Once you're in a serious relationship with someone, thoughts can quickly turn to gifts.

If you're lucky, you'll have a partner who has an eye for lovely presents and gets the same treatment in return. Not that gifts are always necessary when it comes to romance, of course!  

Sometimes it can be easy to falter when it comes to deciding what a good gift would be for your other half. If you think picking something out could be a problem – maybe you have a birthday or some other event approaching fast – why not take a look at these fun tips?

Be inspired by your partner

Gift buying is all about being tuned into your other half. Resist the urge to use it as an excuse to buy them something you think they 'ought to like'. Unless, that is, you think the present is definitely going to go down well!

Look to your partner and their interests and try and come up with a shortlist of ideas that are connected to them.

For example, they might be into playing the violin. You don't necessarily have to get them something that's really closely linked to the hobby – that might be hard to choose, and they may already have everything they need in this regard.

It may be easier to choose something that is less directly linked – tickets to see a concert, for example, or some violin themed notepaper? Be imaginative about it, it's always easier to pick something out once you have a theme or two to work with!

Gift timing

There's a hierarchy of gift size that most of us go by – for example, we are more likely to spend more on our other half at Christmas than for Valentine's Day.

What you should also consider is the point you're at in a relationship. Your first gift to your other half may be better off being a smaller token – like some gorgeous flowers – than something massive like a holiday, for example.  

Spending limits

When it comes to times when you'll both be buying gifts for each other, some couples like to use spending limits. These can quickly break down when one or both partners ends up breaking their limit, but they do have their uses!

If it's coming up to Valentine's Day and you both agree – being honest – that you'll be spending £20 on each other, then you'll instantly narrow down the sort of gifts you're looking for and will avoid the worry that you might end up spending a lot more or less than your other half and be embarrassed.

It's the thought that counts

The old adage is worth bearing in mind when you're looking for a gift. Spending a lot on something isn't as important as showing you want to mark the occasion, be it a birthday or simply the chance to say 'I love you'!

Also, going for something big that isn't quite right for your other half probably isn't worth it if you could go with something smaller that's just right for them.

Even a beautifully written card – and perhaps especially a homemade one – can end up being worth a thousand costly gifts!

The personal touch

On that note, there are many things you can do to make a gift unique to you and your partner, which can really boost how well it is received.

Personalising techniques such as engraving are available, which you can pay to have carried out on a range of products. But there are lots of other ways to make things personal. How about making your other half a morning cup of tea in their special new mug, for example, and presenting it to them that way? And creating or writing something to go with a gift – or as a gift in itself – can be a really special thing to do.ADNFCR-2867-ID-801739509-ADNFCR

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