Valentine’s Day: most who celebrate it will agree the holiday comes with much more than just x’s and o’s. 

According to the National Retail Federation, Americans alone spent $21.8 billion on Valentine’s Day last year. This amount encompasses gifts, flowers, cards and dinners out. 

With this much hype surrounding the holiday, reservations quickly fill up and flower shops sell out. For those that don’t plan in advance, the love day can be a daunting task. 

Don’t let this year’s Valentine’s Day plans get lost in the shuffle. Here are five last-minute gift ideas to try out come February 14. 

Skip the reservation:

Reservations are few and far between come Valentine's Day. According to Maggie Bristow, hostess at The Depot, the downtown restaurant began taking reservations two weeks before Feb 14. Just a few days after reservations opened up, the restaurant was booked to capacity. 

Instead of braving the reservation queue, have a date night in this year. Couples can choose to make dinner together or, for those less experienced in the kitchen, get takeout from a favorite local spot. 

Pro tip: for extra brownie points, eat picnic-style and turn on their favorite movie.

The Bae Basket:

A term originally coined by TikTocker Eli Rallo, The Bae Basket is a curated collection of their favorite things. Rallo explains the basket can include everything from snacks to small clothing items, all tied together in a basket. 

“I think that this is the best gift that you can give on Valentine’s Day,” Rallo said in a recent post.

Rom-Com Marathon:

Trying to impress a movie buff? Plan a movie marathon. Stay festive with rom-coms such as "Valentine’s Day," or rewatch some personal favorites. 

To go the extra mile, grab their favorite theater snacks to munch on throughout the night.

Cookie decorating: 

Who said cookie decorating season has to end after New Year? This date can be either casual or more structured, depending on what the pair is looking for. 

For a more traditional date, the Marriott Grand National Resort in Opelika is hosting a decorating class on Feb. 12 and 13. Guests are provided with a box of supplies and various Valentine’s Day goodies. Tickets are $30.  

For a more casual experience, DIY this class by baking and decorating cookies at home.

Flowers (because some things never get old):

Traditional? Yes. Cheesy? Florists think not.

Jarod Johnson, manager at The Flower Store in Auburn, believes that gifting flowers on Valentine’s Day will never go out of style. So far, the statistics back his theory. 

Americans spent a total of $2 billion on Valentine’s Day flowers in 2021, according to a Statista survey. The same survey reports that those numbers have been on a relatively steady incline since 2010. 

“Nothing says love like roses,” Johnson said.