Valentine battle for hearts and minds

Even playing safe with a dozen red roses, chocolates or champagne can be a minefield. Traditional can be interpreted as cliched, boring and "couldn't be bothered to think what I'd really like".

Fortunately there are plenty of other love tokens to choose from thanks to the rampant commercialisation of Valentine's Day.

Many are made to last and display round the home, a practice said to inspire happy thoughts, though if you're especially angry with your other half you can also throw them or pummel them.

Marks & Spencer's gorgeous Fuchsia cushion can be pummelled or cuddled and is covered in fabric roses. It is arguably more use than real flowers and at 29.50 is probably on a par price wise.

Sweet Nothings are everywhere in homeware at the moment with loving words and meaningful phrases emblazoned on everything from fabrics to wall art and ceramics.

Cox and Cox has a pair of pillowcases one with LO and one with VE on (36 from www.coxand cox.co.uk), while Rockett St George has an eco-friendly cushion featuring the word LOVE (40 from www.rockettstgeorge.co.uk).

Rockett St George also has our favourite gift for those who want to spell it out: framed Scrabble letters that read Love You (45).

Friends Jill Atkinson, who owns The Olive Branch in Easingwold and Addingham, and Helene Iveson, who has the Mulberry Bush in Hawes, have designed a great pressie for Yorkshire "lovers"

Their limited edition Emma Bridgewater mug costs 15.95 and you could team it with a packet of Betty's finest tea bags and a Dean Morris card declaring "Your Just My Cup of Tea" (1.95, www. dean morriscards.co.uk). For those on a tighter budget, M&S has a tasteful mug with Truly, Madly, Deeply on it and you could team this with the classic romantic weepy movie that has the same title.

For a really special gift, make something yourself. The Pearl and Earl website (www.pearlandearl.com) has some fabulous, funky needlepoint kits. Or sew a simple cross stitch heart and a few well chosen words onto a canvas and frame it.

I commissioned one from my 12-year-old daughter that was inspired by a very expensive picture in a glossy magazine. The total cost was a fiver for her time, 1.50 for the cross stitch canvas and red thread from our local haberdashery stall and 2 for the frame from Matalan. The result meant so much more than anything off the shelf.

It did require some thought and if you can show you've used your grey matter to choose a Valentine gift then you shouldn't go far wrong.

That also goes for those who want to pop the question on February 14.

Be creative. Try stringing up this "Will You Marry Me?" letter bunting from Jonny's Sister (www. jonnyssister. co.uk, tel. 01935 873186).