My husband has bought me some pretty awesome gifts over the years, but my most favorite are not the most expensive. The most thoughtful gift my husband ever gave me was recently. He took the kids to my favorite store and had them each pick out two flower pots. Then, he took the flower pots to a flower shop, and filled them with flowers. While he picked out the flowers, he had the kids each make me a small terrarium. They picked out rocks, shells, moss, and air plants they thought I would enjoy. They turned out amazing!

I feel like every holiday should be celebrated. Gifts don’t have to be expensive or showy. They can be bought, but they also can be handmade, collected, or written.

I don’t like the idea of not celebrating holidays/birthdays/anniversaries. Is life too busy to take the time out to celebrate? (Life actually was too busy my last anniversary, my husband and I BOTH remembered it three days after the fact.) I get it. I get the whole “we love each other, we don’t really need that, everyday is Valentine’s Day statements”, but it my own humble opinion it’s not very thoughtful and kind of boring. Not to say go out to dinner, spend a bunch of money, make a big fuss or anything at all among those lines. Having been in the restaurant business through college, everyone knows Valentine’s Day is amateur’s night.

Guys and gals alike, consider doing something small and thoughtful for your loved one this upcoming holiday. Make a nice dinner. Maybe pickup favorite take out. Set a pretty table. Maybe a pretty table of aphrodisiacs;) Pick up a favorite bottle of wine. The kind with organic grapes, and no added sulfites of course. Pick up an essential oil based scent or lotion, the kind without synthetic fragrance that keeps hormones in check.  Write a letter. Make a terrarium. Bring kids to pick out something small at a store. Take kids outside on a mission for pinecones, put them in a pretty container with or without flowers. Get creative.

Life is short, never knowing what tomorrow will bring. Look for any reason to celebrate and find joy!