Valentine's market gifts

Think of Valentine’s Day and you can’t help but envisage tacky card shops overflowing with furry hearts, glitter laden cards and teddy bears with ‘I Wuv You’ stitched onto their bellies.

It’s little wonder that many people greet the words ‘Valentine’s Day’ with a tut and a roll of the eyes. After all, we don’t need a licence for romance, right? But if you still want to embrace the day without the tackiness that can so easily go with it, you’ll find plenty of unique and inspiring ways to do so at Manchester’s outdoor markets. In fact, with the real food market, flower market, fashion market and of course the Valentine’s market all taking place over the weekend before Valentine’s Day, you’ll be able to pick up everything you need without having to set foot inside one overcrowded high street store.

Forget eating out on Valentine’s Night – leave the crowded and overpriced restaurants behind and cook your beloved a special meal using high quality, locally sourced ingredients from the real food market at Piccadilly Gardens. Or even better, cook one together. You’ll find a great range of fish, locally reared meat, breads, speciality cheeses and – most importantly - a gorgeous selection of cakes, fudge and other hand made sweets. And of course, the markets have a fantastic selection of hot foods available, making for a lovely lunch-time stop-off over Valentine’s weekend.

If you’re after a gift for the fashion conscious woman in your life, she’ll be more than impressed with something from the Tib Street fashion market. Go down there on the Saturday before Valentine’s Day and take your pick from the beautiful handmade clothes, distinctive accessories and quirky jewellery on offer from some of the city’s best up and coming designers.

And for a unique and interesting gift that’s a world away from the naff-tastic, mass produced Valentine’s fodder of the high street, The Valentine’s Market will be setting up stall in Piccadilly Gardens for two days from Friday 11th February. Here you’ll be spoilt for choice for tasteful gifts From the handmade bath products of Pure Indulgence (perfect for a Valentine’s soak for two), to the unique and original artwork of Karen Hurd’s Ollerina Art to the beautiful, handmade jewellery of The Silver Bead Shop, Glass2Die4 and Something Precious, you’ll find plenty of ways to impress. There’ll also be handmade cards on offer from Joanne Swindells’ Easy Tiger – saving you from the long winding queues and mass produced, impersonal offerings of the city centre’s card shops.

Speaking about the market, David Mudge of jewellery company Something Precious says “The market’s an excellent opportunity to get that perfect romantic gift - something that little bit different and at very reasonable prices. You'll find things on the market that you won't find elsewhere. Each piece we create comes out a little bit different so everything is unique - that's the beauty of having something that is handmade.”

There aren’t many high street stores that can say that.

Shopping at Manchester Markets is a brilliant way to stand up against the mass commercialisation of the day by supporting local farmers, craftspeople and other businesses. So rather than ‘tutting’ and complaining about the capitalist agenda of what should be the most romantic day of the year, escape the high street hordes and piped Lionel Richie music this year and surprise your loved one with a thoughtful gift that’s completely unique.