Valentine's Day Gifts with a Twist

Still not sure what to get your sweetheart? We've got suggestions ranging from chocolates to trips around the world

Valentine's Day is fast approaching. Here's the dilemma: Even if you're one of those people who thinks Feb. 14 is just another grossly commercial holiday that has lost any true meaning, there's a chance your significant other doesn't feel that way. Dis the source of your bliss, and you'll have bigger problems than trying to find red roses at the last minute.

For gifts that are a little different, take a look at these suggestions from BusinessWeek editors. Sure, we like candy and flowers -- but how about chocolate-covered marshmallows, salted caramels, and "lobster claw" blooms? There's also a wine refrigerator to keep the bubbly at the perfect temperature, and a Rais wood stove to keep the home fires burning.

For offbeat but practical, you can't go wrong with a limited-edition solar-panel backpack that charges laptops, PDAs, and phones on the go in just a few hours, or a tiny USB flash drive that looks like a cross between anime gone wrong and some primitve love idol.

KEEP ON GIVING. Gifts of the month can help you keep the Valentine's spirit alive all year long. Go beyond cheese and fruit, and think lingerie and perfume for her, and golf balls and beer for him. There's also salsa, coffee, gourmet entrées, and children's books, just to name a few.

If you're serious about the pursuit of passion, explore our theme trips. Take up tango in Buenos Aires, hear opera in Mozart's hometown, cook up a storm on the Italian Riviera, prowl flea markets in Paris, or go on an archeological dig in Malta. When you're doing something you love, who even cares if you have a Valentine?

Tell us what your dream Valentine gift or trip would be in the Reader Comments box below.

READER COMMENTS

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