Ah, Valentine’s Day. One of the most hated Hallmark holidays, one that comes with expectations of roses and chocolates. Which are, let’s face it, boring. So when Jason asked me for a Valentine’s Day post, I took the request as an excuse to talk about gift shopping –- but the gifts that are affordable (under $50), fun, whimsical, and neither roses nor chocolates. Also, these are the kinds of gifts you can get for yourself. I picked a few things I liked and hope that my fellow geeks will like them as well.

1. Plant life. Roses are predictable and die quickly. Potted plants last longer. And carnivorous potted plants also provide hours of amusement. What girl wouldn’t love a Venus Flytrap, a plant you can mess with and feed hamburger? Get one and its supplies at Pet Flytrap.

2. Jewelry and accessories. Diamonds are expensive, unethically produced, and uncool. However, Jen Parrish of Parrish Relics has excellent pieces for just a fraction of the price. These gorgeous pendants will appeal to any geek or medievalist who likes jewelry. Whimsical and affordable wearable sculptures from Wyrding Studios are also lovely. Both do custom work. Another place for unusual pieces is Ruche -– they have lovely pieces, most for under $20: necklaces, earrings, and accessories such as this Peacock Feather Clip Barrette. And they have scarves! ModCloth, as the name suggests, caters to the vintage-conscious crowd, and also has very nice accessories. For the guys, a Starfleet Wallet has this perfect mix of class and nerdery that is so appealing.

3. Socks. Seriously, Sockdreams cannot be beat for all your sock needs. Between space-dyed socks and Joker socks, there’s something for every geek of any gender, and really, you cannot possibly have too many socks. Additionally, the steampunkers among you will find awesome spats-like legwarmers and gloves with rhinestones or buttons for any dress-up occasion.

And petticoats! Did I mention the petticoats?

4. Clothing. This is the sort of thing one tends to buy for oneself, but if you are looking for something to wear on this (or any other) day, one doesn’t need to resort to costuming to find something fun, imaginative, and geeky. Ruche has a very cute dress called A Wrinkle in Time, while ModCloth brags Mystery Science Theater shoes and a number of fun t-shirts, including Orbit of the Unicorn.

This is of course just a small sample of what awesome stuff you can find online -– etsy.com is always a treasure trove for vintage and homemade gifts that cost a lot less and have a lot more personality and funk than any standard Valentine’s Day fare. Moreover, one can flaunt one’s nerd cred at this most commercial of holidays, and do so with style.

Ekaterina Sedia resides in the Pinelands of New Jersey. Her critically acclaimed novels, The Secret History of Moscow and The Alchemy of Stone were published by Prime Books. Her next one, The House of Discarded Dreams, is coming out in 2010. Her short stories have sold to Analog, Baen’s Universe, Dark Wisdom, and Clarkesworld, as well as Japanese Dreams and Magic in the Mirrorstone anthologies. Visit her at www.ekaterinasedia.com.