Once upon a time, not so long ago, Valentine’s Day was a strictly heteronormative affair. Girls waited for boys to give them sticky cards and take them out to dinner, and anyone whose life choices didn’t hew to these stifling strictures was left in a Hallmark-challenged abyss.
But not any longer! In fraught times like these, it is too easy to forget the many remarkable victories we have won over the last few years. The whole notion of sweethearts, of partners, of families, of love itself has changed radically, which means that now V-day can be a celebration of all the different kinds of affections that dare to speak, to shout, to scream their names!
And—more good news—with this expanded definition of love, actually, comes a fuller, richer roster of potential presents. Candy (no one is on a diet on February 14!) and overpriced roses are fine, but they are not your only options: Think big! Why not a bold red Rimowa suitcase for your sweetheart who is constantly on the go? Think small, with a pair of cheeky Un/Named “Bite Me” earrings (you and your beloved can each wear one). Kill your darlings with Roger Vivier’s heart shaped pumps; be naughty (even borderline gross) with Alexander Wang’s condom keychain or Pia Frey’s new saucy one liner poetry book, 125,000 Ways to Say I Love you.
Here, our ultimate guide to the best Valentine’s Day gifts.
