Valentine’s Day — Try a Black Heart-Shaped Box This Year
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| Handmade Black Heart-Shaped Box |
It is almost that time of year again. Everyone is talking about what to buy and/or do for Valentine’s Day. Not that anyone asked, here are Siouxsie’s suggestions for a Happy Valentine’s Day. These suggestions are not meant to be exhaustive, but merely illustrative of some great ideas. The gifts featured here are all safe to view at work. If you want or need suggestions for other kinds of gifts for your lover, Siouxsie suggests you look on your own time from the privacy of your home. Here is the list:
Movies
Watch a movie with your favorite person. Skip the romantic comedies. Go for horror. Kwaidan is a Japanese horror film from the 1960s. It is based on the works of Lafcadio Hearn, one of Siouxsie’s favorite authors.
The Bride of Frankenstein is a classic — horror and romance combined. If you haven’t seen it, you ought to.
| Kwaidan |
| Bride of Frankenstein |
Vices
Who wouldn’t want some of these? Cloves were cool before, but now they are contraband. Getting these is equivalent to getting a cigar from Cuba. And Absinthe . . . you can’t go wrong with a supposedly hallucinogenic drink. The Green Fairy is lurid and glamorous at the same time. Give Mansinthe, Marilyn Manson’s brand, a try. Say what you want about the guy, the man knows his absinthe.
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| Cloves | Absinthe (Mansinthe) |
Chocolate
Albeit a pretty traditional gift, even the darkly inclined like gifts steeped in tradition. Also, chocolate is purportedly an aphrodisiac. You can buy the chocolate pictured below at the links provided.
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| Skulls | Coffin (w/skeletons) |
Heart |
Video Games
Okay, who wouldn’t want these? Bayonetta (available on the PS3 and Xbox 360) is centered on a female character who happens to be a witch who uses pistols and magic to defeat enemies. And she wears glasses and bleeds rose petals. It incorporates modern style and fashion, and has a great soundtrack.
Plants and Zombies (PC) has been around for awhile, but is a must have for any gardener, gamer, or zombie fan. So fun to play.
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| Bayonetta | Plants versus Zombies |
Jewelry
You cannot go wrong with this gift. Just don’t go to Tiffany’s. Siouxsie spied these trinkets on a couple of blogs she follows.
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| Cameo Rings as seen on Gem Gossip | Heart Pendant as seen on |
Bath
A bar of soap, by itself, is not an appropriate Valentine’s day gift. A whole set of bath gifts sends a totally different message. For whatever reason, LUSH products speak to Siouxsie.
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| Something Wicked This Way | You Snap the Whip | Tramp Shower Gel |
Flowers
This year try some dark and less traditional floral arrangements.
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| Deep Waters Calla Lily | Chocolate Cosmos |
Steam Punk Coffee
Coffee is great. It’s dark, gives you energy, and an aphrodisiac. Oliver Strand of the New York Times recently wrote this piece about pour-over coffee. The Buono Kettle is a great gift . It can be used with Hario V60 Coffee Drippers.
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| Buono Kettle |
Remember, just because you hate Hallmark, doesn’t mean you have to skip Valentine’s Day.
Cloves Photo Credit:
February 2, 2010 at 3:40 am
My friend told me the clove companies have re-classified them as “little cigars” or something like that, so they are not totally impossible to find.
February 3, 2010 at 4:02 am
The cigarettes are gone. But your friend is totally right, you can buy them as cigars. But for some reason, it’s just not the same for me.
May 13, 2010 at 2:53 pm
Terrific report,I just subscribed to your feed.