Saturday Gift Post--Valentine's Day Stuff.

It's our third Valentine's Day season, and it feels like a new beginning for several reasons.

1) We've finally used up the inherited Schwartz heart wrap. Our new design is so stylized that one bookseller mistook it for Christmas wrap. Look carefully--those are hearts.

2) I think we have enough cards, and perhaps the right mix of stuff. It's a last-minute holiday so it's hard to make up for mistakes.

3) Our first year we pretty much had no Valentine nonbook. Our second year we went with some silly Accoutrements stuff and heart-shaped puzzles, and sad to say, they didn't work particularly well. It's hard to balance price and tastefulness. We've still got one more love-themed Magic Eight Ball on clearance, if you're in the market.

I think the item I'm most excited about are these keepsake boxes. We have four different designs with hearts--sadly, the heart-shaped one was sold out. The prices are pretty reasonable, particularly as they are made in Poland.  Look for more of these boxes throughout the spring.

Last year's success was bringing in nicely priced Valentine packs. We sold out of almost everything but the monster cars (and quickly sold out of them this year at the markdown price). This year we've got fairies and monkeys and wacky animals and well, other stuff.

We did bring in a small variety of home items. The heart-shaped trivet is rather sweet, but my bet is on the heart-shaped bud vase. It's very well priced at $3.50.

And of course we have the classic bookstore assortment of love poetry and other romantica.