This Valentine's Day, Surprise Them with an Unconventional Gift!

It is that time of the year again when everyone is looking for ideas to make their day with a special someone, the best they’ve had. It can be stressful to think of something that isn’t chocolate, flowers, or cards, but there is still so much you can do. If you're looking for inspiration, you've come to the right place.

Love comes in the form of gratitude, kindness, respect, and of course, the willingness to share. You’d realize that the best of your memories don’t involve objects. They involved people and the beautiful time spent with them. Hence, we believe that although the usual Valentine's Day checklist is great, there is still so much we can do to appreciate those who matter to us.

All you want to do is show how grateful you are to have your loved ones around, and what better way to show it than by creating a living example? While you are looking for unique ideas, here are ways to commemorate your love and support the marginalized in our community. 

Volunteer together

It’s Valentine’s Day, and you want the time spent together to be forever remembered. How about you turn it up a notch? Volunteering with your partner to support the marginalized could give you memories of a lifetime and make a difference that lasts. 

You can make it extra special by customizing your impact. Volunteer to plant saplings and leave a label that marks them as yours; that becomes a souvenir of your love. Volunteer at a children’s shelter and their smiles and memories will be your souvenirs. Many creative ideas are ready to be explored, so make sure you leave no stone unturned to have the best time with your special one.

Donate in kind

Valentine's Day is incomplete without the exchange of gifts, right? Love is meant to be shared and multiplied. So, don’t let these gifts be limited to yourselves, and take an extra step to share them with the ones in need.

Take some time to pick out your favorite books with your partner and donate them to your local non-profit library. You could also cook together and use the day to feed the needy. The best part is that you could create your own special activities, which makes for some of the best memories. That’s some quality time spent together while also checking things off your goodness list. 

Sponsor a dream

What do you think about leaving behind a legacy that grows with time? There are many avenues that would support the causes that you and your partner would love to sponsor. If you want to donate to child education or nonprofits working for women's empowerment, you can do it right from your home through online fundraising events. 

While the same money can buy you materials that mark love, a child going to school or a marginalized woman being able to make a sustainable career because of you will have a bigger impact. Don’t you think?

But why choose the gift of giving?

Keep reading if you're wondering how giving makes a difference...

Giving is selfless.

When you give with the intention of making someone’s life better without expecting anything in return, you show a great sense of compassion. The fact that you chose the charitable path to celebrate the love that you have is all that the world needs, more love to give. 

It honors your relationship.

An act of kindness performed on behalf of someone shows your respect and commitment to them. We all love doing things for our loved ones, but having a shared experience for the upliftment of the community is the best way to make a day memorable. 

You support a better future.

When you donate to causes, you support a life and a dream. Your actions determine the future of a community. As you celebrate the joy of love, someone you helped with your donations is being gifted the opportunity of a lifetime. All it takes is action, and you can use your position to send a kid to school or get an elderly citizen the treatment they need. 

Giving is contagious!

The instant release of dopamine is unmatched when you give to charity. It is hard not to pay attention, and when you choose to support the marginalized and uplift the community, you inspire many others to join you and create a much-needed chain of kindness.

It is the little things that matter, that make the best of relationships. Take the precious time to show your loved one why you care and use your actions to do so. Valentine’s Day, although centered around the romantic side of things, can still be celebrated by everyone because we all have someone we love who deserves appreciation. 

So, be it raising funds, volunteering with them, or donating in kind, make sure this Valentine's Day you express your love through acts of kindness. If you are someone who loves the idea of supporting education, football, or employment for women, Giving for Good can help you create that special memory. So, why wait?

Inspired to Give for Good? Click here and support our work with a small donation today! 

Exclusively written for Giving for Good Foundation by Bhairavi Hiremath