So the shops are awash with heart shaped chocolates, cuddly teddy bears and bouquets of fresh red roses. It can mean only one thing: Valentine’s Day is fast approaching.
Whether that makes your heart swoon in anticipation or groan with despair at the commercialization of romantic love (spoilsport!), we want to mark the occasion by showing our Twitter followers and blog readers a little bit of love.
That’s why we’ve got our hands on £250 of high street vouchers to give away in our first ever Valentine’s Day competition.
So here’s the task:
We want you to tweet us to @DHLservicepoint, or post a comment here, telling us about the best present you’ve ever received from a loved one.
It can be anything – chocolates, flowers or a pair of novelty socks – but the more interesting you make it, the more chance you have of winning.
The response judged to be the most interesting, original, or laugh-out-loud hilarious, will win £250 of high street vouchers.
We’ll post our favourite comments along with the winner in another post on Valentine’s Day.
Remember: keep your entries clean. Anything unpublishable will automatically be disqualified.
Terms and conditions
- The prize consists of one set of £250 high street vouchers.
- The draw is open to all DHLservicepoint Twitter followers and DHL Servicepoint Blog users.
- All entrants must be over 16 years of age.
- Only one entry per person is allowed.
- One winner will be picked.
- The competition is open to UK residents only.
- No cash or other alternative is available.
- No purchase necessary.
- The competition will close at noon on February 14th. The winner will be notified by email or by Twitter on February 14th, 2011.
- Prizes are non-transferable and no cash alternative will be given.
- Rude or offensive entries will not be accepted.
- The judges’ decision is final.
- DHL employees are not eligible to enter the competition.
- Vouchers will be despatched by the 10th working day of the date of the draw.
- Details of the winner can be requested by writing to the promoter at:
Marketing Department, DHL International (UK) Limited, 178-188 Great South-West Road, Hounslow, Middlesex, TW4 6JS
The greatest Valentine’s gift I have ever been bought was a guinea pig. Actually, that’s not strictly true. I was bought a cage. The guinea pig, bedding, food and bottle came as a free gift. I gave her the rather original name of Squeak and we set about getting to know each other. She taught me how to srtip off wallpaper that didn’t need stripping, and I taught her how to run before she got kicked.
She got me well trained – I learned that a high-pitched, insistent squeaking meant it was time to check the fridge for any veggies lurking with intent – if so, I handed them over to PC Squeak who quickly disposed of the offending carrot or lettuce. I learned that a low, stuttering growl meant “If you don’t have it away on your toes, you’re going to get bitten. Hard.” and best of all, I learned that a quiet, coffee-pot burbling noise meant that Squeak had ordained it to be Squeakcuddle time.
I left her in – I thought – capable hands when I went on holiday. When I came back after a fortnight of sun, sea, sand and Squeak-missing, I found she was skin and bones and could hardly lift her head up. Her pigsitter had not given her any hay “because it was messy” and so her teeth had overgrown, preventing her from eating. I rushed her to the vet who performed dental surgery, and a long period of syringe-feeding began.
Her complete reliance on me meant that we grew closer and closer, and when not in her cage, she would follow me around like a little dog: on one occasion, even following me upstairs. Her weight gradually crept back up, but she would still not eat on her own. Her teeth were perfect, blood tests showed there was nothing wrong, and in the end, the vet, in frustration, suggested she may be lonely and advised getting her a friend.
Enter Yoshi – an abandoned, blind and partly deaf Abbysinian guinea pig who had been marked for snake food if no sucker took her. I’m not sure whether Squeak had been lonely for piggy company, or whether it was the fear of fat little Yoshi getting more food than Squeak herself, but my little girl began eating on her own and I began to learn more about guinea pig illnesses and just how many piggies were abandoned like Yoshi had been because they were ill, or not “perfect”.
I became a guinea pig rescuer, taking in and nursing abandoned piggies. It’s heartbreaking, heartwarming and rewarding, all at once. Squeak is long gone, but her legacy lives on in the shape of many piggies. Rudolph, who was thrown out to make room for a puppy – his owner considered the kids had learned responsibility for an animal, so out he went. Abandoned at Christmas and with a red, hairless nose due to a diet-related vitamin C deficiency, Rudolph seemed the only name he could have! Pepper and Parsley – their owners did a moonlight flit. Nobody knows how long they were alone in their hutch before a neighbour called for help.
Winnie – her owner moved in with her boyfriend and there was no room for the sweet natured little fluffball. Moshy, Dusty, Jimbo, Scruffy – so many bundles of love and joy – all stemming from that one Valentine’s gift!
What a beautiful, heart-warming tale. Thanks so much for taking the time to post a comment Beverley!
The best present I ever got was a diary/organiser from my husband.
It might not sound very exciting, but he had put Romantic or funny messages for me at the beginning of every week and on special days like birthdays & anniversaries. It must have taken him so long to do & it makes me smile so much every time I open it. It was a really romantic gift x
Many many many moons in the distant past, when I 15, I used to be friends with a gang of lads and they all clubbed together and bought me a huge box of chocs – I felt like a princess. Those were the days before Valentines day had all the hype it has now. Makes me smile even now.