GOSHEN — If you’ve spent the last six weeks making chocolates or handled thousands of red roses this week, are either of those really what you want to give or get for Valentine’s Day?

The people at the heart of Valentine’s Day preparations have gifts in mind that are different from what they have in hand.

KARE ANDERSEN

Andersen runs the family business, the Olympia Candy Kitchen. While Valentine’s Day is “huge for us,” with chocolate preparation taking six weeks to meet demand, he said he has to look elsewhere for something to bring home to his wife. After all, how special is a gift if you can just grab it off the shelf at work?

“I take candy home for the kids, but for her it would have to be jewelry or something like that,” Andersen said. “I have to put more thought into it.”

DANAE BELL

Bell and her husband run The Nut Shoppe with help from family members.

As she worked to make Valentine’s Day candies, she said the sweet stuff is part of her everyday life and wouldn’t make for much of a holiday gift for her. “I’d rather have flowers or just a night at home, not at the store. Dinner made for me at home, that would be nice,” she said.

SALLY STUTSMAN

Stutsman said flowers are still a popular choice for her female employees’ husbands, who sneak in and ask for something nice. Usually it isn’t roses for them.

“We love flowers, that’s why we do what we do,” Stutsman said. Still, she prefers tropical flowers like orchids. “After you’ve seen 2,000 roses go by, they’re pretty, but we like the unusual flowers,” she said.

Her first choice, though? “Massage and a hot tub, or massage and a bottle of wine.”

DIXIE RICHARDSON

Richardson, owner of the Wooden Wagon Floral Shoppe, said, “I have whatever flower I want.”

What she really wants, she said, “because I work so hard Valentine’s Day, just to sit down. It seems as though since I’m in the business, the holidays aren’t as special.” She just wants “time to play, to relax. It’s precious to be with family and to laugh,” she said.