The stores don’t miss a beat. Sometime between Thanksgiving and mid-December, while customers attempt to stave off the stress of shopping for the perfect Christmas gift, some of our favorite retailers have already moved on.

Candy boxes in the shape of hearts and mushy cards for everyone from a spouse to the family pet line the card displays, and simple signs declare “Don’t Forget Valentine’s Day February 14!” Good grief. Some of us prefer our holiday panic in metered doses.

But funny enough, here we are, almost face to face with one of the most romantic, commercially saturated dates on the calendar.

Happily, we’re offering some alternative options not found on your local drugstore shelf (which, as we write this, are being stocked with Easter baskets and Easter candy).

The perfect Valentine’s Day gift? Time, specifically set apart under a thoughtful and well-executed plan to show your significant other how much you care. How about these options?

• A picnic. Yes, it’s winter ‘round these parts, but grab your candles, a blanket, and some dinner (drive-thru counts but barely) and lay it all out on the family room floor. Pop in or stream your favorite Romcom or thriller (you know best) to show your honey how special they are.
• A drive down memory lane. Grab some snacks (could be a long car ride) and head past some of your favorite spots. Maybe it’s the first house you lived in or the hospital where your kiddos were born. How about where you had your first date? Your first kiss?
• Whisk them away. This is the ultimate in easy lifting. Make a reservation somewhere special and leave the meals and entertainment to the experts. Sandy Cove Ministries’ Tandem: A Weekend for Two (February 10-12, 2023) offers guest speakers, meals, beautiful scenery and so much more.

And just think: You’ll arrive home ready to hit the stores in March -- just in time to grab your 4th of July decorations.