[Fly] Transforming the Box of Chocolates

by Kristen Phillips
February 6, 2008

A heart-shaped box of chocolates for the one you love? Could there be anything more commercialized, unoriginal and impersonal? Not if I have anything to do with it. With just a little extra attention, a box of chocolates could easily be the most thoughtful gift you’ve ever given.

You should have no trouble locating a heart-shaped box of candy anywhere around town. They’ve only been on shelves since the minute Christmas ended. My advice here: Don’t skimp on the chocolate—cheap candy usually tastes like cheap candy.






Your favorite hobby store should be your next stop. Stock up on red and pink paper and any other fun, flashy Valentine’s Day craft supplies to make your heart-shaped box stand out.


At home, set your supplies up on a large table so you have plenty of space. In addition to your Valentine’s accents, you need some other basic tools like scissors, glue and markers. Inside the top of the box, write a sweet love note.






Cover the box with your choice of paper by tracing the top’s outline on the back of the paper. Cut out the heart shape and glue it in place. A vast improvement already, if you ask me.







The final step is the most important one: Add your creative style to make your gift truly unique. Find a favorite snapshot of your Valentine and you, and build around that. Incorporate stickers, glitter, hand-drawn doodles or whatever else you feel inspired to include.




Voila! Your sweetheart will eat it up. And I’m not talking about the candy.

When you find yourself wandering the aisles at the 24-hour Walgreens, desperate for a last minute Valentine’s Day gift, remember these five easy steps. Feb. 14 is not a day to go for quick and impersonal. An extra special gift doesn’t take extra special effort—just a little extra thought.

posted by L.W. on 02/06/08 at 11:41 PM