15 Valentine's Day presents you won't find on the high street

In need of inspiration? By looking beyond the high street you'll find Valentine's Day presents that are original and memorable!

Like all men, I absolutely adore Valentine’s Day. Never mind a bit of romance the rest of the year – let’s distil it into a single, over-priced, over-commercial day of glee for Clinton Cards and florists everywhere!

And with this most joyous day now in sight, it’s a good idea to at least get some ideas together of what we will be getting our loved ones. Sure, you can do the usual flowers and chocolate (and what husband doesn’t appreciate some lilies and a packet of Rolos?) but if you’re after a little originality, then you can’t really go wrong with the website Folksy.

Folksy allows people to sell their own handmade, original goods through a single site. Sure, some of it is a load of rubbish, but there are some really nifty little gifts on there too.

So let’s take a look:

Cards

#1 Red dotty heart card

My wife is a sucker for 3D cards – that is to say, ones with bits that stick out or move. So long as it isn’t just a bogstandard bit of card folded in half, it gets a thumbs up.

That’s probably why I like this red dotty heart card by Something Special, available for £2.95.

#2 Bee Mine

There’s something very sweet about this Bee Mine card, with a hand drawn bee design, adhesive eyes and raised heart detail. It’s yours for £3 from LacedRose.

#3 I love you more than...

Ok, so this is somewhat more expensive than I’d be happy spending on a Valentine’s Day card, but I like the message! You can personalise exactly what it is that you love your partner more than – it could be Topshop, it could be chips, it could even be football! The card will cost you £8.50 from Storeyshop though.

For her

#4 Love cushions

If the woman in your life loves a good cushion, then this cushion cover is a good shout. With a design featuring a red script LOVE image, it looks well worth £18 to me, available from Armadillo Creations.

#5 Heart earrings

These ‘For my love’ earrings are made of ten small heart charms linked together on each earring, forming a ‘freefall clustered effect’. They’ll set you back £22 from Magicinthegrass, and there’s a matching necklace to go with it if you really want to push the boat out!

#6 The key to your heart!

I’ll be honest, I’ve got no idea what you’re supposed to do with this lace heart padlock and key set, but I’m still certain my wife would love it. Apparently, you can wear them as a necklace, or just display them on the wall to be reminded that you ‘have their heart’. What’s more, it’s only £5 from Sew Rock Threads.

#7 Love sign

This hand-painted wooden sign is hung with wire and gently distressed, which the makers – the Button & Jewels Vintage Sign Company – reckon gives it a vintage appearance. It will set you back £15.

#8 Button love heart

I have to admit, I really like this – a love heart made from vintage red buttons, available in a white or black frame. It’s a little quirky – and a bit expensive at £49 – but it still has a charm about it. It’s available from Button Moon Designs.

#9 I love you necklace

This is a hand stamped ID tag with a silver love letter, and is customised to your order, so make sure you put the right names in when you order!

It’s made by Molly Mixtures and will set you back £20.

For him

#10 Personalised plectrum

If the man in your life fancies himself as a bit of a Jimi Hendrix, then a silver plectrum with a personalised message would be a lovely gift. You can only fit on 16 characters, so you’ll have to keep it short and sweet.

The design is by Chris Parry, and it will set you back £50.

#11 Lego cufflinks

For men of a certain age, just seeing a piece of Lego immediately transports us back to our youth, so make the most of that with these Lego cufflinks by Bits and badges.

Each cufflink is made of a couple of Lego plates stacked up, and you can choose the colour combination you want. At £5.50, I’d say you can’t go wrong.

#12 Silk tie

Ties are, by and large, dull. So getting one with a wacky design makes wearing them a lot more tolerable. I love the designs from Projector, all priced at £12.50. There’s loads of great ones to choose from, including the eye test design, the emotional adjectives design and – my personal favourite – the Helvetica design.

#13 Change valet

I have been known to irritate my wife a little by my unfortunate habit of leaving change just sitting on the bedside table. It looks untidy, and it’s easy to lose that cash!

So this Gentleman’s Bedside Table Change Valet would no doubt appeal to my wife. Made from ash, oak and African mahogany, it’s a smart and stylish place to keep your shrapnel! And it’s only £8.95 from Boxio.

#14 Hungry Caterpillar bowtie

Bowties seem to be very fashionable at the moment. I won’t pretend I’m a big fan of that development. What I am a big fan of is the Hungry Caterpillar! I loved the book as a kid, and my little boy is also a fan. As a result I’ve got a soft spot for this Hungry Caterpillar bowtie from BOW costing £10.

#15 Personalised sporting retro poster

I’ve saved the best for last. If your loved one is a keen sportsman (or woman in fact) and you have some decent pictures of them in action, then this personalised, retro-style framed poster makes an awesome present. You can choose your own text and background colour, and I think it looks fab!

It’s made by Firebird Designs and costs £55.