There is a cliche about diamonds being a girl’s best friend. Well, that depends on the girl. Many women also like stuffed animals, but that doesn’t mean that we want jewelry and stuffed animals as gifts all the time. So, what if you are looking for a gift for your girlfriend and you want something different? And maybe something that doesn’t cost a lot of money, but that she will still treasure and appreciate? Is that a tall order? It may seem like, but it’s not. Below are some ideas that fit that description.
Experiences
The best gift that is different, doesn’t have to cost a lot of money, and will be treasured and appreciated, are experiences. Doing something romantic with your girlfriend can be a much nicer gift than earrings and teddy bears.
Outdoor Experiences
- A hike or walk in the park that ends with a picnic
- A boat ride with dinner or if you can, row out on a lake/river to a spot on the shore for a picnic
- On an clear night, go on a moonlight picnic and stargaze. If you don’t have any place that allows entry after dark (the public parks around me close at dusk, for instance), then see if there is an astronomy club in your area. They often have stargazing nights where the members will go to a field out away from the city lights and set up their telescopes. The public is invited as a way to drum up interest for the club. Seeking out this trip and setting it up for your girlfriend can be a great gift. If it turns out to be a cold night (winter nights are some of the clearest), then pack a thermos of hot chocolate and some cookies to have back at the car, or while looking at the stars.
Indoor Experiences
- Take your girlfriend to see a play, show, or attraction she has been wanting to see. This could be to see a magician, to a comedy club, or a museum that she has wanted to visit.
- Go somewhere that she has wanted to take you, but you have avoided. For instance, I keep trying to talk my husband into going bowling with me. He hates the idea, but it would be a great gift if he took me.
- Cook dinner and dessert for her, then eat it by candlelight. If you already do that, and/or you want to kick it up a notch, then eat dinner by feeding it to each other. That can be quite romantic.
“Choose Your Own” Experience
- You’ve probably seen the “coupon books” for things such as massages, cooking dinner, etc. These can be quite cheesy, but if you personalize it, you can eliminate a lot of the cheese factor. Pick items you know she would like, then embellish the coupons with inside jokes, cartoons, or pictures.
- Come up with a list of things she would like to do (see suggestions above) and put each item on a small piece of paper; make it at least 4 experiences – a month worth of weekends. Put the slips of paper in a decorative jar and give her the jar. Tell her she gets to pick one slip of paper and you two will do that experience that evening, that weekend, or whenever you decide.
Off The Beaten Path Gifts
The following gifts aren’t expensive, but are “things” not experiences.
- Photo shoot. There are a few ways you can do this. You could book a professional photo shoot to get pictures of the two of you. If that idea is a little to boring, then pick out a nice frame and put a message inside that says something like: “This is a picture of us…that we have yet to take.” Borrow a digital camera if you don’t already have one and go somewhere nice to take a picture together. A hike in the park, or a nice dinner are both good places to have a picture taken. Most cameras have a self timer so you don’t have to get someone else to take the shot. Then, print the photo at home on your printer, or get it printed at a local store and put it in the frame.
- Women love flowers, but we can’t keep cut ones forever. A great alternative is to get her a live plant of her favorite flower or flowers. You could put a single plant in a pretty pot (extra credit if you decorate the pot yourself), or put several plants in a planter box.
- Find an easy craft and make her something. Ideas include: simple candles, a scrapbook page of your favorite pictures of the two of you, a handmade photo frame (craft stores sell frames in several materials as well as items to embellish them with), a t-shirt with a message from you painted on it.
When it comes to finding gifts for your girlfriend, you don’t have to spend a lot of money. You can give her something she will treasure that will have more meaning that a teddy bear and earrings would have.
