Valentine's Day - the day of love around the world.

A History of Love

Valentine's Day is the one day of the year when the entire world agrees that love deserves celebration and yet flowers cost three times their normal price, heart shaped chocolates are everywhere, and a restaurant reservation is impossible unless booked way in advance. However, despite being associated with teddy bears holding hearts and petrol station bouquets wrapped in cellophane, Valentine’s Day is an event with a genuine history behind it.

Saint Valentine

The tradition goes back centuries, with roots in ancient Roman festivals and the story of Saint Valentine, a third-century priest who - according to legend - defied Emperor Claudius II by performing secret marriages for soldiers forbidden to wed. Claudius had decided that single men made better soldiers. Valentine was imprisoned and executed for his defiance, but not before allegedly sending a letter to the jailer's daughter signed "from your Valentine." Whether the story is entirely true hardly matters as it's become the foundation of our modern celebration of romantic love on 14 February.

The evolution of Valentine's Day

Over the centuries, Valentine's Day evolved from religious observance to secular celebration. By the Middle Ages, it had become associated with courtly love and romantic poetry. By the Victorian era, people were exchanging elaborate cards, flowers and tokens of affection. Today, Valentine's Day sits somewhere between genuine romantic gesture and commercialised obligation, and this is where modern romance gets interesting.

Nowadays we're living in an era where relationships look different than they did even a generation ago. Long-distance couples maintain intimacy across continents via video calls, busy workers struggle to find time for traditional date night, and people's interests are more varied and specific. Good luck guessing whether your partner wants the limited-edition gaming console or a tv subscription or a new outfit.

The modern Valentine's dilemma

The challenge isn't whether to celebrate, but how. What constitutes a meaningful gesture in 2026? Is it the grand romantic display like the dozen roses (goodbye, mortgage deposit), the expensive dinner (hello, month's grocery budget), the glittering jewellery (is this an engagement ring or are we just really committed to Valentine's Day)? Or is it something more personal, more tailored to the individual you're celebrating? Something that says, "I know you" rather than "I panicked to the petrol station at 6am on 14 February."

The truth is the best Valentine's gifts aren't necessarily the most expensive or elaborate. They're the ones that show genuine understanding of what someone values. For some, that's an experience shared together. For others, it's the freedom to choose something they truly want. For others still, it's remembering their coffee order without having to ask.

Making it personal

The most thoughtful approach often isn't to guess what someone might want (and get it spectacularly wrong), but to give them the means to choose for themselves. Whether that's through experience vouchers, branded gift cards or digital swap cards, the principle remains the same it’s all about their choice.

Whatever you choose personalisation matters. A generic gesture feels transactional, like you've confused your partner with a client. A thoughtful one feels like love. Consider what your Valentine would really appreciate, not what the latest trends are. An eGift it LOVE digital gift card is a great idea as your loved one can swap it for their favourite brand of gift card. A great part of sending a digital gift voucher is how easy it is to personalise it. You can add a heartfelt message, choose a Valentine’s Day greetings card design, and send it straight to their inbox or mobile. It is the modern equivalent of a love note.

Why join in the love?

Yes, Valentine's Day is commercialised. Yes, it can feel obligatory. Yes, the card aisle in any shop between the end of January and the middle of February resembles a scene from a romantic apocalypse, complete with desperate people trying to find anything that doesn't feature the word "hubby." However, it’s an excuse to be openly romantic, doubly affectionate and thoughtful without feeling self-conscious about it. It's the one day when grand gestures are expected rather than regarded with suspicion! The best way to celebrate love isn't through the most expensive gift or the grandest gesture, it's by showing someone you understand what makes them happy.

Valentine’s Day is coming … so get organised

Even though Valentine’s Day is a dream day for lovers, it can be a worry for procrastinators. If you want to avoid the stress of last-minute shopping, your secret weapon is giving a digital gift card from eGift it. Skip the queues, skip the guesswork and give a gift that actually gets used. Because nothing says “I love you” like letting someone choose exactly what makes them happy.

Make saying Happy Valentine’s Day simple with an eGift it LOVE gift card, the gift of choice.