Whether you and your special someone celebrate Valentine’s Day or not, you won’t be able to completely ignore its existence. The moment Christmas ornaments were removed from the shelves, heart shaped knick knacks were put in their place. Of course, there are the roses too. Florists look forward to the run up to Valentine’s Day all year round, as they’re allowed to charge an exuberant amount of money for a bunch of flowers that won’t last past the following Wednesday. Chocolatiers and department store perfume counters also see their fair share of visitors.
And even though you will be reminded of the fact that you should treat your loved one as if Valentine’s was every day, you may still fall victim to the clever retailing campaigns. If you feel like you want to avoid the holiday cliché and do something different, I have a suggestion! It’s one that won’t cost much and that will be unique, just like the person that stole your heart.
At this time of year garden centres are working hard on preparing their space for the upcoming planting season and, more often than not, are looking to sell off the indoor plants they have received in the late autumn. Many of these plants have not matured yet, so they come in smaller containers and are priced really low, some cost as little as £2.00/piece! The pots that they come in are usually made of cheap, thin plastic and really don’t do them justice. What works in favour of these tiny plants though is the fact that they can be easily transplanted into vintage cups, creamers and sugar bowls to create a fancy yet eclectic display. Vintage tableware is easy to find online or in thrift stores, and it will rarely set you back by more than a few pounds.
If you already have cups and mugs you haven’t been using for a while, you can transform them into mini hanging gardens. Instead of throwing them out, drill two holes on the opposite ends (using a ceramic drill bit) and thread nice thick rope through the holes. They are very easy to display, and you can hang them off the window frame or put a hook in the wall and have a few casually dangling off of it. For this project I hooked them on the picture frame resting on my desk.
Regardless of what your plans for Valentine’s Day are, gifts or not, make sure you treat each other with the love and respect that you all deserve.
