Sometimes I think Valentine’s Day is a corny, capitalist holiday exclusive to the US, and then my coal-black heart remembers that love exists everywhere. Beyond the American bubble, plenty of countries have their own romantic rituals and traditions.
Maybe you’re planning a trip somewhere or maybe you just want to give them something cool they won’t easily find at home. Either way, we gathered recommendations from writers around the world for Valentine’s Day gift ideas that Americans might not – but should – know about.
I like to think of these as souvenirs without the airfare. From Australia to Chile to Mongolia, here are nine items expressing love in every language.
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Kiltane Knitted Cashmere Neck Tie
The same price as a big bouquet of roses, but just as red and a lot cuter. “Everyone in Britain is wearing small, knitted neck scarves this winter,” reports Filter UK editor Hannah Booth. She calls luxury Scottish label Kiltane’s sweet cashmere kerchiefs “as indulgent as it comes”. The company partners with a family-run mill on the Scottish borders, an area renowned for producing fine knitwear.
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House of Hackney Love Is Enough Cushion
For the Heathcliff to your Cathy (or vice versa). In the UK, House of Hackney’s richly saturated prints have long had a devoted following. Booth calls its aesthetic “William Morris reworked for the 21st century”. Think tangled florals, moody botanicals and patterns that feel both antique and a little unhinged. A perfectly timed gift while everyone slips into a bout of Victorian romanticism in anticipation of Emerald Fennell’s Wuthering Heights.
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Primis Everyday Cuvée Southern Hemisphere Olive Oil
If they’re bored of the same old European olive oils, this Chilean-Peruvian extra-virgin bottle is a fun curveball. Oils from the southern hemisphere are harvested on a completely different calendar, which means they often have brighter, greener flavors than their northern hemisphere counterparts. Primis’ latest batch, harvested just last May, is smooth with a subtle peppery finish, the kind of oil that instantly improves bread, tomatoes, eggs and anything else you’re cooking together on a weeknight.
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Gobi Essential Crewneck Cashmere Sweater
You know what’ll say “I really do care”? A good cashmere sweater while it’s ungodly cold out. Mongolian cashmere is some of the best, but some brands out there will slap “Made in Mongolia” on a label and call it a day. Real cashmere from real farmers is much harder to find, but Ulaanbaataar-based Gobi Cashmere offers just that, working directly with local herders and producing everything in its own facility. Breanna Wilson, a writer living in Ulaanbaataar, calls its soft, warm sweaters “a staple in my winter wardrobe”. They’re pricey, but you’ll know they’re ethically and sustainably made.
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Biodance Collagen Real Deep Mask for Pore Minimizing & Firming Care
In South Korea, Valentine’s Day isn’t a one-and-done chocolate fest: on 14 February, women traditionally give treats or small gifts to partners and sometimes friends, and then, on 14 March’s White Day, men return the favor with their own tokens of affection. Many couples do face masks together as a sweet before-bed ritual, and brides and grooms in particular love these fancy overnight masks for a speedy glow-up the night before their wedding. I’ve tried these masks myself and woken up with skin soft as a baby’s butt. (Though that “glass skin” texture fades after a few days or so.)
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Sea to Summit Frontier Collapsible Kettle Set with Pour Over
In Australia, Valentine’s Day falls in the summer, when romance may look outdoorsy and a little scrappy. For people who bond over camping trips and morning tea, Guardian Australia lifestyle editor Alyx Gorman recommends this collapsible kettle set from Australian hiking brand Sea to Summit. Made from BPA-free, heat-resistant silicone and aluminum, it packs flat, handles heat well and can double as a small cooking pot. Perfect for making billy tea, “a quintessentially Australian beverage”, says Gorman, “made by steeping loose leaf tea and eucalyptus leaves over a camp fire, then whirling the kettle round like you’re Bart Simpson picking a fight”.
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Manu Matters Baby Jane Table Lamp
Living together or not, good lighting is basically a relationship investment. Especially in Sweden, where parts of the country get as little as four hours of daylight in winter, reports Scandinavia-based journalist Jonna Dagliden Hunt. That may help explain why well-designed, good-looking lamps have become such a big deal there – it’s not just for ambiance but also for sanity. To keep a similar peace in your household, Dagliden Hunt recommends Swedish brand Manu Matters’ bold, made-to-order lamps. The company uses 3D technology to transform waste like recycled plastic bottles, lemon peel and cornstarch into glowing statement pieces. And if you need to set the mood, they’re fully dimmable.
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Hestra Wool Half-Finger Knitted Gloves
When it comes to dressing warm and stylish, the Danes get it. “Danes ride year-round – and their wardrobes reflect it,” says Dagliden Hunt, referring to Copenhagen’s bike-friendly streets. “Clothes need to be practical and functional, yet never at the expense of looking good.” In the mild winter, many locals wear half-finger gloves, also called “market gloves”, that can easily handle bikes and bags on a ride. You can give your favorite commuter this touch of hygge on the go too. Dagliden Hunt calls out Hestra’s “really nice ones in wool”.
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Verve Culture Moroccan Cooking Tagine For Two
Named after a beloved North African stew, a tagine is “a symbol of how we approach food: slow, generous, and deeply layered in flavor”, says Nargisse Benkabbou, chef and author of Casablanca: My Moroccan Food. I feel like there’s a metaphor about love and relationships in here somewhere. The conical lid traps heat, moisture and aromas as well as a Dutch oven, and “adds a little flourish when removed to reveal its contents”, writes food journalist Bernadette Machard de Gramont. A smooth move for a dinner date at home.
