I have to admit I’ve never really been into Valentine’s Day. It has always felt a little forced. Restaurants charging double, set menus you did not choose and that familiar post-dinner feeling of was that it? Over the past few years, Valentine’s Day, much like Halloween, has ramped up to near-unavoidable levels. Heart-shaped everything, love-themed products and aggressively romantic messaging now follow you from your Instagram feed straight into the supermarket aisle.
And yet my kids absolutely love it.
Not because they are waiting for a secret admirer to leave a mysterious card signed with a slightly unsettling question mark, but because this generation is far more emotionally fluent than I ever was. And apparently so am I now. I tell my children I love them multiple times a day. A three-word phrase that once felt weighty, reserved and only to be deployed after substantial emotional evidence has now become something I say freely to family, friends and yes, even the dog.
They are counting down to Valentine’s Day, slightly less enthusiastically than Pancake Day I will admit, and it has made me pause. In a world full of heavy news and constant noise, is there really anything wrong with setting aside a day to tell the people you care about that you love them? I don’t think there is. And crucially, it doesn’t have to mean designer gifts, grand gestures or over-the-top meals. It can be cheap, cheerful and genuinely thoughtful.
Think of it like a Christmas Eve box. Less about extravagance, more about marking the moment. Enter the Galentine’s hamper. A love-filled bundle designed for your friends, kids and anyone who could do with a little lift. It is not about romance in the traditional sense but connection, kindness and shared joy. A small but meaningful way to make someone smile.
I am fully on board with one caveat. We are still very much living with the January financial hangover so this is about clever, budget-friendly buys that feel considered rather than costly. Affordable treats that deliver that warm, lovey glow without tipping into excess.
And with that in mind, here are the Galentine’s hamper picks that won’t break the bank but will still spread the love.
