What’s the best way to keep a relationship romantic? Taking care to make sure there are always some surprises in store. Sure, flowers and gifts on birthdays and all of the expected occasions are great, but the gift that pleases anybody the most, is the unexpected one. Everyone knows you have to exchange gifts on holidays like Valentine’s, and it goes without saying that you never forget an anniversary present. But it’s the “surprise” presents that really earn the extra points. The thoughtful little gifts you didn’t have to give, but wanted to. No one can fail to be flattered when they realize you’re thinking of them, even when you don’t have to be.

But maybe you’re already willing to surprise you loved one; you’re just stumped for a good gift idea. Here are a few you can feel free to borrow. How about a favorite movie or book—not theirs, yours? This gift serves a deeper purpose than the usual present, because it is a means of drawing the two of you closer together. It’s a gift that says, “I want to share my interests with you”. An added plus is that the two of you will now have something else in common to discuss: how much you loved—or hated—the movie/book.

Then of course, there’s always the more traditional stand-bys like jewelry and flowers. Give these gifts with care though. I almost left jewelry off the list because it has the potential to backfire. It has the power to either gain you points for going to the expense, or lose you points for looking like you just grabbed something shiny so you wouldn’t have to put much thought into a unique present. Chances are though, that the bling will be blinding enough to distract from any other considerations, so it may be worth a shot. Besides, the fact is, most people love getting jewelry, whatever the purpose behind it. As for flowers: they’re the most unoriginal idea in the world. And people—or women at least—love them. Yes, technically, the flower-giving idea is so old that it hardly qualifies as a surprise, but there’s a good reason this one’s always stuck around. It’s good.

These are a few handy emergency gift ideas, but I recommend moving beyond all of these if possible, for something more unique and personal. Something obviously selected for an individual’s specific tastes. Consider what you know of your loved one. Do they like music? How about a music box (a musical jewelry box even, if you’ve set your heart on something jewelry related)? Also for the music lover, there are: CDs, stereos, ipods, sheet music, and musical snow-globes. Some card-makers have even gone to creating musical greeting-cards, and these are always fun—especially if you’re not looking to spend a lot. But maybe your loved one likes art. Try a framed piece of artwork (only if you know his/her tastes pretty well). Use your imagination and just remember to keep your gift special and unique

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