The most unusual gifts to surprise your partner this Valentine’s Day

Valentine’s Day is about celebrating love, but who says you have to be stuck with heart-shaped candies and roses?

Some of the most memorable gifts blend surprise with a personal touch, revealing how deeply you understand the recipient.

While roses and candlelit dinners might be a gift-giver’s go-to on Feb 14, some Singaporeans and local businesses say unconventional presents can spark even more delight.

From quirky experiences to unlikely tokens of love, here are six unusual gift ideas to show someone you care – without a single box of chocolates in sight.

Personalised podcasts for one

Sometimes, the best way to show how much you care about someone is to talk about it.

Home-grown start-up Folklory (www.folklory.com) aims to capture this sentiment with a service that transforms recorded conversations into personalised, private podcasts.

Each podcast is created through a guided conversation with an interviewer, where one can recount memories, inside jokes or milestones.

Folklory edits the recording into an audio keepsake that can come in the form of a retro cassette-like player or a digital audio file sent to the customer. 

Founders and content creators Haresh Tilani and Terence Chia – who also host the Yah Lah But current affairs podcast – call each Folklory “a one-of-a-kind audio love letter”.

“Most Valentine’s Day presents are physical objects – flowers, chocolates or jewellery – common things that are appreciated in the moment but eventually fade,” says Mr Tilani. “A Folklory, on the other hand, captures your story as a couple, told in your own words.”

The gift, he adds, is ideal for partners who value experiences over material items.

He recounts how one Folklory customer surprised his wife with a podcast and said a “giggle and laughter session” ensued when she listened to it.

Each personalised podcast costs between $199 and $239.

DIY dates that do not break the bank

A good gift – like these landscape stickers – need not break the bank, says TikTok content creator Clara Ventus, 29.

In a video posted in 2024, she explains the appeal behind this trending gift: “There’s no excuse for him to be like, ‘Babe, I have no money to take you out, I’m so sorry’, when this is literally $1.”

These stickers typically come with a background scene, so you can affix assorted designs to each backdrop to create your own miniature artwork, with styles ranging from a cosy cafe to a cabin in the woods.

They are popular on e-commerce sites such as Shein, starting at around $1.

Landscape stickers have frequently appeared in dozens of TikTok videos, with many users sharing their enthusiasm for putting the stickers together as a relaxing group activity with friends. 

“They’re great, though not presented as just gifts alone, but packaged as a fun Valentine’s Day activity to do together,” Ms Ventus says. “I believe that when a gift can be done and shared together, it makes the gift even more meaningful.”

For Valentine’s Day, she suggests turning the sticker-making into a laid-back bonding session: Put on a podcast or some music, and create an adorable sticker world together. 

Adopt, don’t shop

Buying a puppy or kitten to surprise a loved one remains one of the most enduring gift-giving tropes, but it may not always be the best idea. 

Animal welfare groups tell The Straits Times that while well-intentioned, thrusting a lifelong responsibility upon someone unprepared to shoulder it can lead to problems down the road.

Ms Thenuga Vijakumar, president of the non-profit Cat Welfare Society (CWS), points out that a cat can live 20 years or more, and care costs can run into tens of thousands of dollars.

“To thrust that upon a person is irresponsible. It is very rare for a person who is surprised with this responsibility to be able and willing to truly step up to the task,” she says.

For a more meaningful spin on involving animals in your Valentine’s Day gifts, Mr Ricky Yeo, president of the non-profit Action for Singapore Dogs (ASD), suggests sponsoring a specific shelter animal in a couple’s name.

At the ASD’s no-kill Canine Rehoming Centre, maintaining a dog typically costs between $300 and $500 a month. For those who sponsor a dog – $50 or more – for three months, the ASD offers a certificate with sponsors’ names and a photograph of their chosen dog.

The group is also organising a Furever Valentine’s Day Walk on Feb 22 for Singapore’s dog-loving community, which will also be joined by adoptable pups from the ASD’s centre.

Ms Vijakumar adds that volunteering as a couple can be an unconventional yet deeply rewarding experience.

At CWS events, volunteers go door-to-door conducting surveys, gathering data to support cat welfare advocacy, and assisting needy families by connecting them with free sterilisation and microchipping programmes for their pets.

The Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) is also embracing the Valentine’s Day spirit. Together with dating agency GaiGai, it is hosting an event on March 1 for animal-loving singles.

“The event offers a unique way for participants to connect with fellow animal lovers and meet some of our shelter ‘furriends’, all while supporting a good cause – 75 per cent of the proceeds will go towards helping our animals in need,” says the SPCA spokesperson.

Level up your computer swag

With 63 per cent of employed residents being professionals, managers, executives and technicians – also known as PMETs – as at 2024, many in Singapore spend hours typing away at a computer.

That makes a custom keyboard an unconventional but practical Valentine’s Day gift, says Singaporean content creator Joshua Chua, 23, who creates videos under the Squashy Boy YouTube channel.

Play

Squashy Boy has accumulated more than 500,000 subscribers on YouTube with in-depth videos explaining the technical aspects of customising one’s keyboard – from budget-friendly builds under $100 to top-tier models that can go for more than $1,000. 

“A fully custom-built keyboard with premium materials would definitely be a showstopper,” Mr Chua says. For those unfamiliar with custom keyboards, he recommends Wobkey’s Rainy 75 Keyboard ($139) or the Bridge75 keyboard ($110).

“These are fantastic options because they’re under $150, yet they’re built with full aluminium and other premium materials, offering great value for their price,” he adds.

While novelty keycaps have racked up thousands of views on TikTok, he warns newbies against buying them as gifts, as these keycaps may not be compatible with one’s chosen board.

Video games for two

The past few years have seen a boom in video games that fall under the “cosy game” genre – defined by its casual gameplay where combat is not a primary focus – as well as games meant to be enjoyed by two players.

Video game developer Lin Xiao En, 29, says one standout title for Valentine’s Day is It Takes Two (2021), a cooperative action-adventure game about a bickering couple who are transformed into dolls, and embark on a journey that tests their bond while teaching them about love. “It Takes Two is focused on building good (romantic) relationships, so it’d be perfect for Valentine’s Day,” she says.

Ms Lin is the solo developer behind Research Story (2023), a fantasy-infused take on the farming simulator genre of cosy video games.

For Valentine’s Day, she also recommends two-player action game A Way Out (2018), tower defence game Aegis Defenders (2018) and survival sandbox game Core Keeper (2024) for their cooperative gameplay.

Design your future home

Many Singapore couples spend years navigating the Build-To-Order flat process, often tying the knot well before their new Housing Board home is ready. 

For those who love interior design or want to play a more hands-on role in renovating their nest, local start-up Homeez (www.homeez.com) has a home design and renovation platform where users can customise a 3D rendering and generate cost estimates.

Homeez also has a database of HDB floor plans that can be used as templates, along with different themes such as Scandinavian or industrial.

Homeez co-founder Jon Ho says the tool is ideal for hands-on DIY enthusiasts who prefer to design their own space instead of relying on renovation packages.

“If your partner enjoys home makeovers, crafting or interior design, this is a unique and meaningful way to turn ideas into reality together,” he says.

Custom archives of your love

Sometimes, the best gift is something tailor-made for your loved one.

Social media is rife with ideas for custom-made gifts that let you print an image or message onto everything from keychains to interactive picture frames. But one does not need to use much technology to put together a memorable gift.

Of all the gifts I have received, my favourite by far has been a book created by my partner, compiling every image, meme and sticker we sent each other on WhatsApp in 2024.

To me, a gift that captures every inside joke and good memory of a year is incomparable.

This article was originally published in The Straits Times.