Love is in the air, and what better way to show your loved ones that you care and appreciate them than buying them something thoughtful and perfectly curated at the same time? This Valentine’s Day, go beyond the usual gifts in this holiday of love such as flowers, chocolates, or cute plushies. Instead, opt for something more personal, thoughtful, and tailor-made.
This year’s Valentine’s Day is all about celebrating love in its different forms — romantic, platonic, and even self-love. We know it can be grueling to scour through online shopping platforms like Lazada and Shopee or even head to the mall, where traffic is in every direction.
With that in mind, Billboard Philippines has your back with the ultimate Valentine’s Day gift guide to transform your ordinary, last-minute gifts into something memorable and exciting. From an album that holds a special place in their heart to a pair of headphones they’ve been eyeing for so long, or even a niche-laden customized mixtape, bring in the love and make this day extra special.
After all, the best gifts aren’t the most expensive or extravagant, but the ones given with thought and love.
CD Or Vinyl From Their Favorite Artist
Nothing beats the classic of buying them a CD or vinyl record of their favorite artist or album. In the age of streaming, owning a piece of physical media has never felt more sacred. These days, it’s handpicking which CD or vinyl of an artist you want to own physically. But more than that, gifting your loved one an album you can’t stop listening to together or a cherished record from their childhood is a heartfelt way to celebrate music. Sometimes, the beauty lies in mundane moments, like sharing a listening booth in a record store and slowly falling in love — just like Jesse and Celine did in Before Sunrise.
These physical manifestations immortalize the beauty and magic of art in a way that no streaming platform can ever replicate. On the other hand, want to treat yourself this Valentine’s Day? If there’s an album you’ve had your eye on for a while, take this as your sign to finally get it!
Customized Mixtape
We’re taking it old school as mixtapes are back in style. TapeBeats offers just that with their customized mixtapes that come with artsy tape designs and cover artwork. As their mantra suggests, “It’s more than a playlist.” Spotify playlists are cute and all but what if you can take a trip back to the ’80s and relive the art of creating a mixtape? You can even have your own voice messages, recordings, and original songs, in MP3 or MP4 format. Compiling songs you dedicate to someone you love has never been this cute and thoughtful. Now, you can recreate the iconic boombox scene from Say Anything… with the perfect love song dedication, minus the trying-to-win-them-back bit, of course.
Concert Or Gig Tickets
Aside from the usual dinner date, why not celebrate the holiday of love by giving them tickets to a concert, gig, or a music show? Live music shared and experienced with someone you love and your ride-or-die friendships could be a night to remember. While some concerts are considered a curse to attend with a significant other—like The 1975’s, an intimate acoustic gig or a cozy jazz night for Valentine’s Day is an underrated and sweet gesture. This could be the start of a beautiful tradition.
In the meantime, check out our guide to the gigs and concerts to check out this season of love. Here’s to more concerts and gigs to attend this year!
Headphones
Headphones have become more fashionable and aesthetic these days. As some headphones fall in the trendy category, nothing beats a good pair that transports you to the music you’re listening to, like the Sony WH-1000XM5 Wireless Noise-Canceling Headphones.If you’re not keen on spending too much on high-end pairs, still make sure to consider quality. It’s all about experiencing the immaculate vibes of great music so you get to feel like a levitating Max as she listens to Kate Bush’s “Running Up That Hill” in Stranger Things Season 4. Whether it’s a late-night workout or a midnight cram session, a good pair of headphones is their best friend and worthy of an investment.
Personalized Vinyl Record Frame
If you’re all for the artistry and delicacy of a vinyl record and all of its intricacies, a personalized vinyl record frame preserves the record as a neat decorative piece or personality to the bedroom. Since vinyl records come with multiple variants that scream *capitalism,* record collecting goes beyond the consumption of the music itself.
If you or someone you care about hasn’t gotten into vinyl collecting and turntables, why not start with something to set the mood? Framing a vinyl record is a way of displaying not just the record itself but the love and appreciation for the music and artistry.
Bluetooth Speakers
Music fan or not, Bluetooth speakers are pretty much essential these days. From listening to podcasts and watching the news, good quality Bluetooth speakers definitely amplify the experience. The ones from Marshall are great for setting the mood and perfect to use to cap off a long day as you light up your scented candle, drink some tea, and listen to relaxing Lofi music.
Plus, you’re giving them the best of both worlds—something practical and enjoyable at the same time. Listening to music, podcasts, and videos becomes even more immersive with high-quality sound.
Book
For the bookworm or non-reader loved one, you can go for nonfiction memoirs like Just Kids or M Train by Patti Smith, or perhaps Crying in H Mart by Japanese Breakfast frontwoman Michelle Zauner. You can also never go wrong with works of fiction about music like Daisy Jones & The Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid and High Fidelity by Nick Hornby.
If long, thick books aren’t quite their thing yet, start with something shorter and more accessible. Perhaps, a collection of poems and haikus like Violet Bent Backwards over the Grass from Lana del Rey. It’s also a perfect way to get into the habit of reading, as being glued to our phones and devices feels a little less therapeutic on our days off.
Earplugs
It’s always “I love you” and never “I want you to have good hearing so you can hear me say ‘I love you’ clearly in the morning.” Earplugs just like those from Loop reduce noise levels and are perfect for hearing protection in loud environments.
This is perfect for concert-goers who want to enjoy the music and live performances without the expense of their hearing. But these earplugs also work best for daily use — whether you need to lock in and focus in a noisy café, detach from the rumbles of a long commute, or reduce distractions while working.
Funko POP!
When all else fails, down the Funko POP! rabbit hole we go. Not everyone’s a fan of these vinyl figure collectibles. But as far as collectibles go, you can never go wrong with cute 4-inch versions of their favorite artists in Funko’s ever-growing Pop! Rocks line.
You can go all in with The Beach Boys Funko 5-pack with the hardcore music nerd or the newly-announced Sabrina Carpenter Funko for the main pop girlie aficionado. Plus, they look great and add *oomph* to your bookshelf or desk. If Funko has yet to release their favorite artist’s vinyl figure, go for other figures they’re a fan of. Trust us, almost everything has a Funko Pop these days.