12 Sweet Things To Do For Your Girlfriend (Before The Holiday Season Gets Nuts)
Say 'I love you' in these romantic ways.
Getty I love the holidays as much as the next guy, but what I don't look forward to is the craziness of the season.
The spirit of the holiday season can flip from magical to miserable with just one stressful trip to the mall.
Fighting the crowds and sorting through all of the different buying options can be a real pain.
Most guys have a hunt it down, kill it and drag it home buying method. We don't like a lot of stores and stress, and we really struggle with knowing how to get something that will light up our girlfriend’s heart.
So, if you find yourself wondering what to get your girlfriend for Christmas, I’ll save you the trouble by doing the work for you.
(Actually, I got all of these ideas from my wife, who may be more in touch with what your girlfriend's heart desires than either you and I are likely to be.)
Here are 12 sweet things you can do for your girlfriend before the holiday season gets nuts that say, "I love you" more than any gift from the mall.
1. Take time to learn about her holiday traditions
We all have family holiday traditions that are as unique as our families are. Share your childhood holiday memories with each other.
If your relationship is moving toward a lifetime commitment, talk about what holiday traditions you might want to carry on, and which ones you want to kick to the curb.
2. Help her put out her decorations
Dig through the dust of the garage and pull out her box of holiday decorations. Offer to help, or just be a good boyfriend and be with her, as she engages in what may be a treasured tradition of decking the halls.
And don't forget to do some "ooo'ing" and "ahhh'ing" over the ornament her little brother made in kindergarten or the tarnished silver star that Grandma and Great Grandma had used on their trees.
3. Build a fire and cozy up with her
Whether it's flipping the switch on the gas fireplace or hauling in the wood for the stove, a fire warms the body and the heart.
Take time to sit, talk and enjoy the quiet ambiance. Let the world keep spinning as you enjoy solitude.
4. Get into her favorite holiday music
Maybe you could do without the cheesy Christmas tunes that are sometimes played too much. However, indulge her sentimentalities. Many girls love holiday music.
There's something about classic Christmas tunes that stir the soul.
5. Call for a spontaneous coffee date
Stability is awesome, but predictability can get boring. Surprise her with a random call for a cuppa Joe. We all love warming our chilly hands on a hot cup of coffee. Hot chocolate piled ridiculously high with whipped cream warms a girl's heart.
Bonus: be there to kiss the whip off her nose if need be.
6. Cook a romantic dinner
Surprise your gal with dinner and a drink. When she enters her kitchen after working or shopping all day, she'll be delighted by the scent of a home cooked meal (even if you’re cooking skills aren’t great.)
The thought will go a million miles and a trillion kisses.
7. Be her secret Santa
We all love little presents. I don't care what language she speaks, gifts work! A trinket a day will delight her. Have fun with the gifts, as well as their presentation. Which gifts for your girlfriend are the best?
Try candy, earrings, a poem, a fun pair of socks or glittery nail polish. What about a little toy? We're never too old, right? Be a silly Santa.
8. Get tickets to a local holiday show
Whether it's a program at church, a play in the city, or the annual Christmas parade down Main Street, it will delight most girls.
Get bundled up or put on the glam, whatever floats her boat.
9. Take a day trip to the mountains, or the beach
Get away from the hustle and bustle and spend some time in the snow or waves. A nice drive to the coast or the snowy mountains lends itself to great conversation and childlike fun when you've made it to your destination.
Novelty promotes a bit of a dopamine hit ... enjoy!
10. Let her pick the movie
Get cozy and watch a great chick flick. Yes, she gets to pick. Yes, it may be sappy. Yes, you can endure this, with a smile.
She'll love your willingness to relinquish the clicker.
11. Help her with the holiday shopping
Whether it's finding the perfect gift for Uncle Scrooge or choosing your matching sweaters for the annual ugly sweater party at work. If the mall during Christmas traumatizes you, join her in cyber shopping. Grab a glass of wine or a hot cocoa and shop till her heart's content.
She may just drop a few hints at what she may like in her stocking.
12. Ask, and care, how her day has been
Sounds like a no-brainer but we often forget, especially when life gets hectic. If your honey matters, then everything about her day matters.
If it was a lousy day, she doesn't need you to fix it or find a solution to some problem. She just needs you to hear her. Ask and listen.
If you’re wondering how to be a good boyfriend during the holidays, try out these 12 sweet gestures.
They will make your girlfriend feel special and loved during the hectic holiday season.
If your relationship is relatively new, these can all be super fun ways to get closer to knowing if she's the one. If you want this girl to stick around, you've got to enter into her world.
Staying connected during the busy times of life is not always easy. It takes a commitment to emotional connection.
Michael W. Regier, Ph.D. is a clinical psychologist and Certified Emotionally Focused Couples Therapist and EFT Supervisor in Visalia, California. He and his wife Paula are authors of the book, Emotional Connection: The Story & Science of Preventing Conflict & Creating Lifetime Love.