Have you ever wondered why we are led to believe that the best Valentine’s gifts are also the most expensive? In my relationship, we value the time we spend together above all. And we have a shared budget, which means that any extraordinary extravaganza is a shared burden.

The truth is, Valentine’s Day is big business. Too often, retailers want us to believe that we have to spend a lot of money on traditional Valentine’s Day gifts to properly show our love for each other.

This year, let’s defend the sincere, sentimental and simple gift. Homemade gifts carry the message to your loved one that they are worth not only their money, but also their time, energy, creativity, and consideration.

Here are six simple yet romantic homemade gift ideas for Valentine’s Day.

1. Make a scrapbook. This is one of the easiest gifts to make, and if you plan ahead, you won’t even have to touch a glue stick if you don’t want to. Many of the online photo processing sites have systems where creating a sentimental gift is as easy as dragging and dropping your favorite photos into pre-made templates. Some of them will even provide romantic dates to go along with them.

If you prefer to make a more traditional scrapbook yourself, the scrapbooking industry has made that easy too. Buy a simple mini book kit at your local craft store and cut and paste your favorite photos inside. The most romantic of these mini scrapbooks or photo albums will include personal feelings, such as “Ten things I love about you”, “My favorite memories from last year” or “You are my perfect Valentine because …” you need to do is fill in the blanks.

2. Make a scented candle. Your local craft supply store may have a kit that makes it easy to create a beautiful homemade candle. If you make sure to follow the instructions in the kit carefully, it is an easy process and you will be able to personalize your homemade candle with tints and scents to make a beautiful creation. Be sure to pair your gift with thoughtful sentiment on a handmade card.

3. Make a Mix CD. Burn a CD of your loved one’s favorite music.

4. Make your favorite Valentine’s Day food. Plan a homemade romantic dinner with a nice bottle of wine and candlelight. Make sure your loved one’s favorite songs are playing in the background.

5. Bake. Bake a batch of your partner’s favorite treats and wrap a box of homemade treats. These will remind you of your loved one, so they will be much more romantic and personalized than a store bought box of chocolates (and less expensive too).

6. Make a memory jar. Fill a jar with pieces of paper that detail your favorite times of the year, or even your favorite memories of your relationship from the beginning. Create a card that instructs your loved one to read a new sheet of paper every day.

Even if you do opt for a store-bought gift this Valentine’s Day, be sure to include your personal sentiments on a card. You can easily create a meaningful and romantic gift just by writing what’s on your heart.