<p>Right on, curiouser. It’s a difficult ‘day’ if you aren’t hooked up with someone. So I’ll send enough Dove choc hearts to supply half the dorm because, while she doesn’t have a boyfriend right now (are they all blind up there?), she has lots of friends and a heart as big as the world.</p>
<p>bunsenburner linked a Costco item you can order on-line, on another thread that I took advantage of. It’s a dozen chocolate-covered strawberries for $29.99, delivered. </p>
<p>I kind of always figured that I’d send things to my kids until they had their ‘own’ valentine, meaning they’re married (or engaged). I don’t particularly like Hallmark holidays, but Valentine’s Day is one where I like my kids to know that they’re loved. D1 has never had a boyfriend on V Day, and this is the first year D2 will. But V Day is also the day before D2’s birthday (which she now also shares with her boyfriend), so she will have an extra special birthday/V Day this year… but I sent her the strawberries anyway. I will also send each one a card in the mail.</p>
<p>This year I’ve come up with a great Valentine’s gift. D2 was a serious diet soda addict all through high school–when she started college, she quit cold turkey. Her substitute drink is a flavored seltzer–Polar. Polar is only sold in stores in New England and D2 is in school in the Philadelphia area. I found Polar seltzer on-line at a grocery site and I’m sending her a case for Valentine’s Day. I’m sure she’ll be very surprised.</p>
<p>Bought a snuggie (blanket) for our student as the weather is snowy and there was a mention of it for use in dorm room that can sometimes be drafty. Good for studying our student mentioned! Found it at BB&B and could use coupon–easy to ship as well!</p>
<p>Last week I sent her some Valentine decorations (glittery big hearts, doillies, stuff to hang up - her floor friends get into the decorating thing) and a bag of Dove chocolate - I told her it was my Pre-Valentine “stimulus” package. 
Valentine’s weekend we hope to go down and see her and take her out for lunch or dinner and I bought her a cheap toaster for her room - she’s been talking about having one cause she does most breakfasting in her room.</p>
<p>She broke up with her long time boyfriend at the end of Christmas break, so even though we’re not comparable, I want to try and make the day a little special. </p>
<p>I pretty much look for any excuse to buy my kids little gifts - heck, I’ve given THEM presents on MY birthday. I’m really weird that way - not good at accepting gifts, but love giving them!</p>
<p>I guess I will send her the gift. My mom always gave us kids something well into my adult married life for VD. I always appreciated that.
The brownies sound like a good idea.</p>
<p>I’m visiting D this weekend to see her chorale concert and I’m taking a box of truffles and a stuffed dog with pink hearts on it. I plan to take some decorations for the room too. I have always given her something for Valentine’s Day. She is so sick right now that even if I didn’t get her something every year, I would have this year.</p>
<p>I’m sending my daughter homemade red sugar cookie hearts, pink and red wash clothes for the face, red lip stick, red fingernail polish and some chapstick. All red and pink stuff.</p>
<p>I asked H is we could send D something for the Valentine’s day. His reply - “Have you seen their dorm room? It is filled with stuffed animals and clothes!” So I’ll be sending her the chocolate-covered strawberries from Costco. I figured their half-life will be close to a nanosecond, and therefore this gift will not contribute to the clutter.</p>
<p>I can’t imagine NOT sending my sons a Valentines package (or Halloween, or Final Exams or any other excuse to say I’m thinking of them.) In my book, Valentines Day isn’t just for lovers; it’s for those we dearly love. That’s my plan for today-- to finish assembling fun stuff for tomorrow’s mailing. Love the Chia idea-- have always wanted to do that.</p>
<p>I’ve been waiting for a large commission check for 6 months and was starting to think it was never going to happen. The company in question has been doing lay offs so I expected an e-mail that said they were going to not pay us for some reason. </p>
<p>Amazingly, I got it last Tuesday, so I sent the girls Valentines cards with a large check (at least for me) - $300.00!</p>
<p>They don’t know I got the money, so they will be really shocked. I can’t wait for the phone call.</p>
<p>Mailed DD a box yesterday with a few things (can’t say what they are, because she usually reads this forum) Just some basic supplies (just realized I left something out - OY!) and a few “treats” as well as a small gift with a card. She too, usually doesn’t care for Valentine’s Day, not having a significant other right now, but her dad and I want her to know that she is always special to us. Also had to put in a pair of jazz pants that she left at home for her acting class - no jeans allowed and she only had one pair at school. I love some of the ideas that others have suggested.</p>
<p>Somebody earlier mentioned caramel popcorn. Sounds like a great idea. My grandmother used to make caramel popcorn for us when we were quite small–never made it myself. Care to share the recipe?</p>
<p>Not official caramelcorn recipe, but a family member made this recipe at Christmas and it was TOTALLY addicting and delicious! All my kids loved it and it is super easy to make. Uses the “puffed corn” and a caramel coating…</p>
<p>[Old</a> Dutch Foods : Print a Recipe - Caramel Corn - Old Dutch Style](<a href=“http://www.olddutchfoods.com/recipe/recipe_print.php?id=18]Old”>http://www.olddutchfoods.com/recipe/recipe_print.php?id=18)</p>
<p>Worrywort, my DH used the Chia face to substitute for the thought of flowers and DH had a roommate who did not like it, so it became a game of putting the chia face in different places to be staring at the roommate (it was amusing to both girls, not cruel!)</p>
<p>I think I will stimulate the economy with gift cards- splurging on Starbucks (from Costco) for the undergrads, but a grocery card for the needs to be responsible grad student.</p>
<p>My husband and I started sending Valentine’s Day gifts to our daughters when our oldest went away to school. I usually get a basket or something from the Popcorn Factory as there is always some “sale” insert in the coupon section of our newspaper about a month or two before for about $20. I know everything is email these days but I still think the kids get a kick out of receiving packages while away at school. At any rate, I haven’t heard any complaints yet! lol</p>
<p>I have always given my kids a Valentine gift of some sort; candy when they were little, a DVD as they got older, and sometimes food. This year my daughter is getting giant fortune cookie from Good Fortunes. Costco is offering the cookie for less than the company is and that price included the Fed Ex 2 day air; Good Fortunes charges $15 for the shipping! It seems Costco offers many of the Good Fortunes items, including chocolate covered oreos!</p>
<p>My daughter is very much a gift person, she enjoys giving as much as receiving. It means so much to her and I love to make her happy. I like to send her flowers or something else special for an achievement or when she is down. While the fortune cookie is more that I would usually spend for a cookie, I thought it was so cute and I hope she has never seen one before, so she will really be surprised!</p>
<p>I sent a card with an inexpensive i-Tunes gift card, plus a small heart-shaped box of chocolates.</p>
<p>I have a snack mix recipe my girls always loved growing up. It is basically popcorn and peanuts, then you make it totally unhealthy by pouring a mixture of melted almond bark and peanut butter over it. You can customize it for the holiday by adding the holiday “M&M’s”. Spread it out on wax paper to harden, break apart, and put into individual holiday cellophane bags. It makes a lot so I will send this to college age D and her friends. I also got her some things to fiddle with as she studies - miniature Slinky, small wind up horse that gallops across the desk, etc.</p>
<p>I found older D (who is working now but heading to graduate school in the fall) a darling red leather Fossil purse at Dillard’s yesterday - marked down from $128 to $34!!! </p>
<p>I will probably send them something Valentine’s Day until my dying day!</p>
<p>Sending boxes to both Ds Monday. Healthy snacks, some chocolates, girl scout cookies for the one who loves them, need to run to Target and see if they have any red or pink flannel pj pants without hearts…</p>