The typical Valentine’s Day gifts include flowers or dinner. But what if your Valentine has allergies that make those traditional signs of affection a little difficult?
An allergist has tips on how to navigate Feb. 14 this year.
“It’s really important to be thoughtful about these things,” said Dr. Daniel Spielman, otolaryngologist, MedStar Georgetown University Hospital.
He said to be aware and ask the person about any allergies, and if you’re getting food, you might want to be careful and consider cooking at home.
“The most common things from a food perspective are going to be nuts. A lot of baked goods and chocolates are made in factories that, even if the item doesn’t specifically contain it, may have exposure to it,” he said.
It’s not only nuts to worry about. Spielman said it’s important to get an idea of other allergies before food or dinner is your gift to someone.
“It can be anything — chocolate, gluten, all sorts of things,” Spielman said. “Just be mindful of those things and talk to your partner.”
Other ideas include going to a movie or a show at a local theater instead of dinner if you’re unsure.
And what about that bouquet of flowers?
“For the average person, allergies to pollen is not going to make giving them flowers a life threatening event,” Spielman said. “But certainly if you know that your loved one does really develop severe reactions to flowers, then it’s not ideal for that to be in their home.”
A craft kit or a painting or pottery class might be a better idea than flowers.
He said allergies are increasingly becoming something to think about when giving gifts on holidays such as Valentine’s Day because they’re on the rise.
“The extent of allergies, and the frequency and rate of allergies has really climbed over the course of the past several decades, and so certainly, having an awareness of it is important,” Spielman said.
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