How best to say “I love you”? Roses are red . . . but what about the air miles it costs to get them here? How about some perfume, then? You’re kidding, right? That stuff is tested on caged monkeys.
Consumers are beginning to shun traditional Valentine’s Day gifts such as flowers, non-organic chocolates and paper cards because they’re not environmentally friendly. “You shouldn’t be hurting anyone or anything on Valentine’s Day, the day of love,” says the trends guru Faith Popcorn. “We’re rediscovering a social conscience of ethics, passion and compassion.” Shoppers today should instead opt for fair trade flowers, E-cards and donations in their loved one’s name to some sort of foreign aid organisation.
But there are still plenty of other pitfalls when it comes to choosing the right present, says the psychologist Professor Richard Wiseman: “You can write someone a note, but on good-quality paper, with good handwriting. And don’t give anyone a cuddly toy. It’s creepy.”
If you’re now agonising about replacing that singing teddy bear made in China at such short notice, here’s one last tip: find something that’s not red/heart-shaped/written by someone else to express your emotions today. Save your pennies and your dignity.