Guest Guru: Out of the Box Valentine’s Day Gifts

February 2, 2012    |    By +
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After serving as a guest judge for our Giftee Awards, Dawn Sandomeno, graciously enough has offered to share her entertaining expertise with us.

As one half of the dream team behind Party Bluprints, she and her partner Elizabeth Mascali have been dishing out helpful advice and guides to hosting and throwing the perfect party for any occasion.

This Valentine’s Day think out of the box (the chocolate box that is) and show just how special your love is with a unique gift idea for her or him.

3 tips for thinking out of the box with your Valentine’s Day gift:

  • Start thinking about a gift early and you won’t be caught buying a last minute one.  Supermarket flowers or chocolates won’t win you extra kisses!
  • Remember that you don’t always have to buy a gift – mix and match buy and DIY ideas. It shows that you put time and thought into your gift.  These earn extra kisses!
  • “Food is the way to a man’s heart” and a woman’s– this is true!

Here are some of my favorite ideas for out of the box chocolate gifts:

1. Make dinner for him. Put a chocolate twist on chili – a traditional dude food. Chili with Chipotle and Chocolate from myrecipes.com

2. Gift him these cool Godiva Chocolate Cigars and light a fire!

3. Pair chocolate with bacon, it’s outrageous! Bake him a chocolate and bacon cake recipe.

4. I love this idea!  Hot chocolate on a stick. It’s perfect for stirring up some love.  Invite her to take a time-out by the fire, listen to music while you sip on some hot chocolate.

5.  Fondue is fun and a really romantic way to eat. Create a chocolate fondue dessert bar for her. These Chocolate Fondue Pots make it so easy, just pop them in the microwave! You can also purchase a Chocolate Fondue kit.

6.  Show your sweetie pie you love her – Whoopie Pies are all the rage right now and these pretty heart shaped ones make a perfect Valentine’s Day gift.

Dawn has been featured on NBC TODAY Show, Fox TV Good Day NY, Good Housekeeping, Consumer Report’s Smart Shopper, Redbook Magazine, Martha Stewart Living Radio, Fox News Strategy Room, CBS NY2, and have their very own published guide, “Plan to Party”.



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Meet the Gurus


Dana H.
Dana is Editor in Chief at Gifts.com. She loves helping make every occasion stand out with her unique gift ideas, handy tips & special touches. She has over a decade of experience with matching fabulous products with fabulous people.

Dan T.
As the Men’s Gift Editor, Dan is fortunate to be able to blend his work week with off-hour hobbies. Dan’s marketing background goes back over a decade, but he's always been passionate about the “guy” things like sports, electronics and grilling.

Gillian J.
While Gillian oversees Merchandising & Content for Gifts.com, she focuses on Women & Home Gifts. Prior to Gifts.com, she spent over a decade honing her gifting skills in the retail industry.

Michelle D.
Michelle is the Gifts.com Gift Guru who specializes in Teen and Beauty gifts. For the last half-decade Michelle has been refining her teen and beauty gifting expertise by working for Urban Outfitters and obsessing over social media.

Liz T.
Liz is the children & baby gifts trend editor at Gifts.com. Prior to Gifts.com she spent several years matching people with products while working retail. Her niece and nephews give her the inside scoop on kids. She also knows the best gourmet gifts for every occasion.

Felicia W.
Felicia works as a "Gift Guru" with a focus on pet and flower trends. While she is still learning the art of gift giving, Felicia loves focusing her attention on pet gifts. She is always on the lookout for the best and most unique items for our lovable cats and dogs.

Donna K.
Donna is Gifts.com's very own Editorial Assistant. You have her to thank for all of our fabulous Facebook posts and for making sure the blog is up every day. She is a "Gift Guru" in her own right.

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