According to Wikipedia, Valentine’s Day didn’t become associated with romantic love until the High Middle Ages when the tradition of courtly love flourished. Ever since, the day has been fraught with symbolism tinged with traces of anxiety。
We all want our gifts to communicate the appropriate amount of love, but we’re sometimes unsure how to accomplish that. Questions abound. Should you buy him a sexy card or tickets to a basketball game? Should you present her with costly French perfume, and if so, what brand? Will she take those teardrop earrings to mean more than you intend—or quite a bit less? And then, on the other end of the love spectrum, what if you simply can’t afford to shower your loved one with the gifts that he or she deserves?
If you’re watching your money (and these days, who isn’t?)， the good news is that we live in an era when the grand gesture can be more meaningful than a present costing hundreds of dollars. And with a little forethought, yours will convey just the right amount of love. Here are six gift ideas for the frugalista with a heart of gold, but a wallet running on empty:
1. Invent a signature drink for your sweetheart。
Is he of Russian descent? Perhaps the drink should contain Russian vodka in his honor. Does she hail from Florida? Maybe the drink should be made with fresh-squeezed oranges instead. Are you dating a redhead? Consider adding ginger as one of the prominent drink flavors. For added fun and hijinks, print up the recipe on cardstock so that your loved one can order the libation with ease at restaurants and bars. Be sure to put some personality into that recipe card。
2. Get inventive with the I.O.U.s。
These ingenious notes can save you a small fortune ... or even a large one. Instead of running around trying to find the perfect present for your paramour, take half of an afternoon to design a pretty I.O.U. certificate on your computer for “one free home-cooked meal。” Then fill in his name, print out the document, wrap it with a ribbon, and you’re done. Cupid will attest, the quickest way to a man’s heart is (still) through his stomach。
3. Name a star。
It’s a symbolic gesture that has little to do with science, but much to do with love and affection. Plus, it can add a real bright spot to your relationship. Call a star after a girlfriend, boyfriend, or even “just a friend” for under $15. Every time that special person in your life stares up at the heavens, he or she will be sure to think of you fondly。
4. Shop your closet。
“Love consists of desiring to give what is our own to another and feeling his delight as our own,” Emanuel Swedenborg wrote. Passing on something that was yours to someone you cherish is not merely about the value of the item itself. Hopefully, the gesture will stike an emotion, and you’ll have a chance to see your own joy reflected back in the recipient’s face. Please note: Never relinquish something that you can’t live without should the relationship combust。
5. Say it with music。
When love is in the air, why not pretend that you’re an on-air personality and burn a CD of the tunes that remind you of your sweetheart? If you have been dating for over a year, the songs might hearken back to the night you met. Or the CD might include the melody that played when you first kissed. Sweet dreams are made of this。
6. Something, anything, in her or his color。
Some women look dashing in pink. Some guys look fetching in emerald green. When you know your lover’s favorite color and then buy a present in the precise shade, it shows an extra degree of thought. These gifts needn’t be costly. Scarves, hats, and gloves in every color of the rainbow can be purchased for under $10 at your local street vendors. Even something as frivolous as a pink pen can bring a smile to the right face—hers。
If you have just started dating, Valentine’s Day is a built-in opportunity to move your relationship forward by mutually exploring a new level of intimacy. On the other hand, if you have been dating or married for a while, Valentine’s Day presents the perfect chance to rekindle the romance and remember why you fell in love in the first place. No matter what you spend on your significant other this Valentine’s Day, don’t forget to say, “I love you。” 根据维基百科，一直到中世纪盛期宫廷式恋爱遍地开花，情人节(又名圣瓦伦丁节)才和浪漫爱情联系起来。自那以后，这个节日就充满了象征意义，还伴随着各种焦虑的痕迹。
我们都希望自己的礼物能传达足够的爱，但有时候我们不确定怎样才能达到那种效果。问题多多。你是应该给他买一张性感的卡片还是篮球赛的门票?你要不要送她昂贵的法国香水呢，如果送，送什么牌子的好?她会把那对水滴状耳环的涵义看得比你希望的要深，还是浅得多?还有，要是你买不起另一半值得拥有的礼物该怎么办?
如果你正在打量自己的钱袋(这个时代，谁不会这样做呢?)，好消息是，在我们所生活的年代，惊人的举动比数百美元当礼物更有意义。只要略加筹划，你就能传递足够的爱。以下是给那些有真心却无财力的时尚省钱达人的六个礼物创意：
1. 给你的心上人发明一种以他或她的名字命名的饮料。
他有俄罗斯血统吗?那么也许这种饮料应该加些俄罗斯伏特加，以表示对他的敬意。她是从佛罗里达来的吗?那么也许饮料应该用鲜榨果汁来做。你是在和红头发约会吗?那么可以考虑往饮料里加点姜汁。为了增添余兴，你还可以在卡片纸上印出配方，这样你的爱人就可以在饭店和酒吧随心所欲地点这款饮料。别忘了配方卡片要做得有个性。
2. 创意欠条。
这种创意小便条可以给你省下一笔小钱……没准还是笔大钱。与其东跑西颠地找寻完美礼物，不如花半个下午时间在电脑上设计一张漂亮的“免费家庭晚宴”欠条。然后写上他的名字，打印出来，用缎带裹起来，就完成了。丘比特将是见证人，要征服一个男人的心，最快的方法是通过他的胃。
3. 给一颗星星取名。
这种象征性举动和科学没什么关系，但和爱情却大有相关。而且，它还能成为你们感情关系中的亮点。只需不到15美元就能用女友、男友的名字给星星命名。每次你生命中那个特别的人仰望苍穹时，他/她一定会充满柔情地想起你。
4. 从你的橱柜挑礼物。
伊曼纽 史威登堡曾写道：“爱由付出自己和分享他的快乐组成。”把你的某样东西送给你所爱的人不只是和该物品本身价值有关。这一举动会引发情感共鸣，你将有机会看到你自己曾感受到的欢乐反射到爱人的脸上。不过请注意：不要把你离了不能活的东西送给出去，万一感情崩了呢。
5. 用音乐说出你的爱。
当爱在空气中弥漫时，为什么不做一次DJ，播放那张让你想起心上人的歌曲CD呢?如果你们已经约会了一年，这些歌也许会让你们回到初遇的晚上。或你初吻那天正在播放的歌曲CD。甜蜜的梦境由此而生。
6. 挑选一件他或她钟爱的颜色的礼物。
有些女人穿粉色衣服很漂亮，有些男人穿翠绿色很迷人。如果你知道爱人最喜欢的颜色，就买一件那种颜色的礼物吧，这表明你是花了心思的。这些礼物无需花太多钱。各种颜色的围巾、帽子、手套都可以用10美元以下的价格在当地的街头小贩那里买到。即使像粉色钢笔这种微不足道的东西都可以给钟爱粉色的她的脸带来一丝微笑。
如果你刚刚开始约会，情人节是让感情更进一步、让你们变得更亲密的一个固有机会。如果你交往或结婚已经有了一段时间，情人节将是重新点燃浪漫激情、让你记起当初你们缘何坠入爱河的完美时机。不管你情人节给你的爱人花了多少钱，别忘了说，“我爱你”。
