Since early February many souvenir gift shops in Ho Chi Minh City have been crowded with young shoppers seeking that perfect Valentines Day gift. The following are some ideas to help you decide what to buy if you need some help.

The stone of love

Stones in different shapes with colorful designs painted on the surface are catching the eye of young shoppers this year, with some stores sold out of the designer stones because of the student rush.

Truc Nguyen, an economics student, recalled, “When traveling to Hoang Hau beach in central Quy Nhon city, I found thousands of beautiful fist-sized stones and picked up some as souvenir for my trip.”

“When back home I drew an image of a heart on the stones with phrases like ‘I love you’ or ‘Just for you’ as decoration, turning them into souvenir gifts.”

“I recently displayed these stones at a fair in my school, where lots of students took interest in my work,” Nguyen said.

Nguyen and other young people later explored different business opportunities by writing calligraphy on such stones for sale as gifts.

Twin gifts

Besides chocolates in different shapes, twin shirts are a popular Valentine gift for young people.

Some even place orders to tailor a pair of identical shirts with their own design to make their gifts unique. Many girls are even willing to spend a day searching for original twin gifts at shops throughout the city.

Huynh Ngoc, a twelfth grader in HCMC’s Binh Thanh district, said “Last night my friend and I saw a hat and glove vendor on Cach Mang Thang Tam Street. She was crocheting a woolen purse. I begged her to make a pair of crocheted bags to hold mobile phones.”

“You see, they are very unique,” Ngoc showed off her newly-purchased twined Valentines gifts with broad smile.

Seed of love

Many people, particularly students, are fond of seedlings which are called “seed of love”, a new Valentine gift this year.

Thuy Lien from the Journalism College in Hanoi said, “Planting a tree is also a way to remember my special love. It is also the tie that binds young women whose sweethearts are away from them, easing the long-distance love.”

Lien’s boyfriend is currently studying in Germany and she hoped “the seed of love” would help tighten their love.

Reported by Nguyen Chau – Translated by Thu Thuy