If absence makes the heart grow fonder, then the love companies feel for their employees working remotely must be at all-time high as we approach the first Valentine’s Day of the pandemic era.

Given that the recovery isn’t going quite as fast as we would like, a little prick from Cupid’s arrow can go a long way right now. It doesn’t take much to show appreciation to staff adapting to a new reality that very likely includes kids homeschooling and Zoom burnout.

While there is certainly more than one way to show the love this year, here are a few choice ideas for V-day gifts to help sweeten any employee’s day.

Mixology Mixer has a new offering to spread the love. The You’re My Jam cocktail kit features — you guessed it — jam! The box allows users to experiment making three different drinks — Hearts Afire, My Honey, and The Aphrodisiac — using vodka and bourbon. The $175 price tag includes a class with a mixologist. The package is available for groups and makes for a perfect teambuilding activity.

Zoom & Bloom, a luxury floral arrangement program that’s an outgrowth of R. Merritt Production, is pedaling a different kind of virtual workshop. The company prepares and sends a floral arranging session in a box that includes a designer vase, tools, clippers and instruction card so attendees are ready for the live session. The packaging and card can be branded to match your company’s logo. After a one-hour Zoom call, your team ends up with a beautiful centerpiece.

“We wanted an activity that would engage a group, encourage networking and provide a leave-behind — a luxurious piece of art, so to speak — and the skills and tools necessary to repeat the process on their own,” said Zoom & Bloom Founder Rebecca Merritt.

The session can be done in-person, too, she added.

There’s nothing more intimate than snuggling up with a good book. Bedside Reading has virtual gift bags recreating the company’s offerings at luxury boutique hotels. It includes six best-selling books offered bi-monthly and can be upgraded to include chats/book readings with the authors and access to online discussion groups.

No one knows how to throw a party like Celebrated, which takes the event-in-a-box trend to a new level. The Valentine’s Day package includes craft kits and heartful decorations, as well as photo props and, of course, candy boxes.

Relationships are a work of art. Help your team brush up on their skills with a virtual painting class from Play With a Purpose. The Big Picture is an activity that arms attendees with brushes, paint and canvas but no idea what the image will be. To succeed, cooperation and communication are key—just like with any successful relationship.

Amazing Thailand shows DMOs can get into the act, too. It has planned a Valentine’s Day Self-Care at Home Workshop, scheduled for Feb. 11 at 9 a.m. The event features live guided meditation and a DIY Thai Traditional Treatment ‘Ya-Pao’ detoxifying demo that you can adapt and do at home using household products.

Photo Credits: Zoom & Bloom (top); Mixology Mixer (side)

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