I realize the calendar still says January, but Valentine’s Day will be here before we know it. There are dozens or more of so-called typical Valentine’s Day gifts I can think of…candy, perfume, dinner out, roses, champagne, the list goes on and on….but none are as near and dear to my heart as the gift my late husband of close to 60 years used to give me each and every year.

Kelly, my late husband, would proudly and almost smugly hand me a bouquet of red radishes each Valentine’s Day. It was a gift from his heart and truly meant so much to me and much more than some box of chocolates I would likely not eat.

He knew radishes are my favorite vegetable and what a loving gesture to give someone, something they truly love and enjoy, and is also heart healthy at the same time?

I couldn’t think of something more fitting for me or for him to give, given he was a family practitioner for more than 40 years and had impeccable commonsense about food and nutrition and how it related to one’s overall health.

In a few weeks, sadly I won’t get my radish bouquet but it will bring a smile to my face and joy in my heart knowing for so many years my husband thought so much of me to give me a gift of health each Valentine’s Day.

On my first Valentine’s Day without my husband, my two sons thoughtfully sent me a bouquet of flowers and guess what was on the bottom of the flowers? You guessed it! Red radishes! To keep up with the tradition their father had started so many years before.

As you begin to ponder what to give your sweetheart this year, please remember my story and perhaps you might break tradition with something that says you love them but also care about their health. It may be your new tradition and as years pass, will be as special to you and yours as my radish bouquet was and still is to me.

If you have difficulty in deciding what to give that special someone, I can offer up one healthy alternative, SSHE gift certificates. They come in any denomination starting at $25, so they are also budget-friendly too.

Here’s to you and your valentine, may you have a new, healthy tradition this year and the year’s to come.