2008 Woodie Awards
Hitched or Ditched
Gift giving has taken on a new meeting
By: Rebecca Illson
Issue date: 2/13/08 Section: Lifeline
Valentine's Day gifts have become tired and cliché.
Boxes of chocolate, bouquets of flowers and candlelight dinners.
These days, the expensive gift giving frenzy has become predictable and something to be expected.
For some couples, the pressure to think of new and exciting gifts each year is a daunting task.
"I've been with my boyfriend so long that it's hard to come up with something new," said St. Louis junior Martha Connaughton.
Many couples agree going out to dinner is always a classic date. As far as gifts go, something with sentimental value is always best.
"One year, I made my boyfriend a card that had a collage of pictures of us on it," Connaughton said.
Scrapbooks are a way to solidify favorite memories. The materials are easy to find and fun to create. Handmade cards with photos are simple gifts that carry more meaning than a store-bought card, particularly if a person is in a long-distance relationship.
While tickets to professional athletic events can fall on the pricier side, it provides a couple with variation on a typical Valentine's Day date.
Cooking dinner is another way to show your significant other how much you care. From the simplest dishes to something more complex, a homemade meal or dessert is an easy and inexpensive treat.
"My boyfriend complained that he never really had a cake on his 21st birthday, so I'm baking him a heart-shaped cake," said Clarkston junior Morgan Sheets.
For those who choose to do a traditional dinner and a movie date, make sure to make reservations.
Valentine's Day is not just for couples, however. It also is a day for singles to spend time with friends.
Sigma Sigma Sigma sorority member and Rochester Hills junior Jessica Parker will be spending her Valentine's Day with members of her sorority family tree.
"We have a family tree tradition where we go out and basically have a good time," Parker said.
Many single young women prefer to spend time with girlfriends.
Flushing senior Chelsea Grab does not have plans yet, but has the intention of getting together with some friends and going to a movie. She also plans to surprise her roommates with candy.
Grab says her least favorite part of Valentine's Day is the compulsion to have a Valentine.
"You have an obligation to do something for someone, when every day is a day to show you care," she said.
Valentine's Day is a day to celebrate those you love, even if it is not a significant other.
lifeline@cm-life.com
Boxes of chocolate, bouquets of flowers and candlelight dinners.
These days, the expensive gift giving frenzy has become predictable and something to be expected.
For some couples, the pressure to think of new and exciting gifts each year is a daunting task.
"I've been with my boyfriend so long that it's hard to come up with something new," said St. Louis junior Martha Connaughton.
Many couples agree going out to dinner is always a classic date. As far as gifts go, something with sentimental value is always best.
"One year, I made my boyfriend a card that had a collage of pictures of us on it," Connaughton said.
Scrapbooks are a way to solidify favorite memories. The materials are easy to find and fun to create. Handmade cards with photos are simple gifts that carry more meaning than a store-bought card, particularly if a person is in a long-distance relationship.
While tickets to professional athletic events can fall on the pricier side, it provides a couple with variation on a typical Valentine's Day date.
Cooking dinner is another way to show your significant other how much you care. From the simplest dishes to something more complex, a homemade meal or dessert is an easy and inexpensive treat.
"My boyfriend complained that he never really had a cake on his 21st birthday, so I'm baking him a heart-shaped cake," said Clarkston junior Morgan Sheets.
For those who choose to do a traditional dinner and a movie date, make sure to make reservations.
Valentine's Day is not just for couples, however. It also is a day for singles to spend time with friends.
Sigma Sigma Sigma sorority member and Rochester Hills junior Jessica Parker will be spending her Valentine's Day with members of her sorority family tree.
"We have a family tree tradition where we go out and basically have a good time," Parker said.
Many single young women prefer to spend time with girlfriends.
Flushing senior Chelsea Grab does not have plans yet, but has the intention of getting together with some friends and going to a movie. She also plans to surprise her roommates with candy.
Grab says her least favorite part of Valentine's Day is the compulsion to have a Valentine.
"You have an obligation to do something for someone, when every day is a day to show you care," she said.
Valentine's Day is a day to celebrate those you love, even if it is not a significant other.
lifeline@cm-life.com
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