Valentine’s Day takes place on Feb. 14 across the United States and around the world as loved ones exchange candy, flowers, and gifts — all in the name of St. Valentine.
Little is known about this mysterious saint but one legend contends that Valentine was a priest who served during the third century in Rome. When Emperor Claudius II decided that single men made better soldiers than those with wives and families, he outlawed marriage for young men. Realizing the injustice of the decree, Valentine defied Claudius and continued to perform marriages for young lovers in secret. When Valentine’s actions were discovered, Claudius ordered that he be put to death.
Now that’s a romantic (albeit tragic) story.
With Valentine’s Day right around the corner, it can be difficult to find something original for those that you love — and a challenge to decorate your home.
It turns out that Valentine’s Day and thrifting make the perfect match!
How will you spread the love this Valentine’s Day? Of course, choosing a sweet card for your love and spending time together is a must. If you’re rocking the single life, doing something special to love yourself is essential. But spreading a little love with your community is a great step to take, too.
Start the process by shopping at Goodwill!
Every 1.2 seconds, someone accesses Goodwill opportunities to help build careers and strengthen families across the country. Each business day someone earns a quality job through Goodwill every 23 seconds.
On a local level, Goodwill Central Coast empowers more than 13,000 people per year through job training and employment opportunities. What’s more, GCC helps divert more than 7,000 tons of clothing and household items from our landfills each year.
You can be a part of that just by shopping at Goodwill for Valentine’s Day goodies. Here are some ideas to get you started:
- Candles: One of the most donated items to Goodwill, candles provide light and set a romantic mood. It’s a win-win to score wonderfully aromatic candles at a fraction of the retail price. Finding the perfect holder is also important to match your home’s decor. But, instead of spending money on holders that can sometimes be a little pricey, why not upcycle some instead? At Goodwill, you can find wine glasses galore. Just fill the wine glass with sand or coffee beans and put a tealight candle on top. The latter produces a nice coffee aroma. Or hang a metal kitchen whisk upside down with a tea light inside. Mason jars and glass bowls also work well and are easily found along our aisles.
- Drinkware: You can never have too many sip-worthy items in your cupboard. This might include a fabulous coffee mug, champagne glasses, wine glasses, or whatever floats your boat. There are a plethora of options on the shelves of our Goodwill houseware sections. From a Champagne toast to a hot chocolate snuggle by the fire, finding the right container is crucial.
- Trinkets: Scouring over the shelves near housewares, you can typically find all kinds of unique items that might fall into the trinket category. We’re talking ring trays, jewelry holders, ceramic dishes, and many other lovely items. Or how about spa items? Bath salts, foot scrubs, and soothing facial masks all make great gifts. You never know what you can find, and that’s the joy of thrifting!
- Photo frames: Do you have a favorite photo that you want to show off? We live in a digital world, and many of our best photos are filed away in the cloud, or buried in our social media feeds. There’s no better gift than framing an actual photo in a beautiful picture frame. At Goodwill, you can find silver-plated frames, Valentine’s Day-themed frames, or even a frame that needs some TLC to become your own personalized treasure. The options are unlimited and the sentiment is wonderful.
- Heart decor: If you want to decorate beyond just candles and frames, you should check out the end-caps of Goodwill aisles. You should be able to find items such as an adorable, large, pre-lit, wall-hanging heart — perfect for any wall or even a front door!
Remember, anyone can go to the store and pick up a greeting card. Since the love you share with your sweetie is unique and memorable, why not make your Valentine’s Day match those sentiments? Head to one of our Goodwill Central Coast stores for inspiration. In the end, you’ll feel twice as good about your purchase when the proceeds help support employment services right in your own backyard.
No matter how you choose to celebrate this Valentine’s Day, we hope you are able to truly enjoy it. Showing love is an essential part of living a positive life — no matter who you’re sharing it with.