The best Valentine's Day gifts 2021

Say it with flowers

Roses are red… but so are anemones, tulips and ranunculus. If your local florist isn't open, you needn't resort to a slightly sad supermarket bunch. Instead check out one of the handful of flourishing flower delivery services in the UK.

Flowerbx, started by a former Tom Ford exec, specialises in single flower bouquets: all killer, no filler, they really pack a visual punch. For Valentine's we love the Italian ranunculus in Red Velvet or Ballet Slippers as an alternative to traditional roses.

Arena Flowers has made a name for itself as the UK's most ethical florist, and every purchase made funds the planting of trees in countries like Haiti, Mozambique and Madagascar to restore and grow healthy forests. Traditionalists will love the Valentine's Day gift set, featuring a dozen red roses and raspberry champagne truffles, while a hand-tied bouquet of 30 pink and red tulips are a delightful springtime alternative.

If you want something longer-lasting, we love Bloombox for plant deliveries, and the pygmy pineapple 'amigo' in a quartz pot is perfect for a Galentine's gift.

Floris Night-Scented Jasmine Bath & Shower Gel, £26

A heavenly seductive scent to give you soft and sweet-smelling skin.

Floris Night-Scented Jasmine Bath & Shower Gel, £26 – buy here

Sophie Bille Brahe velvet jewellery box, £200

Tactile velvet in a soft blush colour just screams romance, so this jewellery box is sure to be a hit. For extra impact, nestle a piece of diamond or pearl jewellery from the Danish designer's collection of modern heirlooms inside – the Escargot de Diamant is an exquisite example.

Sophie Bille Brahe velvet jewellery box, £200 – buy here

​Chantecaille Cheek Gelée in Vibrant, £39

Want to re-create that Bridgerton flush of love? This cheek tint will give a rosy, head-over-heels hue without any of the drama.

Chantecaille Cheek Gelée in Vibrant, £39 – buy here

Bella Freud The Queen of My World T-shirt, £95

Whether she's your bestie, your baby mama or your bride-to-be, let her know just how special she is in a way that tells the whole world too.

Bella Freud The Queen of My World T-shirt, £95 – buy here

​Smile Makers The Surfer, £19.45

Giving off good vibrations, this clitoral vibrator from the stylish self-care, self-love gadget brand is a world away from the usually gaudy, male-dominated array.

Smile Makers The Surfer, £19.45 – buy here

Love learning

Ahead of the big day this year, Selfridges will be hosting a brilliant programme of (virtual) creative, mindful and fun events. Choose from tarot readings, sound-bath meditation, drawing classes, poetry jams and DJ disco sets to get you in the mood.

You can also turn to the store's personal shoppers to help you pick out a gift for a loved one, whatever your budget.

​Slip Beauty Sleep Collection Gift Set in Rose Leopard, was £119, now £89.25

Make pillow talk sexy, seductive and good for your skin with this luxuriously soft pillowcase and mask set.

Slip Beauty Sleep Collection Gift Set in Rose Leopard, was £119, now £89.25 – buy here

Oxfam LOVE card, £2.99

Used to popping to the card shop on your lunch break on the 13th? This is just another way things will be a little different this year, but that doesn't mean you have to rely on the corner shop's dusty card carousel.

This vibrant rainbow card is a reminder that we will pass through the current stormy patch, together. The fact it's Fair Trade and made from recycled office waste in Rwanda is a bonus too.

Oxfam LOVE card, £2.99 – buy here

​Harvey Nichols The Essential Men’s Edit, £140

Head-to-toe hero products for the ultimate pampering sessions for him.

Harvey Nichols The Essential Men’s Edit, £140 – buy here

Find the right words

Struggling to find the words to express your feelings? Let an expert say it for you instead.

Carol Ann Duffy's Words, Wide Night might have been published in her 1990 volume The Other Country, but it resonates aptly with today's socially distanced times: 'Somewhere on the other side of this wide night/and the distance between us, I am thinking of you…' Her Love Poems anthology is another surefire hit.

Poetry purists may not approve, but Instagram has become a way for modern poets to share their work with millions of readers around the globe, and many have been published in their own right too. Take the anonymous Atticus, who was wearing a mask long before we all picked up the habit and whose 2017 volume Love Her Wild deals with the 'highs and lows of love and life', while Rupi Kaur's latest collection home body is an 'intimate journey… reminding readers to fill up on love, acceptance, community, family, and embrace change.'

Keeping things brief is Tiny Love Stories a New York Times series spun off from its ever-popular Modern Love column. With tales of familial, platonic and romantic love and loss told in 100 words or less by readers from around the globe, it's a charming diversion that will resonate with almost everyone.

Or if you're after something steamier, and have watched (and rewatched) Netflix's hit Regency romp Bridgerton, take a plunge into the source material with Julia Quinn's first Bridgerton novel: The Duke and I.

​Gucci Guilty Love Edition 2021, £95

Message on a bottle – whether you’re near or far, the words say it all. Plus, the pretty fragrance contained within is a surefire crowd-pleaser too.

Gucci Guilty Love Edition 2021, £95 – buy here

Natasha Zinko printed upcycled cotton face mask, £25

In Valentine's past, any gift of a face mask would have been of the spa variety, but things have changed. Now wearing a mask is a way of showing you care – about your family, community and more – so why not have a bit of fun with it too?

Natasha Zinko printed upcycled cotton face mask, £25 – buy here