What to buy for your sweetheart for Christmas

Coming up with the perfect Christmas present for your significant other can be daunting, especially if you have been dating such a short time, which are not very familiar with the eccentricities want still with an unexpectedly thoughtful and insightful gift to impress his or her taste in music, but you, you buy a couple of weeks at least.

Flowers and chocolates, Valentine's day, la are very sweet, but they pretty much prove you don't know your honey, except when they are super in exotic flowers, or something is. If you not a gardener dating are random, go not this way. Here is a quick list of our top picks for new pairs:

A book-unless your lover is an English major, can not you probably with a classic go wrong, that has something to do with romance. Go with "The unbearable lightness of being" or "Love in time of cholera." The perfect way, note your offers deep, tortured to write artistic side, and you get a juicy inscription. (Note: If you have read the book, you stay away from comparing you and your treasure to the characters.) Fiction-Autoren are not familiar with your relationship will be.)

A compilation of soulful Hits--even if it is not his style, nobody a sexy collection slow dance love songs (at least not to your face) balk. There are the both of you a chance to come close to, and if the cheese factor over the top, y ' all can laugh about it together and then to something good.

Massage oil-OK, I want to be careful with this, but if you play your cards right, it's a great gift. You're ready to take things to the next level, it means that it is time to get physically. If you not, this gift as a little presumptuous can come, but you can always back you stretch and you offer up a neck and shoulder massage, smooth over things.

No matter what gift go with you, the fact that also bodes well for the future of the Union are that you put some effort into it. Be not afraid, dive and find something your new love is mag-- just take our advice and stay away from gift cards!

A Pep Talk For Lonely Hearts This Holiday Season

Yep, it’s that time again.  Time to settle in to the season of warmth and togetherness.  The great singles party known as Halloween has passed, and now we look forward to those quieter, more reflective holidays.  From what we can tell from year-end commercials, this is the season for cozy evenings by the fire, couples’ ice skating, and—soon enough—that New Year’s kiss.  It’s also the season that threatens bitterness in the hearts of burned-out singles all over the world.

Take heart, fellow singles, and remember one thing always:  This is not your only holiday season.

Likelier than not, you’ll be present for several more cozy holidays . . . probably a few decades’ worth.  Your fate is not sealed by the fact that you’re alone beneath the mistletoe, nor does showing up without a date to Thanksgiving mean that you are doomed to a lifetime of loneliness.  In fact, this time next year, you could very well be on the arm of someone who loves you wildly.

No, this is not your only chance to enjoy a holiday season.  But it is your only chance to enjoy this one.

When we seem surrounded by happy couples, it gets so easy to obsess over what we don’t have, but this is the season for embracing that which is already ours.  And what is special about this holiday season?  What victories can you celebrate this year?  Which friends and family members have you grown closer to since New Year’s , and how can you connect with others?  Suppose you do find love in 2011.  Then this will be your last holiday to give your full focus to friends and family.

This will be your last holiday to indulge in all of your traditions, exactly the way you want to . . . without compromise, without awkward holiday dinners at his folks’ place, without feeling overrun on December 26 for having just spent the past 48 hours trying to keep two different families happy.

This is your year to realize that all those ooey-gooey, happy holiday vibes are already within you . . . that even though someone else might help you discover joys you don’t know now, you’re still more than capable of living fully in the meantime.  This year you can announce a Christmas movie marathon that could be otherwise poo-pooed by a bah-humbugged mate.  You can put up your tackiest decorations and bake cookies at two in the morning.  You can curl up on snowy nights and reflect on your life . . . on how far you’ve come, on what you’re grateful for, on your wishes and goals for the coming year.

Love will come some day . . . but this is the only 2010 holiday season you get.  If you feel a little wallow coming on when you get home from a couples-saturated holiday party, give yourself an evening to mope.  It’s good for you.  But don’t let everyone else’s joy be the death of yours.  Relationship or not, you’ve got plenty to be happy about.

Holiday Fun, Single-Style

-Start a new tradition that’s all your own . . . maybe make a special trip or perfect a dish that you can make every year.

-Call in sick and have a cozy day in.

-Have a baking marathon.

-Have a movie marathon.

-Go holiday shopping with your friends.

-Take up an indoor hobby like knitting.

-Take up an outdoor hobby, like skiing.

-Write thank you letters to everyone who has been good to you this year.

-Make a plan to fulfill your New Year’s Resolution(s).

-Let your friends drag you to holiday parties.

-Create the ultimate holiday playlist.

-Volunteer for a holiday-themed charity.

-Visit a relative you rarely see.

Budget-Friendly Gift Ideas

 
With the holiday season comes the pressure of gift buying.  If you’re currently in a relationship or trying to win someone’s heart, you’re probably wracking your brain for the perfect gift.  And if—like most of us—you’re on a strict budget, you may also be wondering if there’s any chance you can find a gift that is both worthy of your partner and gentle on your checking account.

Allow yourself a sigh of relief.  Your mom meant what she said when you made her that macaroni birthday card in kindergarten; a little creativity does go a long way.  Here are a few ideas for meaningful gifts on a fixed budget.

Personalized Notebook or Planner.

Find a moderately-priced planner or—if you have a list-maker or journaler to buy for—an affordable notebook.  Then embellish each page with a meaningful quote or a special message from you to your partner.  You can write directly in the book, you can print your words out on colored paper and glue them in . . . whatever works for you.  Not only is this a thoughtful gift, but your partner gets little bits of your love as she uses the notebook each day for the next year.

365 Sweet Nothings

You may want to get an early start on this one . . . it takes a while.  The concept is pretty simple, though.  Find a little decorative box or jar (or decorate one you find at a craft supply store) and fill it with 365 slips of paper, each one with a message from you.  Keep them simple, like “I love your laugh” or “Remember that time we spent an entire day watching Woody Allen movies?”  To mix up your material, you may also want to include some famous quotes that make you think of your partner.  Check out sites like QuoteGarden.com and ThinkExist.com.  When you give this gift to your sweetheart, let him know there’s one message for him for each day of the year.

Collage or Shadow Box

Your relationship is a collection of a million special moments.  Chances are, you’ve collected memorabilia from your favorites.  Dig up old photographs, ticket stubs, postcards, etc, and choose the few that mean the most to you.  Then make a collage or arrange them in a shadow box as an homage to your love that your significant other can hang up and admire.  If you’re feeling truly ambitious, make a scrapbook documenting your relationship or your time together in the last year.

Thrift Store Find

Never underestimate the power of the thrift store.  It’s true, your significant other is probably not into body suites with pit stains, but if you dig a little deeper, you may find a unique piece of jewelry or the favorite childhood game he hasn’t been able to find in stores since his mom sold it at a garage sale.  Sometimes great things come in secondhand packages.

The ________ of the Month Club

Enroll your sweetheart in your own, made-up “Something” of the Month Club.  Maybe it’s the Home-Cooked Meal of the Month or the Sporting Event of the Month or the New Restaurant of the Month.  Think of something you know your partner wishes the two of  you did more, and let your gift be a promise in writing that you’ll fulfill that interest once a month.  It’s like the gift that keeps on giving.  Just be sure to follow through.  If you lose your gusto and cancel the club in March, you will never be allowed to forget it.

It may be clichéd, but in gift giving, it really is the thought that counts.  Big, fancy things are nice, but the average person is much more interested in gifts that come from the heart . . . gifts that remind us that we are known and loved by the people who mean the most to us.  Give from the heart, and your partner probably won’t think to wonder what it cost you.

Planning a Romantic First Date

First date is something nearly everyone gets a bit nervous about it. First date is very important with someone that you really like. It’s hard not to be boring by planning something that’s so mundane and routine that it shows no imagination whatsoever. There are some things to take into consideration as to what a creative and fun first date can consist of. The following may give you some ideas to get you started:

For the athletic couple: This is a way to spend time together and do something you both enjoy, such as engaging in some physical activity. Plan a bicycling day trip or hike. Take along a picnic lunch and let your destination be a beautiful view to enjoy while you eat.

For the water loving couple: You can go for a lovely sail on a lake or river. If you have access to a nice boat, it’s possible to sail out to an island for either a picnic on the beach or lunch in lovely seaside restaurant. Make a day of it. The time spent on the water can be a wonderful way to talk and get better acquainted.

For the fine arts couple: Even in cities where you may have visited museums and other cultural locations, it’s always exciting to see them with someone new that also loves them. It may even have the effect of seeing it with a fresh eye. There are also plays that you can attend together. You may even end your date by taking turns reading to each other from a book that moves both of you.


For the fun loving couple: People that have a wonderful sense of humor usually enjoy attending comedy clubs and seeing famous comedians. This is an evening of laughter that can be quite memorable. Following the show, you may want to go out for dinner and drinks while still comparing notes on the show.

For the childlike couple: Carnivals and fairs bring out the inner child in everyone, but if you already have good contact with YOUR inner child, this will only emphasize how much fun going on carnival rides and playing games for prizes while eating a huge cone of cotton candy can be. You may even get to steal a kiss or two in the Tunnel of Love. A trip to the zoo or the circus can also bring out that childlike fun.

Nothing gets a potential relationship off to a great start like organizing an amazing first date that hits all of the high notes of the favorite things you have in common. This is the perfect way to bond with each other and start to build off of those things you have in common.

Also, don’t feel that all of your dates have to be organized. Try spontaneity on occasion and see how that works out. You can just wake up one morning and invite this person to have breakfast with you. That can begin a lovely day of playing tourist in your own city, having lunch and ending it with dinner. What could be more perfect?

Online Dating and Safety

Online dating has become an accepted way of meeting and getting to know people for friendship and prospective romantic partners. It’s so convenient to do things this way since you never have to even leave your home to get the ball rolling. You can visit a variety of online dating websites, or you can hop in and out of some dating chat rooms. It’s also possible to get acquainted with someone you’ve come into contact with in your favorite forum. There are so many ways to do this.

One of the biggest concerns with online dating, however, is the issue of safety. Most of the time this applies to women rather than men, although there are definitely some women that can be just as dangerous as the most frightening of men. In addition, it’s difficult to tell who you can trust and who you need to avoid at all costs. There’s just no sure fire way to know. That’s why safety is so very important.

While you can’t always be 100 percent positive that you’ve hooked up with someone completely trustworthy, you can at least take some sensible measures that give you an advantage in this area.

The first one of these is to never give all of your personal information right off the bat. Sure, you need to give someone your first name, but there’s no reason that you should offer your last night along with your phone number and street address. All you need to chat with each other for a while is first names. Some people even go so far as to use aliases in the beginning.

Talking online is relatively safe. You can chat privatly and get a lot of your questions answered about someone while you’re getting to know each other. When you’re ready, you can move things along by chatting via webcam. In this way, you can see each other, which can tell a lot about what someone is really like. This, too, is a great way to get acquainted while remaining safe.

When you’re ready to meet face to face, make it during the day at a very public place. It’s also a good idea to take a friend along with you. That friend can sit somewhere else where you’re in full view, or they can join you until you give the signal that you’re comfortable enough for them to leave. It’s also a good idea to use your own transportation and meet in the agreed upon location.  In this way, your address is still safe and you’ve got your own way to “escape” if you feel the need.

Never meet someone until you’re completely 100 percent comfortable with that person. There are many ways to run background checks on people these days, too. That’s something else that you may want to consider. It’s also a better idea to keep your home’s location a secret until you’ve been dating for a while. When you’re fully relaxed and confident that someone is safe for you to be seeing, then you can open up a bit more. Until then, never take anything at face value.

I Love Him but He’s a Terrible Kisser

Kissing is one of the most intimate things that two people can do with each other. It’s almost as intimate as the act of sex because you’re connected in a truly physical way, especially if you’re using your tongue. When you think about it, you can practically call it Mouth Intercourse. It’s so intimate, in fact, that there are people that will have sex with someone but won’t kiss them unless they’re in love with them.  Anyway, you get the point.

Yes, kissing is a beautiful act. However, there are a significant number of people on the earth that just don’t know how to kiss. This can, many times, be a complete turnoff for some women. They may be very attracted to a man and have all kinds of things in common with him, but the first time they kiss, he slobbers all over her face or sucks at her tongue like a vacuum cleaner. Either way, it’s not conducive to endearing him to her. The only way out of that situation is if the two of them have already formed a bond of some sort so that it’s not imperative that he knows how to kiss well.

If you’re a woman whose partner doesn’t seem to have to slightest idea of how to kiss, there are some ways to handle the situation so that it’s not a total disaster. First of all, though, you need to decide if you care enough about him to make the effort. If everything else about him is perfect, then you may want to try to see what you can do about turning his kissing into something more desirable.

Since men can be rather sensitive about such things as being told that they kiss like a Hoover, you’ll probably need to find a way to show him rather than tell him how you want to be kissed. This doesn’t have to be easier said than done, either. Pick one of those times when you’re sort of just having an impromptu make out session and play with the kissing part. If he tries to dive right in, slow him down by nibbling a bit on his bottom lip. You have to take control of the pace in order to get him to pay attention to what you’re doing.

Now, if he just refuses to follow your lead and keeps diving back in like the slobbering Hoover, you may have to tell him in words that it really turns you on to kiss slowly at first. If you can slow him down, you’re got a great chance of teaching him some new kissing techniques. Granted, he may never turn into the best kisser you’ve ever been with, but if you can get him to try out some of the new things you’re showing him, he’ll at least become more exciting as a kisser. It will also let you know that he’s open to learning new techniques, which can be applied to other parts of your love life. That’s ALWAYS handy information to have.

Signs that Your Woman is Cheating on You

 
Everyone knows that men cheat all the time. It’s almost like it’s in their DNA or something. If it’s genetic, they just can’t help themselves, right?  While that’s probably a lot of nonsense, something else to consider is that women also cheat. They may not cheat quite as much as men, but they DO step out on their men for various reasons. Sometimes they’re better at hiding it than their cheating male counterparts, though. There are signs, however, that you can look for if you think your woman may be cheating on you.

They include:

Accusing YOU of cheating: This is a way of diverting the guilt from herself to you. Even worse, is if you’ve cheated on her before, she may give herself permission to get even with you by cheating. Either way, she knows what she’s done and figures that you may be doing the same thing. 

Starting to look her best when she goes out: When you notice your partner suddenly dressing to the nines when she’s supposedly going grocery shopping or to the gym, you may want to investigate why she needs to look so gorgeous. 

Telling you she needs some space: While this doesn’t always mean she’s cheating, it can mean that she wants you out of the way so she’ll be free to meet a lover. 

Hinting that she’s not happy: If your partner is telling you things like she needs more romance in her life, and that she loves things like getting flowers and love notes, you need to take her seriously. You see, if YOU don’t hear what she’s telling you, someone ELSE WILL. 

Making a new best friend that you’ve never met: In this case, it’s not so much that she’s made a new best friend and you’ve never met this friend, it’s that she’s suddenly spending lots of time with this new friend. In addition, she always has an excuse for why it’s not a good time to meet her. 

Changing her plans at the very last minute: For example, she’s gone out for a night on the town with the new best friend that you’ve never met and calls you around midnight with some excuse for why she’s just going to crash at her friend’s place for the night. 

Your friends are telling you she’s cheating: Of course you don’t want to believe something like that, and she’s told you it’s not true. However, if more than one person tells you they know she’s cheating, it’s probably true. 

Suddenly wanting to keep close tabs on you: When your woman is cheating on you, she needs to make sure that she’s not likely to run into you while she’s doing it.

Making excuses for not having sex: This should be a huge red flag, especially if she was always raring to go in the past. Now, all of a sudden, she’s too tired, doesn’t feel well, or has the most frequent and longest periods in history.

Has no interest in the relationship: She probably doesn’t care enough to even argue with you anymore.
You may think that these are all pretty obvious signs of cheating but you would be surprised at how many of them that men actually miss.