What should I get my girlfriend for her birthday?

Focus on two things: surprise and thoughtfulness. Create something that really shows you took time to consider your girlfriend. Romance isn't the same for each person, so consider what your girlfriend likes and what she would enjoy. While one person might love flowers, a different individual may not find that romantic. Taking time to observe and ask your girlfriend at different moments what she likes will help you design a romantic birthday outing that is sure to wow her. As you date, always be taking note of things she likes or mentions. You can even create a secret, running list so you can consult it when her birthday comes around.

Ngl strangers on the internet should not know what your girlfriend wants for birthday better than you. Think about what your girlfriend likes. What are her interests and hobbies? Her favorite places to shop? Her favorite places to go? Her favorite foods? How she likes to spend her time? Little things that make her happy? If you can think about the answers to these questions, you'll have some ideas for gifts you could get her for her birthday that she would enjoy. If you're struggling to answer these questions, I'm gonna be honest: you need to pay more attention to your girlfriend and get to know her better. Depending on how far away her birthday is, you might still have time to observe her or ask her questions so you can get a better idea of what she might like for her birthday. But try not to make it too obvious.

I don't know what to do bc my girlfriend seems to just buy what she wants already. Is a gift card ever ok?

I made my girlfriend a scrapbook of pictures and artifacts from our time together in the past year. "Artifacts" sounds too formal but I couldn't think of the right word for things like ticket stubs, receipts from restaurants, stickers, flyer cutouts, etc. And then I wrote little notes about her or about our dates in between all the pictures and things. We had so much fun flipping through the book and reminiscing on all the good times together!

Try to pay attention throughout the year to what your girlfriend comments on. She might say "This dress/pair of earrings/cup/etc. is sooo cute" or "Wow I've always wanted to try this restaurant or activity" or "That's my FAVORITE artist." That right there is gold. All you have to do is remember or write down what she comments on and you can buy it for or take her there for her birthday, Christmas, anniversary, any event that calls for a gift. A few months ago it was my girlfriend's birthday and I got her some jewelry from a small Etsy shop that she kept sending me reels of on Instagram. She loved it! She'll also appreciate that you put in the effort to listen to what she says and remember little things.

If you're in the beginning of a relationship, you really want to keep it simple. Let's say a holiday is coming up and you've only been dating a few weeks, find out if they have a favorite author or a favorite coffee or something that is not going to be that expensive, but will meet the need of something that they really like. If you've been dating long term, at that point, you could think about something as a couple that you can get as a gift, whether it be a couple’s massage, or a weekend getaway. It's based on the time that you're dating them. So I say no big grandiose gestures when it's only a few weeks in—keep it simple. But thoughtful. You always want to do something thoughtful. But if it's long term, you're going to want to potentially do something as a couple.

For my girlfriend's last birthday I decorated a box and put a bunch of folded up slips of paper on them. Each slip of paper had something sweet on it. Some had things I loved about her, like how I loved her eyes or how I loved the way her hand felt in mine. Others had words or encouragement or romantic quotes. A few of them had cute doodles on them. It's almost a year later and I'll still get texts from her when she opens up one of the slips! She loves it.