If you enter any store during the month of January, you’d be hard pressed to miss the fact that Valentine’s Day is on the horizon. Retailers work hard to convince you to buy your loved ones a pink stuffed animal or a shirt with hearts on it to express how much they mean to you. And while we will never turn down a box of chocolates, there are plenty of ways to show someone you love them without spending money on gifts.

It's easy to fall into the trap of buying your grandkids gifts for every occasion, especially when there are so many tempting things on display. But what your grandchildren really want from you is your love. Here are five ways to express a grandparent’s love that don’t involve gifts.

Create a Heart Blizzard

This is a tradition they won’t age out of! Get a package of heart shaped doilies or sticky notes. Or just cut out a stack of hearts from paper: construction paper, wrapping paper, or whatever you have handy. Then write an affirmation about why you love them on each one. Make them as personal and specific as you can—the more, the better. Here are some examples:

• “I love when you make your baby brother laugh”

• “I love how well you listen to your mama.”

• “I love the hugs you give me.”

• “I’m so proud of how hard you work in school.”

• “I had so much fun when you taught me how to play Minecraft.”

• “I love when you share your stories with me.”

• “You are my favorite person to eat cookies with.”

Sign your name on each one, then either mail them or hand them off to mom or dad. Ask them to stick the hearts up where your grandchild will see them when they wake up or come home from school. The bathroom mirror? Their place at the kitchen table? Their bedroom door? While you may not get to see their face as they read each one (or listen as they are read to them!), you can be confident that they will feel how much you love them.

Use Your Words

Don’t underestimate the power of simply saying, “I love you.” Knowing that someone thinks you are very special can act like a shield against life’s hard moments. Make it a point to tell your grandchildren that you love them, that you love spending time with them, and that you will always be in their corner. And tell them often.

Send a Hug

I love this idea from Grandy Camp. Have someone trace you with arms outstretched on a big piece of paper, then color it in, cut it out and fold it up to send your hug in the mail. Your grandchild can open the package and wrap your paper arms around themselves. Find full directions here.

Write Them Love Letters

A letter in the mail is the perfect way to show your grandchildren how much you love them. Everyone loves getting mail Letters are a lasting way to share your stories, which are so important to a child’s sense of self and family. A monthly letter lets your grandchildren know you are thinking of them even when you aren’t together, and that you want to know more about their world.

Knowing that it can be hard to know what to write month after month, we created Grandparent Love Letters to help inspire you. Each of the twelve templates has a theme with suggestions to help you share your stories and find out what is important to your grandchildren. Plus, you’ll get tips for writing to grandchildren of any age—and ideas for getting them to write back. Find them in our shop. They are an inexpensive, fun way to spread your love!

Love Their Parents

Children notice how others treat the people they love. Showing their parents that you love them, too, sends a message to your grandchildren that family is important. So when you are writing out those affirmations for your heart blizzard, include some for your adult child and their partner. Use your words and let them know how proud you are of them. Send them a text with a hug and heart. Tuck a little note into your monthly letter for your grandchild.

Too often, we are tempted by the many things we can buy our grandkids. The truth is, they won’t remember most of the things we bought them. However, they will remember if we made them feel loved. And we can do that without spending a dime.