7 Lovely Valentine's Day gifts for your single friends

Valentine's Day is often associated with romantic love, but it's essential to remember that love comes in various forms, including self-love and friendship. If you have single friends who might be feeling left out during this romantic holiday, why not take the opportunity to show them some love too? Here are some thoughtful and uplifting Valentine's Day gift ideas to celebrate the joy of friendship and self-love.

Put together a self-care package filled with self-love essentials. This will give your friend everything they need for some well-deserved "me time".

You could include items such as this vanilla bean scented candle, these Epsom bath salts for a soothing and rejuvenating bath, this cosy blanket to snuggle under for a film night and a heartfelt note letting your friend know how much they mean to you.

There are also services that let you build a personalised self-care box for a loved one, such as this Hug in a Box from Bear Hug Gifts or this Build Your Own Self Care Gift Box from the Paper Wild. Alternatively if you're a little short on time, you could get them a pre-prepared self-care package. 

Gift your friend a book that inspires self-love and empowerment. There are many titles focused on personal growth, positivity, and embracing singlehood. Choose a book with a message that resonates with your friend's interests and aspirations.

For books that focus on the positive side of being single, you could try Going Solo by Eric Klinenberg, which explores the joys of living alone, or The Unexpected Joy of Being Single by Catherine Gray, which pretty much does what it says on the tin. If your friend needs a break-up pick-me-up, there's Elizabeth Gilbert's seminal Eat, Pray, Love, or Cheryl Strayed's Wild: A Journey from Lost to Found, adapted into a film starring Reese Witherspoon in 2014.

For books that focus on personal growth and development, you could gift the internationally bestselling Atomic Habits by James Clear, which reveals how to change your life through small habits, or The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F**k by Mark Manson, a guide to becoming a better and happier person. Or check out some of these self-help books that are perfect for a new year! 

Create a spa day at home by putting together a DIY spa kit. This is kind of like a self-care package but with more of a focus on pampering. Think:

This will allow your friend to unwind and pamper themselves in the comfort of their own home. 

Foster your friend's creative side by gifting them art supplies or craft kits. Creative hobbies offer many mental health benefits, such as reducing cortisol levels (that's the stress hormone), and releasing dopamine (part of your brain's reward system). 

You could gift them something that will help them cultivate a specific skill, such as knitting needles and yarn, oil paints or an embroidery kit. Or you could just help them get creative with something a little more generic, like a colouring book. 

Bring a touch of nature into your friend's life by gifting them a low-maintenance plant or succulent. Plants can be symbolic of growth, resilience, and the beauty of individuality. They also come with bonafide mental health benefits, with research linking houseplants to reduced stress, lower blood pressure and an improved state of mind. 

If you just know that your friend hasn't got a green thumb at all, don't worry: fake plants have mental health benefits too! There's no harm in getting them a fake instead. 

Give your friend the gift that keeps on giving: mindfulness. Mindfulness refers to paying more attention to the present moment, which can bring big benefits for mental wellbeing. Tools for mindfulness will be particularly useful for a friend who is prone to anxiety or getting in their head about things. 

Some mindfulness-themed gifts include a meditation app subscription, a journal or a book about mindfulness like Jon Kabat-Zinn's Wherever You Go, There You Are. These tools can contribute to a sense of inner peace and self-awareness that will hopefully last all year long.

If a bunch of you are single, host a brunch or dinner gathering. Celebrate friendship and the joy of each other's company with delicious food, good conversation, and perhaps some themed decorations to add a festive touch.

Valentine's Day is an opportunity to celebrate all forms of love, and that includes the love we have for ourselves and our friends. These thoughtful and uplifting gift ideas can help single friends embrace the joy of self-love, personal growth, and the beauty of their own journey. Let's make this Valentine's Day a celebration of all the wonderful connections in our lives!