10 things to buy your boyfriend for Valentine's Day

Buying for your boyfriend goes the same way most years: you get to the week before, panic, and buy the safe thing he already has three of.

These ten are here because they either get used weekly or they mark something. UK prices, one pick from our own range, and the card sorted at the end.

10 Valentine's Day gifts for your boyfriend

• 1. Coasters, because the rings on the table are already there.
• 2. A print for the room he's allowed to decorate.
• 3. Tickets to his team, his band or a comedian he quotes at you.
• 4. The upgrade of a thing he uses daily and has never replaced.
• 5. A night out planned by you, booked by you, paid for by you.
• 6. Kit for the hobby he actually keeps doing.
• 7. A photo from the year, printed and framed.
• 8. The good bottle of whatever he drinks, singular.
• 9. A night in you actually plan, rather than a restaurant doing a fixed menu on 14 February.
• 10. Our pick: the pack of 6 minimalist wooden coasters - dull on paper, used every single day, and cheap enough to pair with something bigger.

How much to spend

• £30 to £80 is typical, and most men would rather have one good thing than three medium ones.
• Pooling with siblings or friends on one bigger present beats three separate medium ones.
• A £15 thing used weekly beats a £60 thing kept in a cupboard.
• If money is tight, give time with a date attached instead - it isn't a lesser gift.

What to avoid

• Aftershave gift sets.
• Anything that's really a hint about tidying up.
• Anything that's really a hint.
• Gift sets you'd be embarrassed to receive.

Getting the timing right

• Order by around 10 February - Valentine's post is the busiest week of the winter.
• Restaurants book out weeks ahead; a planned night in beats a rushed table for two.
• Write the card first, then buy the gift to match it.

Don't forget the perfect card

• The gift gets opened in a minute. The card sits on the shelf for weeks and in a drawer for years.
• Write something only you could write about your boyfriend - one specific thing from this year.
• Sign it properly. A name and a real sentence beats 'love from all of us'.
• Every card we make is designed in house and printed in the UK, and it posts in the same parcel as the gift.

Shop Valentine's Day cards

How to write it so it lands

• Specific beats expensive - the best gift is the one only you would think of.
• Order the card with the gift so they arrive together.
• Write the card before you wrap, while you still have something to say.

Where to shop next

• Our pick: Pack of 6 minimalist wooden drinks coasters
• Shop Valentine's Day cards
• Shop all cards
• Posters and prints
• 10 things to buy your boyfriend for his birthday
• 10 things to buy your boyfriend for Christmas
• 10 things to buy your boyfriend for your anniversary
• Planning the party? Birthday party ideas
• How to make a balloon arch
• Photo booth prop ideas
• All guides

Frequently asked questions

What should I buy your boyfriend for Valentine's Day?

Something he uses weekly or something with a date attached - a print for a wall, the good version of an everyday item, or an outing already booked. All three beat a gift set bought in a hurry.

How much should I spend on your boyfriend?

£30 to £80 is typical, and most men would rather have one good thing than three medium ones.

What should I write in the card?

One specific thing from the last year, then how you actually feel about it. That single line is remembered long after the present has been put away.