For our wedding a little over a year ago, my partner and I chose a poem by Hafiz called “Our Union,” which my aunt read out to all of us gathered under a tree in the November late-afternoon sunlight. It’s short, so I’ll include most of it here:
“Our union is like this: You feel cold, so I reach for a blanket to cover our shivering feet. A hunger comes into your body, so I run to my garden and start digging potatoes. You asked for a few words of comfort and guidance, and I quickly kneel by your side, offering you a whole book as a gift.”
We chose this for the way it reminds us to care for one another in little, everyday ways. (We also appreciated that potatoes got a shout-out.) But reading it now I realize that the poem articulates something else: that giving small tokens to the ones we love is not about the object itself, but rather a way to say I see you.
If you’re looking for your own token of love to give this Valentine’s Day, here are the handmade finds that our editors are considering. Not pictured, but also on our list: just-baked batches of cookies, the offer to babysit for an afternoon, and little love notes by the coffee maker.
Above: Forget roses; the flowers on Soil to Studio’s block-printed Kamala Linen Pillow ($174) are enduring.
Above: Did you know knitting can lower blood pressure? Purl Soho offers all kinds of patterns, like this All Roads Hat + Mittens, which is knit flat, so it’s (semi) beginner friendly. Knit it yourself, or gift instructions and some beautiful yarn to a crafty friend.
Above: Fan’s pick? “Framed photos used to be my go-to gift for loved ones. I’m nostalgic for them!” This is the Match Pewter Carretti Rectangle Frame from Nickey Kehoe, $120; or find some vintage or secondhand and add a tiny snapshot.
Above: My love language is having warm feet. For the homebody Valentine, Cream Heart Donegal Socks are $18 for a pair.
Above: I’ve also been admiring the limited-edition Apricot Mugs from ANK Ceramics right here in Maine: “color conceived as a pairing, because everything is relational,” writes maker Ariela Nomi Kuh; $120 for the pair.
Above: Margot is admiring The Butler Cake Stand in Pink from House of Nunu: “I came across this Australian line at Shoppe Object last weekend,” she says. “I love that this stand is borosilicate glass—and it’s only $49.40.”
Above: “Little ephemera cards to place or give to whoever you want!” The House Home Mini Riso Cards are printed with a rice oil ink-based printing process; $5 for a pack of five.
Above: For the writer, the list-maker, and the doodler, give a Glossy Red Color-Edged Notepad from Wms. and Co. $25.
Above: Another pick from Margot: the Walnut Hand Clip by Swiss designer Thomas Steuri, $55. Says the retailer: “The wooden hand is an organizing accessory: a business card or important reminder is quickly at hand, and a favorite picture is at your fingertips.”
Above: For the artist or art appreciator: a book of Emma Kohlmann Watercolors ($60).
Above: For an extra special someone, a grand romantic gesture, a wedding gift: this Embroidered Table Linen (€245) from Ouevres Sensibles, for many situations romantiques across the table.
For gift guides from years past:
