The Father-Daughter Valetine’s Day Gift Guide 2010

By: Elizabeth Donovan, M.A.

Valentine’s Day is a wonderful way for father’s to take a little extra time to spend with their daughters. This holiday serves a reminder to daughters that their father’s love and appreciate them. Taking the time to give your daughter a small, thoughtful gift lets her know that you value the relationship you have with her. Valentines’ Day is also the perfect time to be a role model since studies show that girls tend to chose partners based on how their father treats them. Gifts do not have to be expensive, they are simply a way to show your daughter how much you love and care about her.

To help you chose something memorable and unique, Parenting Pink has put together a list of great father-daughter Valentine’s Day gifts to help you find the perfect way to express yourself this Valentine’s Day!

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Choxie Chocolates

It’s just a fact that girls love chocolate and dads are the perfect special men in their lives who should give it to them this Valentine’s Day! Chocolates are a girl’s best friend – especially when it’s delicious, trendy, and oh-so-affordable! Target stores carry a simply scrumptious line of chocolates to sweeten every girl’s taste buds this Valentine’s Day. Choxie is perfect for girls of all ages, and Choxie’s Chocolate Tiles and Milk & Dark Chocolate Champagne Truffle Hearts are the ultimate favorites of tween and teen girls!

Giving Choxie Chocolates this Valentine’s Day is also perfect for dads on a budget. Choxie has the appeal of fine chocolate, without the price tag. And trust me, as a self-proclaimed chocolate connoisseur, I can tell you first hand that the Dark Chocolate Expresso Caramels and White Chocolate Cherries and Strawberries are a delightfully decadent treat for moms and their daughters! So dads, go ahead and indulge all of the ladies in your life with a box of Choxie on February 14th, they’ll thank you for it!

Choxie chocolates are available exclusively at Target Stores nationwide and typically range from $1.80 – $8.00.

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Personalized Pop Art by DigiPix.us

If a picture is a thousand words, then a one-of-a-kind picture will leave your daughter speechless. DigiPix.us combines the beauty of a photograph with the funky, cool attributes of pop art for a truly unique gift, especially for teens and tweens. Perhaps you have a great shot of you and your daughter from that time you went fishing together? Or that sweet picture of your little girl asleep in your arms as a baby? DigiPix.us makes it easy to create an artistic masterpiece to share a special moment captured on film. Just send your favorite photo to DigiPix and their classically trained artists will create a work of art for you and your daughter in the style of your choice. And dads, this is gift is not only meaningful and special, but it’s built-to-last. DigiPix.us uses museum quality paper and canvas as well as UV and scratch resistant coatings ensuring your daughter will receive a beautiful piece of art she can proudly display on her wall and cherish for years to come.

Pop art ranges from $105 – $1100 and is available at www.digipix.us.

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Tomboy Tools “Pink for Purpose” Collection

Got a cute tomboy on your hands? Nothing quite says “I love you” like the gift of spending time with your daughter making a fun project together. Dads who are “Mr. Fix-it’s” will surely fall for the super cool pink tool set by Tomboy Tools. Tomboy Tools is a company that specializes in making quality tools especially for women. Their “Pink for Purpose” tool collection is especially cute for tween and teen girls and provides fathers with a wonderful opportunity to spend quality time with their daughters while teaching them to be independent and strong by learning to ‘fix’ things for themselves. Imagine the memories that will be created by teaching your daughter to repair, renew, and refurbish household items. Even if your daughter is not a tomboy, it’s important for her to learn skills that will serve her well in the future and she’s bound to think the ‘pink’ tools are super chic and practical! These tools are also perfect for teen drivers as they can keep them in their car for roadside emergencies.

As a bonus, Tomboy Tools donates a portion of each “Pink for Purpose” tool sale toward the Avon Walk for Breast Cancer. Tools may be purchased individually or as part of the Tomboy Traveler Kit ($79.95). Great tools for your daughter include the pink hammer ($14.95), Pink Multi-Ratcheting Screwdriver ($12.95), Pink Tape Measure ($12.95), and Pink Utility Knife ($5.95): www.tomboytools.com. For a limited time, Tomboy Tool consultant Lisa Bell is offering Parenting Pink readers an additional 10% discount all Tomboy Tools! Please contact her for the discount at: justtoolin@hughes.net.

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Sugar, Spice,and Lessons for Life by Steven Hood

If your a dad in search of the perfect book for your daughter, then Sugar, Spice, and Lessons for Life by Steven Hood may be just what you’re looking for. Hood writes a touching on how father’s can connect with their daughter’s through even the simplest of ways. Hood adopted his seven-year-old step-daughter after marrying her mother and instantly realized just how much he loved this new little girl in his life. Sugar, Spice and Lessons for Life contains recipes he and his daughter enjoy together (try the Zesty Mashed Potatoes and Pizza Bake – you’ll love them) as well as ‘lessons for life’ including chapters on “Recipes for Love, Wisdom, and Success.”

Hood’s book has a religious tone, but does not offend or sound ‘preachy.’ Instead, he uses his religious upbringing and values to help father’s learn how to deeply connect with their daughters and establish “recipes” for life that serve to further build strong father-daughter bond. The book is a quick, but content read and one that will give fathers lots of great ideas and ideas to reflect upon as they seek to better understand and cherish the precious moments with their daughters.

Sugar, Spice and Lessons for Life is available at Amazon.com for $9.34.

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Tickets-for-Charity

What if you could purchase great seats to an event, at a great price, for a great cause? It would equal the perfect Valentine’s Day gift for you, your daughter, and someone in need. Father-daughter dates are essential for building a healthy, strong relationship with your daughter. And this Valentines’s Day, dads can make it extra special by taking your daughter out for Valentine’s Day to a concert, theatre, or sports event in the name of ‘charity.’

Tickets-for-Charity is an online site that makes it easy to access wonderful, affordable, seats to a variety of events while supporting the
causes you care about most. Tickets-for-Charity works with over 60 of the world’s most admired charities to ensure that every dollar donated is well spent. Tickets-for-Charity has generated over $3 million in donations for Partner Charities to date. Plus Tickets-for-Charity makes it easy to donate! During your check-out you’ll actually see the donation amount included with your purchase and then be able to select the Partner Charity that you’d like to benefit. You can even print out the receipt and show your daughter that she helped support a wonderful cause this Valentine’s Day in addition to having an night out with dad!

For additional information on Tickets-for-Charity at: www.ticketsforcharity.com.

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The “Time Capsule” Necklace

If you could write something special to your daughter for her to save and keep with her, what would it be? If your a dad in the market for something truly unique and memorable, then Charmed Circle’s Time Capsule Necklace is a wonderful way to say “I love you.” The sterling silver “time capsule” is perfect for stashing away a small note to your daughter for her to wear around her neck and treasure for years to come. You daughter can store any precious keepsake or memory you give her in this beautiful, timeless miniature that she can wear on a bracelet or as a pendant. Charmed Circle carries a variety of special “father-daughter” jewelry that embraces the importance and beauty of the father-daughter relationship.

The Time Capsule sterling silver charm retails for $75 and black silk cord for $30 at charmed-circle.com.

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Vermont Teddy Bear

Teddy bears make wonderful gifts for girls of all ages and the Vermont Teddy Bear Fairytale Princess will quickly become one of her favorite buddies. Since 1996, Vermont Teddy Bear has been putting smiles on children’s faces with their well-made, unique, and charming teddy bears.

Vermont Teddy Bear has bears in every price range, with adorable outfits so dads can create the perfect customized teddy bear for their daughter. Or, you can let Vermont Teddy Bear create the bear for you. One of the best teddy bears for your princess may just be their Princess Fairytale Bear, elegantly dressed in a soft pink velveteen and satin gown and crowned with a traditional hennin. Talk about ‘the wow’ factor! Your daughter will be over the moon when she opens up her special Valentine’s Day gift from dad to find this snugly, beautiful bear fit for a princess!

For dads who want to make the bear more personalized, write your daughter a sweet Valentine’s note and include it with the Vermont Teddy Bear gift. She’ll enjoy snuggling up with her bear and treasure the note from you that came with it. Vermont Teddy Bear’s may be purchased a www.vermontteddybear.com and start at $49.99 & up.

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Disney’s Magical Beauty Collection

Got a little princess on your hands? Dads can make a splash this Valentine’s Day with Disney’s bath and body collection, inspired by Disney’s new movieThe Princess and the Frog. This delightful Limited Edition Magical Beauty Collection for your little princess includes bubble bath, shampoo, conditioner, and hair detangler – all the girly necessities to make bath time fun! All items have been pediatrician-tested and are safe for your daughter’s soft skin. Ingredients like Antioxidant-rich Cranberry Fruit Extract, Olive Fruit and Sunflower Seed Oils and Aloe Leaf Juice will leave your daughters skin and hair soft, conditioned, and tangle-free. And the smell? Mmmmmm – your daughter will smell like she just stepped out of a magical princess salon!

The Magical Beauty Collection is the perfect way to give your daughter something, fun, sweet, and practical this Valentine’s Day. Items may be purchased individually at Carol’s Daughter, www.carolsdaughter.com and range in price from $8-$10 each.

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Kindnotes

Sometimes it’s difficult for fathers to tell their daughters exactly how they feel – especially as girls reach the tween and teen years. Kindnotes is a wonderful way for you to remind your daughter how special she is by writing a small note for her to open every day. Maybe you can briefly describe a time you both laughed together or a special moment you both enjoyed. Not sure how to say it? No problem. Kindnotes has created prompts to help you like: I’m thankful for…; I hope…; and I love the way… – to help you create the perfect Valentine’s Day messages. There are 31 messages per Kindnotes jar.

In addition, Kindnotes makes it easy, convenient, and affordable for every father to express his love for his daughter by allowing dads to customize each Kindnotes gift by selecting the container, filling, ribbon, and envelope design. Dads can also chose from a library of over 400 pre-printed messages, or order blank note cards to hand write your own messages. Each small card comes with it’s own mini envelope perfect for stuffing. The quality of Kindnotes mini stationary is exactly what you would expect from high-end stationers and available in may cute and classic designs. All of the notes are captured in a simple glass jar and tied with ribbon, making it a simply timeless gift.

Kindnotes are a simply beautiful way to remind your daughter with a small message each day how much you really do love her. It’s truly amazing how the power of a father’s words can enhance, mend, and strengthen his daughter’s heart in mere minutes. Kindnotes may be purchased at www.kindnotes.com and range from $25-$32 depending on customization.

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Sucre “Sweets”

How about a little New Orleans flare for your daughter this Valentine’s Day? Jazz-up her special day by giving her a gift she can truly enjoy and indulge in! Sucre (French for sugared) is an delightful emporium of “artisan” sweets that are as beautiful to the eye as they are to the pallet. Sucre is located in the heart of New Orleans and offers patrons a plethora of goodies from their famed macaroons to artisanal chocolates and cakes, there is something for every girl’s sweet tooth in this mecca gourmet shop.

Sucre’s delicious indulgences are all hand made by top pastry chefs and staff using the finest ingredients and richest chocolates. How do I know? I’ve tried their coveted Valentine Macaroons and Valentine Chocolate Collection. The verdict? Honestly, I thought my mouth had died and gone to heaven. I have always had a sweet tooth, but their macaroons melt in your mouth and the chocolates were silky smooth with a deep, rich taste that can only come from New Orleans. Yet Sucre’s cookies and chocolates were not overly done and my three daughters quickly determined that this was an item their father simply must give them on a regular basis. And with a scrumptious online store and fast shipping, Sucre’ is readily available anytime you’re in the mood. So if you want a tasty, special treat with a bit of New Orleans flare for your daughter this Valentine’s Day, Sucre is the place to go!

Check out Sucre’s New Orleans treats at: www.shopsucre.com.

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“Between Me and You” Father/Daughter Journals

Perhaps there is no better way to express your love then by simply letting your daughter know what’s on your mind. Literally. Sand Dune Publishing has published a series of “Between Me and You” journals that are geared toward building a stronger, more meaningful relationship with your daughter – truly one of the best gifts you can ever give her.

The “Dad” journal is comprised of a series of journal entries targeted at answering “a few things your daughter has been meaning to ask you” on such topics as your childhood, your life as a teenager, favorite hobbies and about the relationship you have with her mother. Questions are presented in a “journal” format and dads can chose to answer as many questions as they like. Along the same lines, the “Daughter” journal is meant to help fathers better understand and appreciate their daughters. Daughters journal about topics such as her thoughts as a child and what her proudest moments were of her parents. The idea behind the writing is that fathers and daughters can then exchange their journals and each one can learn something valuable and meaningful from each other’s thoughts and experiences. A truly must-have Valentine’s Day gift especially for fathers raising preteen or teenage daughters that are often difficult to communicate with.

Each journal is discrete, spiral bound, and the perfect size to fit in a purse or brief case for easy traveling and journaling on-the-go. The Between You and Me journal series can also be found in formats for Grandmother, Grandfather, Brother, Sister etc. at Sand Dune Books for $14.95 each.

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