How to Have a Zero Waste Valentine's Day
No sooner have the Christmas Holidays finished and the shops have started filling up with Valentine’s gifts and cards. Did you know that according to the Greeting Card Association, UK shoppers bought 18.7 million Valentine’s cards in 2016.
Valentine’s Day or Saint Valentine’s Day as it’s also known is celebrated around the World on the 14th February. It originated as a Christian feast day for two saints named Valentinus and it wasn’t until the 14th Century that it became associated with love and romance when Geoffrey Chaucer wrote:
For this was on seynt Volantynys day
Whan euery bryd comyth there to chese his make.[“For this was on St. Valentine’s Day, when every bird cometh there to choose his mate.”]
Today it seems to have become a very commercial affair but that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t still celebrate it. We just need to take a simpler more personal approach because it’s always nice to show people how much we love them, which obviously shouldn’t just be restricted to Valentine’s Day.
So, here’s my guide on how to have a Zero Waste Valentine’s Day.
5 ideas for a Zero Waste Valentine's Day
Showing someone you love them should be personal and fun. Here are 5 ideas for you to enjoy a Zero Waste Valentine’s Day.
Keep it Simple with a Handwritten Note
There’s really no need to rush out and buy a commercial Valentine’s Day card when a small handwritten note would mean so much more to the person receiving it.
You could write the note on a piece of paper, a pretty postcard or even a handmade card from somewhere like Etsy, I love these Plantable Seed Cards. However, the actual card doesn’t really matter it’s the words you write on it that are important.
Experience Gifts
A great way to buy a gift for someone is to buy them an Experience as it will be something that will not only be fun but it will also make lasting memories.
There are so many experience days that you can buy now and they’re a great way to give someone a great present that they will enjoy without any waste.
I love wildlife and I love photography so I’d love to go on the Photography Days at Port Lympne
There are lots of companies organising experience days from Baking to Rock Climbing and they’re available to suit any age, so you’ll be spoilt for choice. Or if you the person you are buying for enjoys the Theatre you can buy Theatre Tokens rather than tickets to a specific show. It’s just a case of choosing the right one for the person you’re giving the gift to.
A Jar of promises
Why not fill a jar with small notes of something you promise to do and let the person you’re giving it to choose one a week. The notes could be anything you choose from going for a walk together to you promising to cook a meal at home or making breakfast in bed.
The list of possibilities is endless and totally personal.
Zero Waste Starter Kit
If you would like to give someone a gift that’s just starting out on their Zero Waste journey you could give them a Zero Waste Starter Kit to help them eliminate single use plastics.
I’ve got some that I’ve put together in my TMG Zero Waste Shop and you can choose from Zero Waste Kitchen Essentials, Zero Waste On The Go or Zero Waste Bathroom Essential Boxes.
Buy Unpackaged Gifts or Zero Waste Friendly Packaging
Creating a Zero Waste Valentine’s Day is really just about being a mindful consumer and think about what you’re buying.
Is it something that the person receiving it will find useful? Think about what it’s made from, is the packaging it’s sold in easy to dispose of,
You should be looking for gifts that are unpackaged or if they do have packaging then it should be minimal and preferably compostable like cardboard.
Handmade soaps, books, a nice woollen throw or antique jewellery all make lovely presents.
I still love holding a real book to read and I love browsing in book shops. If you want to buy a book as a gift but don’t have time to go to a book shop you can still support independent book stores by buying online from Hive. This is what Hive has to say:
We give independent bookshops a chance to be seen online. We hope it will help them to reach new and different customers. We help them benefit from the sale of all kinds of stuff.
I hope you have a lovely Zero Waste Valentine’s Day.
I love the idea of experience gifts – that has to be perfect memorable way of giving something memorable and not creating waste on Valentine’s Day.
I really like those zero waste plantable cards they are gorgeous. They would be perfect for our little lady’s birthday next month. We tend to have a family sunset picnic and be altogether, as it’s about loving each other 🙂
We celebrate Valentines but not with gifts. We just have a date night at home with no TV or phones. Just nice to have some time together
These are great ideas. Valentines day is a hyped up so much forbthe retailers to cash in. We just opt for a card and a nice meal at home!
I love these ideas and perfect for those doing a zero waste challenge! I am cutting down on our waste massively, love the jar of promises.
I love these ideas, especially as we’re trying to reduce our waste as a family this year. I’d be very happy to get one of the Zero Waste Starter Kits from my hubby for Valentines Day.
These are super super ideas. You have me on board as anything that reduces wastes gets a big thumbs up from me xx
Valentine’s Day is just a marketing tool for businesses to make money it’s so overhyped! I prefer to spend time with with each other – do something you both enjoy.
We don’t really “do” Valentines Day, but I love the idea of Hive! x
I’m pretty sure mine will be zero waste because we never get round to doing anything although this post might inspire us!
The jar of promises is a great idea! Might try that one this year. Cheap too 🙂
Great ideas here. My hubby and I don’t do cards, we stopped that years ago. I felt like it was a waste of money and paper to be honest. We go out for a child free meal instead.
Great ideas. We only celebrate Valentine’s Day with cards but we do tend to buy gift experiences rather than “stuff”. I’d rather have the memories than a house full of tat!