Last Minute Green Valentine's Day Ideas

You've waited till the last minute and need to come up with a great last minute Valentine's Day gift.  Whether the thought of Valentine’s Day makes you giddy or roll your eyes, take a little time out this season to remind that special person how much you care.  If you live in the NY area, you know that New York is a delightfully romantic city – the art, architecture, restaurants and parks all set the stage for a romantic night out on the town.  Celebrate Valentine’s Day in an earth-friendly way.  You can keep all the romance while making new eco-chic memories.

 

UPON A STARRY NIGHT

New York has plenty of naturally romantic scenery.  You can bundle up and enjoy a walk through the snow-covered trees in Central park.  Wander indoors through one of the city’s numerous museums.  This Valentine’s Day, look up for romance at the American Museum of Natural History’s Hayden Planetarium Space Theater.  Their Romance Under the Stars night includes a champagne and hors d’oeuvres cocktail hour with the Josh Rutner Quartet.  Following the cocktail hour, lean back and watch a narrated tour of the night sky.

SWEET DREAMS ARE MADE OF THESE

Someone you care about has candy-coated dreams.  Indulge yourself or your loved one with organic chocolates.  Vosges Haut-Chocolat offers delicious organic or vegan truffles in beautiful purple recycled or recyclable packaging.  Vosges’ commitment to making delicious organic chocolate is matched by their green mission – their New York boutique is powered by renewable energy.  Have a long-distance admirer?  Shop online at Theo Chocolate.  This Seattle-based company offers organic, fair trade chocolates.  While they are well known for their chocolate bars, Theo’s Casonova Caramel collection is sure to please with four different caramel flavors.   Prefer cupcakes to candy? Try Babycakes. This vegan kosher Big Apple bakery makes yummy cupcakes, brownies and cookies with all-natural and organic ingredients.

COLORING KIDS

Even if you do not celebrate Valentine’s Day, your kids may want to get cards or candy to exchange at school.  The Stubby Pencil Studio has a great creative option.  They offer Valentines cards with cute animals and messages that are made from recycled paper.  Your kids can color the cards and personalize the messages.  Also, for each dozen of “Color-n-Kids” Valentines cards, the Stubby Pencil Studio is including twelve tasty Yummy Earth organic lollipops.  This set was a hit with my nieces and nephew.  Your kids will be also a hit at school! 

LET LOVE BLOSSOM

Valentine’s Day is the most important day of the year –for florists.  If you want to send a beautiful bouquet, it is not too late to send a great organic bouquet.  Gardenia Organic is one of the oldest, most reputable sustainable New York florists and is a VeriFlora preferred retailer. Their “Modern Romance” arrangement features deep-colored roses that takes a chic twist on a traditional bouquet.  Want to create a unique arrangement or decorate your apartment with your sweetheart’s favorite flowers?  You can work with the florists at Stem NYC.  Their sustainably grown flowers and dramatic arrangements are a favorite for city event planners.

THE WAY TO A MAN’S (OR WOMAN'S) HEART

Few experiences are more romantic than a candlelit dinner.  If you are a wiz in the kitchen, whip up a homemade meal with organic or locally produced ingredients and set the stage with aromatic soy candles.  If you would rather go out to eat, there are plenty of amazing options.  For a fun and flirty dinner, try DirtCandy.  Their cozy and contemporary restaurant will win over your special one with their inventive vegetarian menu.  For a more traditionally romantic setting, take off your boots and kneel for a delicious meal at Hangawi.  This Korean gourmet restaurant offers a prix fixe vegetarian Valentine’s menu that will wow your senses.

Specialized Green Gift Ideas for Your Valentine

Whether your valentine is a new flame or an old, four-legged friend, there are lots of sweet, eco-friendly and sustainable ideas for unique gifts to delight your love. 

Natural Nurturer: Carol's Daughter's aptly named Love Butter is a moisturizing mix of mango, cocoa and shea butters with a unisex scent inspired the blend of honey, cinnamon and brown sugar fragrances.  This formula is free of parabens, mineral oil, petroleum and artifical coloring but completely full of sensuality.   

Pamper Your Princess: Your modern sweetheart is probably not longing to be rescued but fabulous bath and body products can make her feel like she was whisked away for some well deserved rest and relaxation. Sabon's Organic Soap will wash away any stress she might have.  This natural soap is based on organic olive oil with palm oil, coconut oil and lavender extract and is suitable for a variety of skin types.  What better gift than a massage with Karen's Body Beautiful Bath & Massage Oil? The oil combination includes sweet almond, avocado, grapeseed, sunflower, and vitamin E. Her skin will refreshed as she melts in your soothing touch. 

Accessorize Your Fashionista: Matt and Nat are well known for their fashionable and trendy bags.  Their bags are great gifts for your eco-diva because they are made sustainably and without animal products.  She might fall head over her stylish heels for the Goldfrapp red vegan leather handbag with 100% recycled beige faux suede lining, tone on tone stitching and antique brass hardware.  Certainly, 23 recycled bottles never looked so sexy.  Bagged out? Drape her neck in the Andean Collection Acai Necklace.  This gorgeous necklace made from acai beads makes a sexy, unique statement.  

Feed Your Foodie: Many foods are considered aprodisiacs.  Eggs are included on this list.  Since Valentine's Day falls on a weekend this year, consider making a delicious brunch.  Check out this video link for an easy frittata recipe.  Instead of the bacon and scones they have as sides, you can pair the frittata with sauteed asparagus, another aphrodisiac, or a light salad.  For dessert, make cupcakes or pick them up from your favorite store (try Babycakes NYC -a vegan bakery in the Big Apple that delivers!) and dress them up with these beautiful recycled linen cupcake holders from Bella Cupcake Couture.

Vegan My Love: Besides cupcakes, you can delight your love with a delectable assortment of dairy-free truffles and rich chewy, vegan caramels.  

Forget-me-not Finishing Touches:  If you have everything squared away and just need to finalize your plans, consider giving your valentine a unique valentines card.  These Made By Girl cards range from romantic to satirical.  Check for those which are made on recycled paper and come with earth-friendly envelopes. 

Puppy Love: Reuters recently reported a study that shows one person out of every five would rather spend Valentine's Day with their favorite pet.  Make your pooch a cake with this organic cake mix.  Cat lover instead?Give your finicky feline organic wheat grass, a nutritious alternative to household or chemically treated plants.

What's Red, Pink and Green All Over? Eco-Valentines for Kids

Remember the joy of exchanging valentines with your classmates?  From heart-shaped candy to cartoon greetings, Valentine's day is a sweet opportunity to share your sentiments with your best friends or first crush. This year, help the little tots in your life learn how to share their affection for family and friends in an environmentally friendly way.  

Instead of focusing on buying dozens of disposable cards and plastic bags of rose-colored candy, think about creative crafts that you can do in the house together. Celebrate your children's creativity by creating homemade valentines with them using the paper and art supplies that you already have in the house.  Snowed in? Each family member could make a collage using newspaper and magazines of all the images that your valentine inspires and then recycle the rest of paper.  

Kids grow when they are affirmed. Show your children you value these homemade items by placing them in a special place in the house-on the fridge art gallery or in the hallway entrance. 

Homemade and homespun: One of the most powerful elements of comedian Dave Chappelle's stand up performance For What It's Worth comes in the end when he emotionally recalls that the most meaningful thing that happened to him at the height of his success was his son giving him a macaroni necklace.  If you want to create a macaroni necklace with your child, consider using natural food coloring.  You can buy organic natural food coloring or make your own.  Pomegranate juice may help you add a great, red color to your homemade creations.  

Edible expressions: If you have a little baker's assistant, you may prefer to bake sugar cookies with whole wheat flour and natural food color frosting. Try something different and make vegan sugar cookies. 

Share the love: If your child plans to distribute valentines at school, think about eco-art supplies and eco-friendly valentines cards.  Stubby pencil studio valentines cards have adorable, kid-appropriate messages printed on recycled stock paper.  Plus, they also sells soy crayons made from soybean oil and natural coloring so children can safely leave their creative imprint on their valentines cards.