Stop Buying Chocolate... What to buy your loved one who loves the outdoors
If you ask me, Valentine's Day is a sham. Your cynical friend, maybe that's me, tells you every year how it was invented by greeting card companies. While you may nod your head or roll your eyes, here's the thing...Valentine's Day is an excuse for presents! And, presents my friend, presents are the best.
Rules to Valentine's Gifting
If all else fails, follow these 3 tips to ensure a long relationship:
*Note: We are not responsible for any bad breakups, scripted texts, or clothes thrown on a lawn after following these gifting tips.
Keep it simple. I mean, come'on, it's not their birthday or anything. Valentine's Day is a holiday named after a Catholic Saint, and that dude might have been charitable, but he wasn't Warren Buffet. Buy them something small, fairly inexpensive, and simple.
Make sure it shows you "get them." The best gifts aren't always the most expensive...(I'm going to regret saying this later.) A bouquet of flowers, by the way, are hell-a expensive. Rather than gifting a generic, expensive bag of plants, give them something they will use. Something that relates to their hobbies, interests. Something that says, "Hey, I know you and, yeah, I get you." (winky face)
Experiences are better than things. You're gifting for a loved one here. I very much hope you enjoy spending time with them. The perfect gift? The gift of your time. And money. So...your time and money. Book a weekend getaway to Estes Park or a lovely ski vacation to Taos. These small, but thoughtful, experiences say, "You're fun. Let's hang out more." Perfect.
Great Outdoor Gifts
Now that you've got these rules down and are shaking your head in agreement, the question is: What do you get them?
We're not here to make you do the work. No. We wrote this blog post to give you a few ideas.
A super nice headlamp. Best. Gift. Ever. When you're scaring away bears outside of Red Feather Lakes, you want a light that illuminates both (yes, both) bears in time for you to run or play dead. For greatness, we recommend anything above 300 lumens. Between Black Diamond and Petzl, you can't go wrong. Choose one and gift!
For more information, read "Best Headlamps of 2020" for a detailed guide on what to buy.
A Rumpl. You might think your girlfriend has way too many blankets or your boyfriend might remark that he never gets cold, but if they don't have a Rumpl, they ain't livin'. The Rumpl is a brand that was started with Kickstarter a few years back. They make an oh-so-comfy synthetic blanket that packs small and can be used everywhere. Whether you Netflix and Chill (yeah, I said it) or throw it in the car for road trips, it's one of the best gifts given or received.
The best koozie ever? It's got to be a Yeti! This one fits all three categories. It's simple, inexpensive, thoughtful, and also gives an experience. Yes! Nailed it!
Experiences
Here are a couple of areas that are close to the Front Range and offer a superb getaway.
The Discovery Lodge in Estes Park, CO. This is a personal favorite. Why? It's walking distance to The Stanley Hotel. While the Discovery Lodge isn't a five-star hotel, it's clean, comfy, and offers all the luxuries of staying in Estes Park. I also heard they just added a hot tube! For a great night, bundle up and walk to the Whiskey Bar at the Stanley. They make a delicious Manhattan.
Cheyenne Mountain Inn in Colorado Springs, CO. This hotel is swanky. During the winter months, you can score great deals and still enjoy the high class vibe that the hotel provides. The resort has a heated pool, hot tubes, and two delicious restaurants. Best of all, they are dog friendly and only charge $35 for a pet fee.
If you want the real experience, save up for brunch. All you can drink mimosas, an ice cream bar, and, oh yeah, the actual food is delightful.
The River's Edge Motel in Ouray, CO. You'll find an ideal location in Ouray at a very reasonable price. The River's Edge is, as the name implies, right along the Uncompahgre River. It's also located in the Historical District and walking distance to downtown Ouray. You can take a stroll around their beautiful and well-kept gardens and then enjoy a complimentary homemade breakfast. They are also dog-friendly and the staff is extremely hospitable.
With all these ideas, I hope you find something that either inspires a better-than-generic Valentine's Gift or maybe decide to go for a weekend getaway. Whatever you do, remember the rules: simple, heartfelt, and timeless.