Love, hearts and everything nice, Valentine’s Day is the perfect time to spoil the one you love and show them how much you care. In 2024, Valentine’s Day isn’t just about giving gifts for your special someone but the event can even extend to your best friends and family. In this article, we’re sharing the ultimate gift guide for Valentine’s Day and the range of bags to spoil each special person in your life this year.

While the Valentine’s Day we know and love in 2024 is all about wrapped gifts and red hearts, Saint Valentine’s Day originated in the 8th century as the ‘Feast of Saint Valentine’ to celebrate an early-century Christian martyr named Saint Valentine. The day soon became a tradition, and in the 14th and 15th centuries, was celebrated by showing courtly and romantic love. During the 18th century, it became common to give gifts of confectionery, flowers and greeting cards to show your love.

Valentine’s Day in the present-day still celebrates love and the ideals of romance, however, is much broader, offering a chance to celebrate friendships, like Galentine's Day, or even work colleagues, usually with small chocolate gifts or flowers.

Whether you’re celebrating a long-time love or friendship, gifting a bag on Valentine's Day is a great way to show someone how much you care. So, how do you successfully give a bag as a gift?

1. Focus on Personality

When gifting an accessory like a bag, it’s best to start by focusing on the recipient's personality. Are they an extroverted person or quiet and reserved? Are they adventurous or prefer to stand back and observe? These personality traits can be a great way to determine what kind of accessory will best suit them.

For example, a person who is very active and enjoys outgoing activities would value a new backpack to take with them when adventuring, while a person who doesn’t like to carry much when they head out would be better suited to a smaller purse, wallet or card holder that is seamless and keeps you relatively hands-free.

2. Purpose of the Bag

Understanding the purpose of the bag you’re thinking about gifting is one way to ensure that the recipient will love it. Does the recipient regularly take long commutes into the office? Then a leather tote bag or laptop bag is the perfect accessory to help them get from A to B as stress-free as possible.

Do they need something that can hold and organise all their essential items needed for work? Business bags provide a stylish and functional accessory to carry their laptops, documents, and other work-related items. Do they enjoy spontaneous outings with friends? A stylish crossbody bag is a perfect choice for the last-minute planner to throw over their shoulder and head out the door. Envisioning how the bag may be used can help take the pressure of choosing the perfect accessory for Valentine’s Day.

3. Favourite Colour and Style

To spoil your love, choose a bag based on their favourite colour or style. Does the recipient gravitate towards more bright and immersive colours? Choose a bag in a bold colour like pink and red - perfect for Valentine’s Day - or opt for a bright newstalgia style that harks back to the fashion of the early 2000s with a fresh twist.

If the recipient dresses in neutral colours and opts for a more refined aesthetic, look for a bag in cream, tan or black that offers a versatile yet stylish aesthetic for all occasions. A tip for gifting for men is to pick something with neutral or darker colours, such as black, brown, or navy, as they are considered more versatile, classic, and easy to match with different outfits.

4. Brand Specific

When shopping for a gift for Valentine’s Day, keep in mind specific brands that the recipient enjoys. Brands like Guess offer wearers a range of bag styles and aesthetics, including their iconic logo handbags that always make a statement no matter the occasion, so if your love likes a bolder look, keep in mind the brand and their particular mark.

Rains provides a variety of practical and stylish options to suit different lifestyle needs, such as travel, gym, and daily use. The use of coated waterproof fabrics ensures durability and protection from the elements, a practical choice for your loved ones who enjoy outdoor activities. Other brands, like Colorado, offer timeless pieces crafted from high-quality leather that are the perfect addition to any ensemble - from the office to after-work drinks and beyond, leather bags, briefcases and handbags will stand the test of time.

Opt for a Gift card

If you’re gifting for Valentine’s Day and still at a loss of what the recipient will enjoy, there's no better way to spoil them than a STRAND gift card. Delivered straight to their inbox, they can peruse our full online selection (gift cards are only redeemable online) and pick out a new accessory that will suit their individual style. Pick the time and day to deliver the gift card, and even include your own special message to add a final touch of love.

This Valentine’s Day, discover the full selection of bags from STRAND to spoil the special people in your life and show them how much you care now.