10 Times People Used Their Awesome Sense Of Humor To Surprise Their Valentines

Valentine’s Day is right around the corner, and many of you out there might be thinking about how to surprise your special someone. That’s easier said than done, however. Even if you’re a seasoned gift-giver!

In our experience, something that never goes out of style is humor. We wanted to inspire you to embrace comedy this year, so our team at Bored Panda curated this list of the funniest Valentine’s Day gifts you can make or get the love of your life. You might want to take notes because the creativity is through the roof here!

Pictolic wanted to learn about gift-giving and humor in relationships, so we got in touch with Glenn Geher, Ph.D., a professor of psychology at the State University of New York at New Paltz and a published author. He walked us through how generosity ties in with our evolved psychology and shared some great insights about the power of creating art together with one's partner.

10 PHOTOS

#1 Made A "Play Boy" Calendar For My Girlfriend For Valentine's Day

"We can think of two basic psychological factors at play when it comes to gift giving. On one hand, giving to others does make the 'giver' feel good—and this fact is largely rooted in our evolved psychology. Humans have evolved to form close bonds with others with strong (if implicit) norms regarding reciprocity. So when you give someone whom you love a gift, it helps you feel good partly because this act unconsciously informs you that an important social connection is being cultivated—and that you might get something good in return!" Dr. Geher, from the State University of New York at New Paltz, explained to Bored Panda in an email.

"Put simply, gift-giving feels good partly because humans thrive on strong, authentic, and often-loving social connections," he said.

#2 The Valentine's Note I Wrote For My Students

#3 Special Valentine's Day Edition Of Very Ugly Plates

According to Dr. Geher, human beings, just like many animals, evolved to present themselves positively to others, especially to their mates or potential mates.

"From this perspective, conspicuous gift-giving (like surprising a mate with an Audi sitting in the driveway—adorned with a large red bow) partly evolved for show-related purposes. Behavioral scientists often use the term 'costly signaling' for such acts. Conspicuous giving seems to be much more about telling the world about oneself rather than solidifying a bond or showing a partner or friend that you care," the psychology professor told us.

"This is partly why my amazing wife might not find an Audi with a bow on the driveway this Valentine’s Day (but, of course, anything’s possible!)."

#4 Best Valentine’s Day Gift Ever

#5 Gave My Husband A Sign For Valentine’s Day That Fully Embodies His Experience Gardening

#6 My Daughter Was Concerned Because Her Classmates Don't Know What Her Cat Looks Like. She Drew 21 Of These To Give Out At Her Kindergarten Valentine's Day Party

Humor and playfulness can be found in many relationships. However, we were interested in finding out whether relationships can be healthy without these two factors. Dr. Geher shed some light on this.

"Healthy relationships have various foundational elements. Love and trust, for instance, are certainly in the mix. That said, creativity, often accompanied by humor, is a major player when it comes to all stages of intimate relationships—from initial attraction to maintaining a truly loving relationship," the professor told Pictolic.

#7 My Mom Wrapped These Hershey's Candies For Valentine's Day, I Can't Bring Myself To Eat Them

#8 Happy Valentine’s Day

The letter says:

"To: My daughter Allyson
From: Your loving dad
Subject: Valentine's Day

Dear Daughter,

Please consider this note as your Valentine's Day card. All the ones at the store sucked. So, this note is to tell you I love you. Happy Valentine's Day.

Very truly yours,
Your father Leon"

#9 A First-Grade Class Sent Valentine’s Day Cards To A Local Nursing Home. The Teacher Forgot To Proofread

"We tend to like creative and funny people. And creating with one’s partner is a wonderful way to maintain a loving bond," he said. He gave some examples of this, such as collaborating on paintings and writing songs together.

"Without creativity and humor, I suppose a relationship might not necessarily fail, but, on the flip side, the most loving of relationships often include healthy doses of creativity and humor. My wife Shannon and I make a point to create art—in some form or another—together every single day—and I have to say that I wouldn’t trade that part of our relationship for anything," Dr. Geher opened up to us.

#10 In College I Had A Professor That Didn’t Want Anyone To Feel Left Out On Valentine's Day, So He Passed Around A Box For Everyone To Pick Out A "Gift" To Take Home

#11 Valentine's Day Cake For My Wife

#12 So My Wife Was Mad At Me Last Week And Said Not To Bother Getting Her Flowers For Valentine's Day. I Obeyed Her Wishes And Just Got Her Flowers Every Other Day This Week

Many of us feel at least some pressure to do something special for Valentine’s Day. Even if it is a made-up materialistic holiday meant to sell cards and merch, it still feels nice that there’s a specific day of the year that’s (supposedly) all about love. It might be a bit cheesy. It might be cliché.

But if you’re open to the possibility of February 14 surprising you, you can enjoy it quite a bit… even if you do it semi-ironically.

Whether you’re all for or utterly against Valentine’s Day as a concept, gift-giving can be a very powerful way to make someone’s day. On top of that, it’s almost a surefire way to boost your mood. Human beings are hardwired to be social and generous (to a certain extent).

#13 What My Girlfriend Gave Me For Valentine’s Day On The Left, And What I Gave Her On The Right. We Couldn’t Stop Laughing

#14 Happy Valentine's Day To My Fellow Trash Lovers

#15 This Valentine's Day Card Made By My Friend

Research shows that when we give someone a gift, we also feel good. The best part? It doesn’t have to be something super luxurious or unique. It’s the act of giving, not the gift itself or the price tag, that makes us happy.

Psychology professor Elizabeth Dunn, Ph.D., from the University of British Columbia, told ‘Today’ that people can work together and help each other which has allowed us to survive as a species. “We have evolved to experience joy from giving to others,” she said.

According to research conducted by Dunn and others, people who spend more on others rather than themselves are generally reported to be happier. The actual amount of money spent didn’t matter.

This is great news for anyone who’s minding a tight budget or who’s wondering whether they should treat themselves or their loved ones. As a rule of thumb, we’re better off being generous than self-centered.