It just seems like the holidays flew by this year and already the CVS and Walmart shelves are stocked full with Valentine’s Day gifts and cards in their New England locations.

My name is Joan Daniels, and I’m thrilled to be the newest staff writer for the Complete New England Online Magazine.

My posts will be mostly about shopping trends and gift products in New England and this will give me a chance to share with readers my favorite topics to discuss – shopping and gifts.

And New England has many unique gift products and shopping locations throughout the region that it’s going to be a busy 2009 keeping everybody updated.

As I mentioned in just a few weeks many of us will be looking to buy Valentines Day gifts for that special person in our life – maybe some of you are already checking stuff out online – especially if you have to order something early to get it delivered on-time.

While the shopping outlets in New England are a staple part of the gift buying scene there’s no doubt online shopping continues to make large dents into the monopoly of the brick and mortar shops. And there are plenty of New England products and retailers that have an online presence.

I don’t have to tell you, you can find more bargains, and quicker, using the Internet than driving around for hours comparing products and prices at a New England shopping mall or outlet, especially during the cold and snowy winter.

I did a lot of my shopping online for the holidays without battling for a parking space or standing in long lines at the checkout and frankly I didn’t miss it. And I did it at my convenience sitting in a comfortable chair and a cup of coffee at hand. I’m a convert to shopping online as you can tell.

So back to Valentine’s Day and how to romance your significant other.

Flowers are always a staple and there are plenty of flower delivery shops that can get your bouquet fresh and on-time to your loved one wherever they are in the New England region.

There is a growing trend for getting him flowers for Valentine’s Day – so gals it’s not just about you receiving bouquets anymore. Just don’t get him lavender or pink roses, try a plant or something exotic and colorful like “Birds of Paradise.”

And for guys, while a dozen red roses is the classic Valentine’s Day gift, if it’s seeming a bit stale, or you modern gal isn’t impressed by a traditional arrangement, then there are many other colors and flowers you can use for a sweetheart that is more into yoga and health foods. You’ve just got to spend a little bit of time understanding the language of colors and flower-types, or better still choose from a local Boston Discount Flower Service where you can find all the hard work of mixing and matching to send just the right message has been done for you.

My fellow colleague Yankee Traveler wrote about his favorite New England getaway places here any of which would make an ideal surprise Valentine’s Day gift for your spouse or partner. Just think about what making such arrangements says to your valentine about your commitment and desire to please.

I was thrilled to receive a New England Getaway weekend a few years ago for a Valentine’s Day gift at a spa and near a lovely beach – it made me feel like a million dollars.

There are many resorts and spas that offer special package deals to pamper you over the valentine period. You can discover more information and some additional suggestions for New England Getaways here – a previous post we did in July of 2008.

In my next post I’ll cover the subject of jewelry and some non-gender special products from New England just in time for the Valentine’s Day gift season. So if these are more in line with your thinking as a special romantic present to show your love for another, then you may just want to hold off a few more days.

RESOURCES:

List of Shopping Outlets in New England

Comprehensive Boston Flower Delivery Guide

Shop for Discount Flower Delivery in Boston Area

More information on New England Romantic Getaways

Another New England post by one of our writers is being prepared right now so be sure to visit again or just subscribe to our RSS Feed here and get notified automatically of events and news.

Joan Daniels
Staff Writer
New England Online Magazine

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