Relationships Talk

We get it – Valentine’s Day gift buying can be a total minefield. If you’ve been dating just a few weeks, an overly heartfelt pressie might have your new bae running for the hills, while your long-term partner will be pretty underwhelmed by a box of corner shop chocolates and some petrol station flowers.

Luckily for you, we’re here to steer you right. We’ve teamed up with notonthehighstreet to give you some seriously thoughtful gift ideas for every stage of dating.

Notonthehighstreet selects only the most beautiful designs from thousands of the UK’s best small creative businesses – from handcrafted creations to unique, personalised gift ideas, so that you can give your other half something brilliant – no matter how long you’ve been together.

1) The ‘we still don’t know each other very well’ gift

The Lionel Seasonal Cheese Box by The Cheese Geek, £29.99 BUY NOW

You’ve been dating for a little while now and things are looking promising. You’re after a thoughtful gift while avoiding anything too emosh.

Enter the Lionel Seasonal Cheese Box from small creative business The Cheese Geek. Whether a brilliant reminder for your giftee of that amazing first date you might have spent over a cheese board or simply a fresh way to allow you to get to know each other better, share a selection of the very best seasonal cheeses from old favourites to fresh surprises. The cheese box also comes with tasting notes, pairing tips and a scorecard so you can rate the selection. Take the pressure off Valentine’s Day and enjoy an evening that’s imaginative and artisanal, without being, well, cheesy.

2) The ‘we’re everyone’s favourite couple’ gift

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Personalised Love Heart Mug Set by Sophia Victoria Joy, £25 BUY NOW

A few months have passed and now you’re ready to make things Insta-official. You’re joint at the hip, and your wild nights are slowly being replaced with evenings in, cuddled up on the sofa binging Netflix together.

This Love Heart Mug Set, made by Sophia Victoria Joy, a family run business based in Hampshire, is the perfect accessory for your movie marathons. Personalise with your pet names for one another or if the red heart is too traditional, choose from a range of colours to make these mugs as unique as you are.

These mugs will also give you the opportunity to show your S/O how much you appreciate them long after Valentine’s Day has passed. Nothing says ‘you mean the world to me’ quite like bringing your partner a cup of tea – made just the way they like it – in bed on a Sunday morning.

3) The ‘we’re totally still in the honeymoon stage’ gift

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Personalised Solid Copper Photo Print by Oakdene Designs, £24 BUY NOW

You’re nine months in, and your other half recently told you they miss you when you leave the room – so you’re looking for a meaningful gift that will ensure you’re close by even when you’re away (because sometimes you do have to go to work/see your friends/use the loo.)

Fill their home with memories of your time together, whether it’s a cherished snap from your first date by the sea or a romantic dinner at sunset on your recent holiday. These solid metal prints from small creative business Oakdene Designs can be personalised making them a really special, one-of-a-kind gift that will allow your partner to reminisce on the amazing moments you’ve spent together – even when you’re not around.

And if that’s not enough, they come in copper, stainless steel or brass finishes, so you can find the perfect fit to complement your partner’s decor too.

4) The ‘we’ve just moved in’ gift

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Personalised Leather Loop Keyring by Create Gift Love, £16 BUY NOW

Things are officially serious and you’ve taken the big and scary step to move in together. What better way to commemorate your first Valentine’s Day as roomies than a gift that will remind your other half of just how far you’ve come together?

Handmade to order in the UK from sustainably sourced leather, you can personalise this keyring with an in-joke, soppy message or a meaningful date. Whether you’ve loved them ever since they surprised you with a homemade dinner for two, made you cry-laugh with their impression of a mutual friend or brought round your favourite chocolates after a tough day at work, include the sweet or funny memories that have led to the amazing moment you’re sharing together now.

5) The ‘I’ll never stop surprising you’ gift

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Origami Heart Keepsake by Hello Ruth, £12 BUY NOW

After a couple of years together, you want to remind your other half just how special they are to you – without relying on clichéd presents. Stumped for how to surprise your partner while still being thoughtful? Well luckily, you’ve made a whole host of incredible memories together over the years, and this origami heart keepsake is a brilliantly unusual way to present them.

Equal parts unique and meaningful, this origami heart keepsake will show your S/O that you still can’t get enough of them, while giving them something they’ll be able to look back at time and time again. Fill with up to four of their most treasured photos – including some surprises they might have forgotten about! – and personalise with your own message.

6) The ‘I couldn’t have done it without you’ gift

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‘We go together like..’ Personalised Print For Couples by Floss & Co, £18 BUY NOW

You’ve been together for over three years and have watched each other go from clueless youths to marginally less clueless adults. Travelling, climbing the career ladder, buying your first house together; you’ve been by each other’s sides through thick and thin, and now you’re looking for a gift to remind your partner that you wouldn’t be half the person you are without them.

These unique prints from Tynemouth-based small business Floss & Co. will complement the house you might share together perfectly. Choose from four fun designs, whether you go together like peaches and cream, gin and tonic, fish and chips or rhubarb and custard, and personalise with your names and a special date.

Browse notonthehighstreet for even more thoughtful Valentine’s Day gift ideas