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Over the past few decades, Valentine's Day has gone from a fun little romantic holiday into a fully commercialized day that's all about buying expensive flowers and even jewelry. Gone are the days where this day was about showing how much you cared about one another, or is it? With a little creativity, you can come up with some very unique and inexpensive valentine gift ideas.

Make Your Own Cards

Buying a pretty Valentine's Day Card has gotten expensive. Make your own card by digging through the craft box. Card">All you need is a sheet of cardstock or even construction paper and a few decorations. Write a personal message on and inside the card. Dig through some old pictures and find one of the two of you. Cut out a heart shape from red or pink construction paper and cute a whole inside, just big enough to fit the picture. Glue the picture on the card, then glue the heart on top of it. Use other heart shapes, stickers, markers, glitter and any other crafting supplies you have lying around to finish the card.

Homemade Treats

You*re also not stuck with having to buy expensive boxed chocolates. Surprise your sweetheart this year with some homemade treats instead. Dip some large strawberries in melted dark chocolate and allow them to dry on some wax paper. Sprinkle some chopped nuts or coconut flakes on the chocolate before it dries. Or allow it to harden and then melt some white chocolate. Pour the melted white chocolate into a Ziploc bag. Make small hole in the corner of the bag and use it to drizzle white chocolate over your chocolate covered strawberries. You can also make a batch of heart shaped sugar cookies, chocolate chip or peanut butter cookies decorated with a chocolate kiss, or even your favorite brownie recipe.

The Gift Of Your Time

One of the most precious gifts we can give these days is our time. With our many obligations, we often don*t spend as much time as we*d like to with loved ones. Take an afternoon or even a whole day off and spend it together. Go to a movie, grab some lunch, take a walk together or do anything else the two of you enjoy. Cook dinner together and then snuggle up on the couch to watch a good movie. It doesn*t really matter what you do as long as you make an effort to spend this special time together.

Menu Mailer * Make Dinner Easier

For an inexpensive gift that keeps giving all year long, make dinner easier with a menu mailer. Wouldn*t it be nice to get a list of dinner ideas along with the recipes and a pre-made grocery list? With all the planning already done for him or her, the two of you will have more time to enjoy each other's company each night.