I'm lucky, because my boyfriend is happy with pretty much anything I buy for him, whether it be shoe laces or his own personal cruise ship [FYI: this has never happened though. It was just said for effect. I pretty much have £2 to my name.] But I do know a lot of my girl/guy friends struggle with buying their other half presents, especially around valentines day when things get 'romantic'.
First of all; I personally don't think a Valentines day gift has to be necessarily romantic. I think that fact that you have thought about your partner, saved some money and have searched for a gift for them is a romantic gesture. So some of these ideas that I list are not going to be romantic.
So lets get into this thing:
"Cliché" Chocolate, Flowers and a Big Cuddly Bear
I swear I'm not crazy. Some boys love receiving a bouquet of flowers, I mean how many people think to buy their boyfriend a bouquet of flowers? It is a rare occasion, and it can mean a lot to some boys! [Just be sure that your other half is the type for this kind of gift...] And have you ever turned your back and caught your partner from the corner of your eye cuddling into that pile of teddy bears that you've hoarded for the last 15 years? Or walked into a room in their house to see a teddy bears head poking out from behind a wardrobe or under a bed? I know that the answer is yes. Guy's love cuddly toys too, especially when they're meaningful. They grew up surrounded by teddy bears, exactly the same as us girls did! And Chocolate doesn't even need an explanation. Honestly it doesn't. [Because you'll be the one eating half the box, so why not.]
Gamers: Console Games and Accessories
If your partner is a 'gamer', this is probably the most romantic and thoughtful gift that you could buy for him. But, it is not as simple as it looks. First, you must become a secret MI5 agent to discover what games and console accessories he already has. Or alternately [and a lot of a simpler solution] ask one of his friends, family, room mates etc. to check what he has; sneakily of course. Don't let them let the cat out of the bag. You have permission to blame them if the secret slips. OR quite simply, here are some new game releases and ideas to help you out, I know the majority of us girls aren't experts at game consoles:
Games
- COD: Advanced Warfare
- Halo: The Master Chief Collection
- Assassins Creed: Unity / Rogue
- Destiny
- Grand Theft Auto V
- Far Cry 4
- Mario Kart 8
- EA Sports UFC
- Transformers: Rise of the Dark Spark
- Sims 4
- Disney Infinity 2.0 Marvel Super Heroes
- Fifa 15
- Middle Earth: Shadow of Mordor
Console Accessories
- Limited edition controllers [such as Xbox One COD: Advanced Warfare controller]
- Head sets
- Expansion packs
- Buy them 'points/coins/tokens' or whatever [I am no gaming expert... Except for on Sims. Do not even talk to me about Sims.]
Other Gadgets
- Gadget Show tickets
- Mini Ipod
- Remote control car/helicopter/plane [they will revert to their child like years.]
- Nurf Guns [If this is an option, I would also buy yourself one... I learnt from that mistake by getting shot in the forehead every time I turned a corner. It was frustrating being unarmed.]
Music Based Prezzies
If your other half is into music, this is a great gift that could benefit you both. Buy them tickets to a concert, or a festival! Buy them vinyl albums, or find limited edition CD's. Go on EBay and bid on signed CD's, vinyl's and pictures [but make sure that they are genuine. I did this once without checking and thought I was getting a bargain when I got a signed Arctic Monkeys CD for £2.99. I received a printed out photo and couldn't return it... Bad experiences.]
Find band merchandise that may have been sold at previous gigs, or just has their favourite band/artists on. T-shirts for example.
If they have a car, or speakers, you could also buy them an aux lead. It's just something small, but it's quicker than syncing your phone to the Bluetooth every single time you get in for a drive! An itunes voucher, as there is nothing more frustrating than spending £1.50 on one bloody song that you over play and want to delete after a week. ITunes Vouchers are life savers, especially for boys into music!
Take Them Out!
Presents don't always have to be something that you unwrap. One of the most thoughtful surprises is going up to your other half and saying 'I have something planned for us, let's go!' It show's that you've put a lot of thought into the day and you want to spend your time with them and make a day out of it! Whether it's a meal, or a trip to the cinema, shopping or a theme park; find something you would both enjoy and get to bond over [however many years you've been together] it's always a winner!
Cook Them Foodie Treats!
There's nothing better than walking into a house that smells of fresh baking. Look up baking recipes on the internet or try these:
- Martha Stewart: Chocolate Heart Sandwich Cookies
- Simple Iced Valentines Day Cookies
- Baking Mad: Hidden Heart Cake
- Baking Mad: Valentines Heart Cupcakes
- Baking Mad: Heart Brownie Pops
Or, dip some strawberries in chocolate, perfect! Baking is a quick and easy way to show that you've put time and effort into a delicious gift! [Even if they end up in a flop...] It's also a very romantic gesture, what's even better is you'll get to share in the enjoyment of eating them!
I hope this post has helped you figure out something that you could buy for your other half to make valentines day special! I'll be sure to try and post more suggestions when my brain starts ticking again!
Love you all!
