I’m thinking of a sword. She started up Everquest 2 Classic again the other day and someone gifted her a sword. And she said: “I didn’t need that sword. But it’s still nice being gifted a sword.”

Something for the trip, maybe?

Will that trip be to a beach? Swimsuit or beach goodies.

Camping? New gear.

Camera. Travel luxuries like nicer luggage.

Nice clothes. She likes Free People, Anthropology, & Sundance. I try to choose a dress or jacket or something I think she might like (always get a gift receipt though!)

Well if you’re saving up for a holiday you could get a more sentimental gift. Something handmade maybe. Something from the beginning of the relationship. A scrapbook or a recreation of your first date or smth. A different version of the first gift you got her.

If you go down that route you can bulk it up by adding a few other little gifts like her favourite snacks plus flowers etc.

Maybe a small piece of personalised luggage for the holiday. Does she wear makeup? Maybe a nice makeup case with her initials on it.

If that’s not her thing, what about something for your home (assuming you live together)? My wife and I tend to buy ourselves the “bigger” things for Christmas, as our gift to each other - some furniture we’ve been wanting, or similar.

If that doesn’t sounds like you guys, there’s the tried and true jewelry option. Or maybe just cruise Etsy for the sorts of things she likes (does she like knick knacks, or ornamental stuff?) that might be customisable.

Failing that, have a think about what makes you special as a couple. Is there a shared interest or experience that got you together or you always talk about? Is there something in that?

Finally, I’ve been holding on to some ideas for future inspiration should I need them:

• Waveform art: record yourself saying you love her, have the waveform turned into a print, or a piece of jewelry, or similar
• Anamorphic art: a skewed picture that reveals itself when a specifically shaped mirror is put behind it
• A glass lamp base filled with something meaningful: I always thought of filling one with origami love hearts
• Ambigrams: maybe you can figure out an ambigram with both your names, and have it made into something - a print or a wood carving (this will probably take a lot longer than the time you have before Christmas)
• Birth stones, star signs, birth flowers, birth fruit: admittedly these are probably better suited to birthdays

I personally like surprise concert tickets myself

I always get my SO three things every year: one thing he really wants (This year is a pair of submarine shears), something he needs (New hiking boots) and something that he wouldn’t get for himself (A week in cabin/shack at secluded beach in the caribbean to fish, scuba dive and relax).

We’re buying each other a new bed, I hope. The gift that keeps on giving. (The shit we have now is horrible.) You could go for something that enhances your home life together.

I used to go into Bed Bad and Beyond when I couldn’t think of anything, and walk out with a bag full of small things she wouldn’t normally go looking for herself. Neck warmers, fuzzy socks, bath bombs, candles, that sort of thing. If your trip is the big gift, you could do a basket (or stocking) of smaller cozy stuff.

I’m getting them a few nice cast iron cookware pieces to replace the ones their ex-partner stole. A few pieces are from Lodge, so they’re very inexpensive, but great quality.

i heard recently that paris and most places in italy in febraury is the best time to go so since there there are fewer tourists and shorter lines as a result and it’s kind of close to xmas so it could work as an xmas gift.