Valentine's Day gifts

Valentine's Day: History, gift ideas & more

Some love it, for others it's too commercial: Valentine's Day. Every year on February 14, lovers all over the world give each other flowers, chocolates, and other small gifts. They write love letters and go out for fancy dinners. On no other day of the year is love celebrated like Valentine's Day. ❤️

Whether you like Valentine's Day or not, February 14th has long since taken a firm place in our society. And especially in times when the global political situation can sometimes be depressing, we should celebrate love and connection with others all the more! 🥰

But where do the historical roots of Valentine's Day actually lie, and what does a beheading have to do with the history of the day of love? What are the classic Valentine's Day gifts, and what other special Valentine's Day gift ideas are there for men and women? We've summarized all of this for you in this article.

Why do we celebrate Valentine’s Day?

The name Valentine's Day probably comes from Saint Valentine, the patron saint of lovers . He lived in Rome in the 3rd century and married couples according to Christian custom. These marriages were supposed to be particularly auspicious. Valentine also gave the couples flowers from his garden. 💐 This is probably one reason why flowers are still the most popular gift on Valentine's Day today.

But the story unfortunately doesn't end very romantically for Valentine: Since the then Emperor Claudius II had banned Christian marriages, according to tradition, he ordered Valentine's beheading on February 14, 269. Valentine's Day is still celebrated on this date today in honor of Valentine.

Since when has Valentine’s Day been celebrated?

However, it took another 200 years after Valentine's death until Pope Gelasius I introduced the commemoration of Saint Valentine in 469. In 1969, however, the day was removed from the church calendar due to a lack of evidence.

The Valentine's Day tradition has nevertheless prevailed over time. Valentine's Day has been celebrated in England since the late 14th century. There, so-called Valentine's Day couples were formed and exchanged small gifts. This custom then came to the USA via English emigrants and finally reached Germany via American soldiers during World War II. In this country, Valentine's Day first spread to western Germany. For example, the first Valentine's Day Ball took place in Nuremberg in 1950. Gradually, Valentine's Day became known throughout Germany and has been celebrated by couples every year on February 14th since then.

Typical Valentine's Day gifts

Flower shops are at their peak on Valentine's Day. It's no wonder, since according to a Statista survey, flowers are the classic Valentine's Day gift, accounting for 27% of purchases. 🌹But perfume, jewelry, cosmetics, and shared restaurant visits are also very popular in Germany when it comes to Valentine's Day gifts.

Special gift ideas for Valentine's Day

As beautiful as a bouquet of red roses is, sometimes you're looking for a very special Valentine's Day gift for your partner . 🎁 A gift for Valentine's Day doesn't necessarily have to be expensive – there are many beautiful gift ideas that cost very little. We've put together a few Valentine's Day gift ideas for men and women to inspire you.

4 Valentine's Day gifts for men

Are you looking for Valentine's Day gift ideas for your husband or boyfriend? Here are some ideas for beautiful and unusual Valentine's Day gifts for men.

1. Rustic & nostalgic: Garden shelf made from onion strainers
   Does your partner love gardening? Then they'll love our rustic garden shelf made from onion strainers! These strainers were once used to store onions, fruit, and vegetables. We've repurposed them so they can now be used as a shelf to add a nostalgic touch to your balcony, garden, or kitchen. They're ideal for storing gardening tools, herb pots, and much more.
   To the garden shelf made of onion sieves
   
   
2. Bee welfare seed bombs: For a buzzing future
   This sustainable Valentine's Day gift is all about flowers and bees. 🐝 The jute bag contains three seed bombs with bee-friendly seeds. You can scatter them in your garden, water them, and soon enjoy a colorful flower meadow and happy bees. And the best part: From every product sold in the Bee Welfare series, 5% of the proceeds go to a donation pot from which we plant wildflower meadows in our hometown of Nordhorn. Because you can never do enough for our bee-loving friends.
   About the bee welfare seed bombs
   
   
3. Don't worry, bee happy: wild bee hotel
   Another lovely, sustainable Valentine's Day gift for your partner is a wild bee hotel. 🐝 This way, you'll not only make them happy, but also ensure that numerous wild bees find a safe haven. We promise: It's so fascinating to watch these industrious little creatures at work!
   To the wild bee hotel
   
   
4. Spicy Valentine’s Day gift: Chili “Fireflame” growing kit
   Does your partner like spicy food? 🌶️ Then this chili growing kit is just the thing for Valentine's Day. The mini garden contains everything they need to grow the hot peppers: potting soil, high-quality seeds, and a matching planting stick. The waterproof bag can be used directly as a growing pot. Thanks to the detailed planting instructions, the growing kit is suitable even for inexperienced gardeners.
   To the mini garden Chili

4 Valentine's Day gifts for women

Are you looking for something special for your wife or girlfriend for Valentine's Day and are still looking for inspiration? Here are our Valentine's Day gift ideas for women .

1. Favorite person: A bouquet of flowers with a difference
   What better gift for your loved one than ours ? 💖 Dried flowers in a glass jar are a special and, above all, long-lasting alternative to the classic bouquet. With this romantic gift, you can show your loved one how much you care on Valentine's Day. Another advantage: The loved one fits perfectly in any handbag or backpack and can be taken anywhere.
   To the favorite person
   
   
2. A Valentine's Day card with flowers growing out of it
   This Valentine's Day card is something truly special, as beautiful wildflowers grow from it! 🌸 Simply remove the seed paper plug from the card, place it in the soil, and water it regularly – and soon a small, colorful meadow of flowers will grow. A portion of love to plant and a Valentine's Day gift that your loved one will cherish for a long time! 🫶
   To the greeting card “Mouse with Heart”
   To the Valentine's Day card “Let love grow”
   To the greeting card “Bouquet of Flowers”
3. For plants or decoration: Rustic brick shape
   How about a vintage-style brick mold as a Valentine's Day gift for your loved one? These brick molds are handcrafted from salvaged wood from orchards, so each one is unique and has its own individual look. Brick molds are available in various sizes and can be used in a variety of ways: as a decorative box, for storing spices or treasures, or as a planter.
   About the brick shapes
   
   
4. Wish Fulfiller: A jar full of wishes for Valentine's Day
   Dandelions have always represented good wishes and, at the same time, reminded us of carefree childhood days when we would blow the fluffy flowers' little umbrellas into the wind and make a wish. With this hand-picked dandelion in a glass, you can give your wife or girlfriend many loving wishes for their future together on Valentine's Day. 🥰
   To the wish-fulfiller

Valentine's Day gifts: Give with lots of love

So you see: Valentine's Day gifts don't always have to be the classics like roses, chocolate, or jewelry. With our sustainable gift ideas for men and women, you're not only doing something good for your loved one, but also for our environment. 💚 Whether seed bombs, growing Valentine's Day cards, a bee hotel, or a brick made from salvaged wood—these Valentine's Day gifts are something completely different and still come from the heart.

We wish you a wonderful Valentine's Day with your loved one! ❤️

What our customers say

Claudia (April 25, 2022)

There were so many different seeds. I have a beautiful flower meadow, and every time one variety starts to fade, a new one with a different color appears. This not only delights me, but also the bees, bumblebees, and other insects that regularly visit my meadow. I think it's fantastic and will definitely order these seeds again next year.

Törtel (17.03.2021)

SUPER DECO FOR EASTER TOP - after Easter there should be a small herb garden with decoration.

Jana (June 25, 2023)

A great gift with a sustainable factor. I ordered the marbles to give as favors for a child's birthday party. Since I don't need all 10 bags, I've already given some to young and old, and everyone loved them.

Claudia (December 20, 2023)

The question is: will my husband get the 4 and 6 for Christmas? Or which ones should I keep for myself? My daughter saw them and wants one too... And the fact that such "old boxes" were packaged so carefully and lovingly makes opening the packages a joy - thank you, urban gardeners!

Lillianengel (February 14, 2022)

I don't usually write reviews, but in this case, I just had to. This little wish-fulfiller is such a sweet and lovely product. Beautifully packaged, lovingly labeled. Simply fantastic! Thank you so much!

Claudia (December 21, 2023)

Really cute idea that was well-received! Thanks. :)

Catherine (December 21, 2023)

I stumbled upon the city gardeners by chance and was very interested in their offerings. They were so lovingly and uniquely presented. I ordered two wish-granters as a test. Prompt delivery, and they're simply adorable! A wonderful little gift with good vibes... and no, I'm not from the ESO corner 😉.

Saskia (December 28, 2022)

So the "meadow" is unfortunately quite high, but nice to look at :)

AL (15.07.2019)

Fast shipping in good, secure packaging. We've already spread the mix... now we need patience. But I'm confident, the first green shoots are already poking out of the ground ;-)

Tanja (October 3, 2023)

I've already distributed many seed bombs in my own garden, but I've also secretly thrown them into other people's barren gardens or given them away. Even in other people's gardens, people seem to tolerate them and like the mixture. I haven't seen anyone remove the plants yet 😉 It's also a lot of fun for children, which is why I distribute the bombs to schools. I'll buy the next large pack at the beginning of February and am really looking forward to distributing them and, of course, to my garden. Best, Tanja