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Matthew McConaughey’s character may have let the love fern die, but that doesn’t mean you have to.
In the classic 2003 film “How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days”, Kate Hudson’s character, Andie, gifts McConaughey’s character Ben a “love fern.” But during the famed poker game scene, Hudson, who is trying to get McConaughey to dump her to fulfill a magazine article she’s working on, looks over to the shelf and notices that the plant has seen better days.
“Our love fern! It’s Dead!” Andie proclaims, bringing the game to halt. “Nah honey, it’s just sleeping,” Ben replies.
“You let it die! Are you going to let us die?” Says Andie, trying to be as annoying as possible.
But with Valentine’s Day around the corner, I have a suggestion. This year, when everyone is holed up at home and avoiding the outside world, maybe the best gift for your significant other (or best friend, sibling, or parent) is just that: a plant.
Sure, leafy greens are a hot commodity right now, thanks to the world of plant influencers taking over Instagram and TikTok with their humidifier steam-filled social media feeds and ways of making potting soil look good. But in reality, there’s actually a significant amount of research that backs up the benefits of the trend.
According to a study in the Journal of Physiological Anthropology, plants in your home or office can make you feel more soothed by suppressing autonomic nervous system activity. It’s also just nice to take care of a living thing.
In classic celebrity style, Hudson is taking part in a promotion for her spirit brand, King St. Vodka, where you can buy your own “Love Fern” from Urban Stems, Domino reports. But if you don’t want to go the literal love fern route, there are still plenty of amazing options out there that make great gifts. Here are a few other options:
