated all over the world. It is a very popular event in Australia and celebrated on February 14th, much the same as many other countries. Popular Valentine’s gift ideas for her, whether it’s your wife or girlfriend, include flowers, chocolates and jewellery.

Another popular way to celebrate Valentine’s Day is by doing something special with the people you love. Cards and gifts can also be sent anonymously, leaving the recipient trying to guess who they came from. Valentine’s Day is also a popular time for getting down on one knee and asking for your beloved’s hand in marriage, as well as getting wed.

If you’re looking for great Valentine’s gifts for her what are the traditional symbols?

If you’re looking to create a romantic feeling with your Valentine’s gift for her then you won’t be far off the mark if you incorporate some traditional symbols. What comes to mind when you think of Valentine’s Day? Red roses of course. Red roses are a traditional symbol of love and passion, appearing in paintings, songs and poetry for hundreds of years. Surely you all know the traditional nursery rhyme, Roses are Red…
It can be found in many different forms, but the one we think is most appropriate to Valentine’s Day is this one, found in a 1784 collection of English nursery rhymes: Gammer Gurton’s Garland written by Joseph Ritson

The rose is red, the violet’s blue,
The honey’s sweet, and so are you.
Thou are my love and I am thine;
I drew thee to my Valentine:
The lot was cast and then I drew,
And Fortune said it shou’d be you.

If you give someone a single red rose as a Valentine’s gift for her then there’s only one thing you’re saying: “I love you”.
When it comes to wrapping your Valentine’s Day gifts for her, then it’s got to be paper with hearts, nothing else will do.

So what else would be considered the best Valentine’s gifts for your wife, or awesome Valentine’s gifts for a girlfriend? Let’s see if we can help with a few suggestions.

8 of the best Valentine’s gifts for her

Traditionally it has always been the lady in a relationship that looks forward to Valentine’s Day with anticipation. However, with today’s modern sense of equality there are many men who are coming round to the idea of receiving a gift on Valentine’s Day. Here on this website we will be focussing more on the female of the species, but every now and then we’ll give you ladies a few ideas for the special man in your life. Coming up are eight of what we consider the best Valentine’s gift for a wife or girlfriend, but some of them will work equally well whatever the sex of the recipient.

There are thousands of gift options when you’re looking for great Valentine’s gifts for her. So many in fact that choosing one can be rather daunting. To try and make it a little easier we’ve tried to narrow down the field a little.

Jewellery
Coming in at the top of the list is jewellery. Many ladies love their jewellery and some will have an extensive collection. We think that the ultimate Valentine gift for a girlfriend would be a diamond engagement ring. Providing of course, you’re serious about taking the relationship further. Asking for your girlfriend’s hand in marriage on Valentine’s Day might seem rather corny, but we bet she’ll struggle not to say yes.

A romantic weekend away
If you popped the question years ago, why not add some extra romance with a weekend in the city for lovers, Paris? Admittedly it’s a fair distance to travel, and you might want to choose somewhere a little closer to home, but Australia has many wonderful and inspiring places to visit. Spending some time away from your normal routine, and enjoying each others company without any interruptions is a very romantic Valentine’s Day idea. If you want to add some romantic extras, make sure there’s a bottle of champagne waiting in your hotel room and don’t forget to order breakfast in bed.

An experience day
Treat yourselves to an experience day, because there’s got to be something that you both enjoy doing. This could also be an opportunity to try something completely different. Something you’ve been longing to try but never found the time. Why not try a spot of hang-gliding, parachute jumping, race car driving, helicopter ride or a trip on a boat with a romantic lunch included?

A romantic meal
Going out for dinner is a popular choice for many couples. So much so that you’ll likely have to book your table well in advance. Booking a table at your partner’s favourite restaurant is the most obvious choice, but you could always try somewhere different. There must be some local restaurants that have a good reputation, and there will be many that offer Valentine’s Day specials.

There are a few little details that will help to make the evening more memorable. Such as a table tucked away in the corner, away from the noise of the main restaurant, your partner’s favourite wine, a small gift to set the tone for the evening and a night at a local hotel, so you don’t have to worry about driving home.

A quiet evening together
You might think that this doesn’t sound very romantic but add some candlelight, soft music and a sentimental film, and you’ll both enjoy having a cuddle on the sofa. It might be an idea if you get the kids over to their grandparents for the evening, so there will be no distractions.

A pamper day
Valentine’s Day can be a great opportunity to spend the day relaxing at a local spa. There will also be lots of treatments available, making you both feel like royalty for the day.

Spread your love with flowers
This is another very traditional Valentines gift for her, but we’ll be very surprised if it’s not welcome. We’ve heard a little rumour that many men like to receive bouquets of flowers too. Turn the tables on your husband or boyfriend and give him a bouquet as well. Red roses would be the most obvious choice but who wants to be another one of the sheep when there are so many other glorious and beautiful blooms to choose from. You might even want consider a gold, silver or platinum dipped rose from Eternity Rose. No less beautiful than a living bloom, but ever lasting.

A bottle of bubbly and chocolates
This is another favourite for many husbands and boyfriends, and we’re not going to deny that it works pretty well. Make the gift even better by having it delivered to her home or at work, so that all the other ladies in the office are green with envy.

We appreciate buying gifts for your loved ones isn’t always easy. Which is one very good reason for creating this website. Calm down, take a deep breath and we’ll help you through it. And help create the best Valentine’s Day ever.