I hadn’t exactly expected to receive a public service announcement from the discount store Five Below, but: here we are.
PSA: Flowers fade, but plushies are forever.
As someone with a longstanding itch to adopt and love adorable stuffed cuddly creatures, I never thought I’d say this. They’re right: flowers fade, but plushies are forever. And maybe that’s why flowers are the better option. Or, rather: do we really want to celebrate love and romance and Valentine friendships by purchasing more stuff that cannot be recycled?
Flowers at least can be composted. Most stuffies will eventually end up in a landfill. (Boy, am I ever a killjoy today!) Now, flowers may not be your thing nor even remotely affordable around Valentine’s Day. That’s okay. What other ways do we have to celebrate and express affection that don’t eventually cause environmental harm?
Many Valentine cards can be recyclable but you need to avoid certain materials if that’s your intent. Then there are consumables like chocolates, baked goods, and special meals. Next up are gifts that can be used again and again and then even passed on to be enjoyed by others, like books, a well-made item of clothing, or a work of art.
Finally - - the truly waste-free Valentine gift: shared experiences. Going to a concert, the theatre, or the movies. A walk in nature. A home cooked meal. I know a few folks for whom a therapeutic massage would be a perfect Valentine gift. It seems to me that if you really know someone and care about them, the possibilities for shared experiences are practically limitless.
The absolute best Valentine gifts are not necessarily physical items which can be unwrapped, but the ones that show you are paying attention. Who says that you can’t show that you’re paying attention to the environment, too?
One last thing. In case you wonder what is going on in the Five Below advert at the top of this post…it’s a video tutorial showing you how to make a bouquet out of plushies. What an indignity for our stuffed animal friends! Would you want someone to attach you to a stick? If you’re going the cuddly toy route for Valentine’s Day, perhaps a little more tenderness than this is in order.
A while back I wrote about a company in England called Loved Before which refurbishes plush toys and resells them with great love and imagination. On this Valentine’s Day I’m happy to share that Loved Before is on the verge of announcing their new United States branch. Teddies are en route as I write this.
Whether you celebrate Valentine’s Day or are just hoping for better days ahead, I hope you have a wonderful day today.
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