If you have a gift giving occasion around the corner, you are in luck because we are sharing our guide on how to choose a gift for your partner that will really WOW them this year. The best gifts are based on an understanding of what your partner truly needs to feel loved and appreciated.
The Best Gift Ideas make your partner feel appreciated and understood
We started thinking about this after reading a fantastic book called the 5 Love Languages by Gary Chapman that theorizes that there are 5 key ways that people feel and show love-through words of affirmation, physical touch, acts of service, gifts, and quality time. (More on this book in our highlight of top 5 relationship books!).
In summary, the key to giving the perfect gift is understanding what your partner really needs and wants in order to feel loved, rather than giving something that you would like to receive in order to feel loved. Not everyone needs the same kinds of things to feel loved, so it’s all about making sure what you are giving is something they can truly appreciate and understand!
If you aren’t sure what type of love you or your partner needs, we’ve created a quiz they (and you!) can take HERE . And of course, we’ve compiled a list of the best gift ideas by Love type below — Enjoy blowing your partners socks off this year!!
If your partner needs Words/Communication/Connection…
- Print your wedding vows and frame them, if you are feeling ambitious, write some new vows too!
- Write a love letter, poem or song for your partner
- Create a list of things you love or appreciate about your partner and present it to them in an interesting way. Some ideas for ways to present the list include:
- Create a scavenger hunt, each note they find is a separate thing
- Write items on post it notes and surprise them by putting all the notes on a mirror
- Frame the list, bind it in a book or print it on a mug so they can access later
- Make a book with your favorite memories & photos together
- Enlist the help of family, close friends and/or children to record the things that they (in addition to you) love about your partner. This can be audio or video and there are loads of free and easy software that will let you put all of the recordings together to present to them.
- Create a mix audio for them with songs that describe how you feel about them or that remind you of your time together
- Engrave one of their gifts with special words, dates or notes of love
If your partner needs Physical Touch/Erotic Gestures…
- Give a full body massage
- Take your partner dancing
- Pick up some exciting lingerie for you the two of you to enjoy together
- Treat your partner to a bath, wash their hair and body for them
- Initiate an erotic gesture, even if you aren’t completely in the mood for it
- Give a ‘coupon booklet’ of different erotic gestures & physical touch
If your partner needs Quality Time…
- Purchase tickets to attend an event together
- Plan a surprise vacation
- Sign up for a class together
- Purchase a new board game to play together
- Sign up for a race or other athletic event
- Commit to training together a certain number of days per week.
- Recreate your first date or a special time you had together
- Get tickets for an ‘experience’ event
If your partner needs Acts of Service…
- Commit to taking over a chore they are normally responsible for over a period of time
- Sign up/buy tickets for an event, class, or show that you know your partner is interested in that you are not. Pretend that you are excited about trying it too!
- Bring your partner breakfast in bed
- Prepare a special meal for your partner
- Take over a project they have been meaning to do without asking
- Do all of the planning for a trip you are going to take together
- Hire outside help for something that needs to be done around the house
- Be their ‘servant for the day’
If your partner needs Gifts…
- Pay attention to the things your partner says they like and surprise them with it if it’s within your budget
- Subscribe your partner to a ‘gift of the month’ — you can find subscriptions for all sorts including wine, books, chocolate, flowers, cookies and many more depending on specific interests!
- Create a handcrafted gift! Get creative and enlist the help of children if possible!
- Customize a traditional gift with their initials or name
- Choose a sentimental gift that is reminiscent of a special time or place you shared together
We hope you find these gift ideas helpful and that it leads to your best Holiday season ever!
