Valentine’s Day: You either love it or you hate it, but no matter which side you fall on, it’s hard to escape the holiday without giving a gift.
With social media, holidays like Valentine’s Day, provide added pressure to give and get an Instagram worthy present that will make all your followers jealous.
This Valentine’s Day be the gift giver that everyone is talking about.
Not to worry though, you don’t have to spend hundreds of dollars to give the perfect gift when you could easily make something that can come from the heart (which is what Valentine’s Day is all about).
Here are some DIY Valentine’s gifts that you can give to your special someone or friends to make their February 14 the best one yet.
Write a letter.
This Valentine’s Day, take the time to sit down and think of why you love your partner or friends and write them a heartfelt letter.
This is not only meaningful, but it is something that won’t expire or go out of style.
This idea is perfect for those in long distance relationships or those who do not get to spend the day together. You can mail the letter, which will leave you both feeling like you landed in a 1980’s movie. We all love those.
Bake cookies.
Julia Shaffer, a junior English and elementary education student, said that her go to gift is 
homeade cookies.
Shaffer said, “I love baking and for any holiday or birthday, sweets is always a great gift.”
She added, “Valentine’s Day isn’t all about your boyfriend or girlfriend. I love spending this holiday with my family too.” So here is your reminder to acknowledge your family and your friends this Valentine’s Day.
Continuing on with some gifts that don’t involve a sweet tooth, here are some more ideas.
Make a shadowbox.
If you want to ‘wow’ the receiver of your gift, make them a photo collage of the two of you.
Don’t have a significant other and want to exchange gifts with your friends? Make collages of you and your gal pals.
They will love this room decor and will recognize how personal it is.
To start this craft, go to a store like Michaels and find a large shadowbox or some type of poster board. After you make this purchase, all that’s left to do is print all your favorite photos and add them to the board or frame.
If you want to go fancy, you can add any extra memorabilia you have saved such as movie or show tickets.
Have an inside joke? Put the quote in there too.
Make a video.
Following the lead of the collage, a video is a great gift idea for someone other who would rather watch their life in photos.
Gather all the pictures or videos that you have and then add them into iMovie or a similar program for PC, add background music, and voila, you have a timeless video to look back on for years to come.
Break out your paint.
Tonya Lee, MFA said, “I think low-tech mono-printing is a great way to make a creative Valentine’s Day gift that is personalized for a special person in your life.”
To “monoprint,” you will need a piece of Styrofoam (you can get this from the top of a takeout box), a pencil, paint, and paper (of any quality you choose).
On top of the Styrofoam you can draw Valentine’s Day hearts or other shapes, using a dull pencil. After drawing lightly brush on your paint, and you are ready to print.
To make your print place the paper face down on the Styrofoam and rub lightly on the back side with a spoon, and then remove the paper to dry. This process can be repeated several times to make a drawing.
Lee continued to say, “Just remember the print will be reversed, so your lettering would need to be back on the Styrofoam plate.”
Make a Valentine’s Day basket.
Another low-cost DIY is to fill a basket with goodies.
A junior communications student, Colleen Moretti says, “First, buy a basket and then head to Five Below to fill it with candies, socks, and whatever other items may catch your eye.”
This basket will put a smile on their face and fix their sweet tooth.
DIY Dinner
If you are not completely crafty, you can try out cooking. At your apartment, dorm, or house try setting up a dinner for your loved one.
For a significant other, you can set the mood by buying some Valentine’s Day decorations from the dollar store and setting the mood for a lovely night. It is all about the time spent together.
Your partner will appreciate the extra effort of making a meal rather than eating out. Cooking for a friend? Play a fun playlist and bake some cookies.
No matter if you go big or small this Valentine’s day, just remember it’s the thought (and effort) that counts.
PHOTOS TAKEN by Cassandra Capozzi-Smith
