Presenting your significant other with a card for Valentine’s Day is a more thoughtful gift than chocolate and flowers 

Wouldn’t you rather a gift that you can treasure and keep for a lifetime rather than something that only lasts for days, or even minutes?  Professor Adelle Yang at the National University of Singapore, as mentioned by The Guardian, conducted a series of surveys providing evidence for the “Smile-Seeking Hypothesis.” This hypothesis states that although contrary to common belief, gift receivers generally feel greater gratitude for presents that contribute to their greater satisfaction through longer-term enjoyment, as opposed to gifts that evoke an immediate reaction, but with short-lived pleasure. Thus, a card with a heartfelt message is a better Valentine’s Day gift.  

Valentine’s Day is a day of romance; a day for you to celebrate your love for your partner. The easiest way to ruin the special day is to choose a gift that deviates from your partners’ preferences, which is a common flaw with short-lasting gifts. Many things can go wrong with gifting chocolate and flowers, from accidentally buying dark chocolate as opposed to milk chocolate, or the market selling out of your partner’s favorite flowers before you could make the trip. However, there is little to no possibility of messing up when writing a card for your significant other at Valentine’s Day. 

One might argue that chocolate and flowers are a better gift because one who doesn’t care enough to sacrifice some of their income for their significant other doesn’t really love them. While it is true that some people may be unwilling to spend their money on their girlfriend or boyfriend, it doesn’t mean that this is true of all couples. The cliché saying, “It’s the thought that counts” shows that it doesn’t matter about the price tag of a gift, but rather the underlying motivation of the gift-giver. Someone who gifts chocolate and flowers to their significant other might actually be the one who doesn’t care to put in effort to think about the “perfect” gift for their partner based on their partner’s interest, so they just gift the typical Valentine’s Day gift. A card, while it might not seem much, can contain a heartfelt message, expressing more true emotion than chocolate and flowers ever could. Not to mention that a card is something that can be treasured forever! It will never expire or wither!  

Which gift will you choose this Valentine’s Day (or next)? 

Chocolates and flowers give the right impression to your Valentine

Valentine’s Day is a long-standing tradition that provides everyone a chance to celebrate their relationship with their special somebody. In 700 years of celebrating this holiday, chocolate and roses have become the symbol of love. After all, who doesn’t love a box of yummy, caramel-filled chocolate?  

However, Millennials and Gen-Zers are increasingly abandoning this practice in favor of presenting their lovers with something cheaper and more personal, such as a card with a heartfelt message. Inflation and cost of living aside, I would argue that gifting a card instead of a more traditional gift is actually counterproductive and against the spirit of the holiday. 

A healthy relationship requires active communication and appreciation for each other. If you need to wait for Valentine’s Day to show some appreciation for your boyfriend or girlfriend, you’re doing something wrong. What could possibly go on a card that you wouldn’t rather say to their face? I, for one, would rather hear it straight from my girlfriend (that is, if I had one) than read it on a card. 

Jake Fleck ’24 further confirmed this theory, stating that “flowers and chocolate are better,” before asking how I got into his dorm and telling me to get out of his shower. 

On a more serious note, you don’t have to wait until Valentine’s Day each year to tell someone you love them. Roses and chocolate, on the other hand, are a special gift specifically reserved for this day. After all, you can’t possibly expect your loved ones to eat an entire box of chocolates every day, could you?  

More importantly, showing someone your appreciation should be an everyday activity, not something reserved for a once-a-year holiday. As Valentine’s Day approaches, we all need to remember: every day, not just Valentine’s Day, is a chance to show appreciation for your loved ones!