Ties, wallets, cuff links, shirts, perfumes … even underwear is all done and overdone, and then, overdone some more. Where do you head from here? Coz let’s face it, girls. We’d watch his hardcore action flicks with him, have the mushroom-icky thing he likes but when it comes to gifts, we would still opt for the thoughtful over the bike accessories and golf clubs. And while I have a lot of girlfriends who’d go all out to buy him the cool gadget he’d had his eyes on (even if it means getting into debt) or the Swarovski wrist watch, I have a number of besties who value spending ‘thoughts’ more than spending the ‘dough.’ No, they aren’t misers and there is nothing wrong with either approach. What is crucial is to nail it, whichever path you tread.

Personally, I am a huge fan of the heart-made gift category. I love the presents I invest so much time, effort (and quite some amount of money) in and that he is able to hear what they whisper. And because I have used my own ideas with LOVE-ly success and dished out ideas to a number of my girlfriends who have recorded the same kind of success rate, I am thinking some of these creative ones shall do your usual sock and underwear saga MUSH good:

1. Mystery dates

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Plan a month’s worth of dates, well in advance. The trick is to make them as mysterious as possible. For example, drop clues about the venue by building him some tasteful scavenger hunts or leave some intriguing instructions for each day until the date is about to happen. Do not reveal anything about the date directly. Build up the suspense and leave him wondering as to what awaits him. You may even have some strange people call him and give him some personal instructions. Baffled and frenzied, he shall itch to put all the pieces of the puzzle together to reach his final prize: YOU!

2. Paint and please

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Buy edible paint, put on his favorite lingerie and give him the reins, err paints for the night! Be his canvas and let him paint his fantasies on you. Be the painting come to life when he is done with his strokes. After all, it will then be time for him to see some of your strokes, and not many of them shall be with the paintbrushes! Uhhhh, isn’t it getting’ hot in here?

3. Decked-up he-cushions

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This one is cute and cute and cute and cute! You know you are quite the craftswoman but you cannot gift your boyfriend a yarn mitten, right? So, how do you put your skills to good use? Here’s how. You know how he plops the cushions on his couch on top of one another and then props his head against the arrangement for a quick nap. Turn his cushions into miniature versions of him. Dress up his cushions in his style of shirts, tees, ties, jackets and feel free to sew in scarves or other accessories. When he comes home and crashes on the couch, he will have more reasons than one to dream of you! J

4. Cheesy chuckles

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If your boyfriend shares in your kind of humor or the two of you enjoy the chuckle platter with the cheesy dip, this whacky idea is meant for you. Get your 3D caricatures done and build a series of cheesy lines around the keepsake. For example, have his character receive a present that has a soap inside and have your character in a cloud frame, telling him, “Think of me, when you are dirty!” If you are not a fan of the genre, chip in a personal joke that you know will have him in splits. Although, I highly recommend going the cheesy way. As unflattering as it is from those strange strangers, the cheese is yum with your sweetiepie! 😉

5. The journeying journal

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If the two of you love to travel and explore new realms together, then this one makes for a great gift idea. Dig up photographs of your travels together. Put them together in a journal and caption each of them with a meaningful title. Throw in romantic remembrances of your journey by inking a few lines about your feelings. You could spice it up by teasing him about the time he did something bizarre. Also, you might want to chip in landmarks of places that you’d love to visit and haven’t had a chance to set foot in. Include fun descriptions of what you would like to do with him (or to him!) there, and lo, you might have your next travel itinerary in hand!

6. The togetherness calendar

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This one is not for the lazy lumps or the faint of heart! Only those who do not shy away from hard work, enter. Okay. You remember THE date, right? Build up a calendar from THE date up until the present. Record all the special dates and memories by framing photographs, sticking love notes, heart confetti, candies, lollies or whatever it is that you think brightens the calendar. Name the calendar ‘Forever’ and make sure you list reasons why you think every moment with him is nothing less than the ‘forever’ you always dreamt of! This one is bound to warm the cockles of his heart!

7. Who’s game

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Girls, if your boyfriend is a gaming buff, woo him with a game that will win him all over again. Plan a live game such as the ‘Murder Mystery Dinner’ or ‘Bachelorettes & Bullets.’ Buy the version you like, download the character customizations and invites and send out the envelopes. Just make sure, your boyfriend gets the best part (you will have to cheat for this bit, but hey, you can play along for him, you are quite the actress). So, when the party turns live and the guests start to pour in, you can sneak around to steal those precious and priceless expressions on his face! The after-party discussion on the hammock shall be a memorable experience and his excitement shall be your reward. Steal your kisses as a bonus, though!

8. Treasure hunt

Build him a treasure trove of memories. Get an antique chest and customize it to befit your personal equation. Throw in all the memorabilia you think shall flood his heart with loving memories. Then, fashion scrolls that shall contain calligraphic instructions for the way to the treasure. Sit back and watch your knight set out on the quest, while munching popcorn. You are sure to receive ‘thank-yous’ in more ways than one! 😉

Ladies, go get him!

And do not forget to buzz me about your experience. I love those mails! J

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