Awesome Gift Ideas for Your Loved One This Qixi (Chinese Valentine’s Day)

Qīxì (七夕) aka Chinese Valentine’s Day is nearly upon us. Falling on the seventh day of the seventh lunar month, which happens to be Friday, Aug 17 this year, it's a time to celebrate the reunification of couple Niu Lang and Zhi Nv on the bridge of magpies over the Milky Way. That romanticism may sound difficult to surpass all the way down here on Earth but if you've left it too late to organize a bridge of magpies for your loved one, don't despair, as there are plenty of awesome gifts to be found in this lowly realm.  

Flowers
Call us old-fashioned, but you can't go wrong with flowers. Fortunately, you don’t have to dash to the nearest florist and pay astronomical prices anymore; simply order online and get them delivered to your door for a competitive rate. Many online retailers now allow you to choose between one-time bouquets, or for the real romantics, weekly packages from RMB 99 to 399 and up. Beijing has a multitude of options, from high-end florists to more affordable providers. Find details on popular online florists Rose Only, The Beast, Meng Flora, and FlowerPlus here.

Cake
It's said that the way to a man's heart is through his stomach ... and what better way to do that than with cake? One of our favorite bakers, Pantry’s Best, has produced several cakes especially for Qixi, including lip-smacking combinations like raspberry red velvet, lychee rose, and earl grey lemon lavender. If even those sound too prosaic, go all out with the "Coronation of Love” Cake (RMB 319) which comes adorned seven flavors of ice cream mixed with a strawberry-flavored crispy rice to give each a texture that'll make your loved one pop. It's available from Tmall and their official website.

Home decorations
If you want something a little different this Qixi, a framed print or photograph will give their home a new look, and your loved one will think of you every time they see it (so choose wisely ...) Ikea has a large assortment of ready-to-hang prints from RMB 29-798 as well as frames so that you can better personalize your gift. Also, The Beast has teamed up with local artists to offer some arty photographs, such as Domestic Nightscape (pictured above) by Li Chaoyu. Alternatively, Blanko's products, available via their brick and mortar Mini Markets or Taobao, are slowly becoming favorites of ours for well-made, colorful, and practical products for around the home.

Drinks
Finally, nothing says "true love" better than a romantic dinner out followed by cuddling on the sofa with Netflix and a drink. Or, if you're really comfortable, you could skip leaving the house altogether and simply buy a pizza and a six-pack of I Love You with My Stout by Eviltwin Brewing. Since encountering this rich and silky black 12-percent-ABV Imperial stout, I've yet to find a better way for to combine the twin joys of love and beer. But then again, I am a massive beer geek. If you want to join the fun, grab a bottle of your own at a bottle shop around town, and on Taobao for RMB 50, and remember: the best present is often the most personalized.

More stories by this author here.

Email: tracywang@thebeijinger.com
Twitter: @flyingfigure
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Photos: FlowerPlus, Pantry's Best, The Beast, Seletti, and Eviltwin