Posts Tagged ‘society’

Wedding Gift Ideas To Win Hearts

March 11th, 2010

The occasion of a wedding is a red letter day for anyone. Just being asked to one can cause real excitement. It is always a pleasure to see someone walk down the aisle with the hope of true love and life long joy. Picking out a wedding present can be a lot of fun as well. There are thousands of gifts that you can buy online or in retail shops.

Personalized gifts is a common fashion in weddings presents. Customized gifts bring out your originality because you can dictate the style, design and message you want to be printed on them. Items range from photo frames, mugs and clocks, among many others.

When buying presents, always keep in mind your budget but be sure to get the look you want on the goods you buy. Here are some gift ideas that would definitely be a hit:

Tapestry – It is nice to commemorate the wedding day, but how best to do this? Personalize everyday belongings by printing the couple’s portrait on them. You can have it printed on pillows, blankets or bags.

Have them printed on a tapestry wall hanging and they can be kept as heirlooms. Different coloured cotton threads can make your pictures come to life just like the photo itself.

Photo Frames – Keep your best pictures in exclusive photo frames. You can add romantic messages like ‘lovers forever” or “ideal couple”. Romantic lines from songs or poems are recommended too. You can choose from the different frames obtainable like natural wood, quality resin, or metal steel.

Private messages are mostly engraved by laser or cut out of wood. The couple would love putting there favorite wedding photos in such frames to remind them of the happiness of their special day.

T-shirts – Show your own character and thoughts by having them printed on comfortable tees. Many couples would love to demonstrate their love for each other on cute shirts. The most common of the slogans on these shirts is the letter “I” followed by a big red heart and then name of the groom or bride.

You could tell the world how you feel towards a person with such a personalized tee. If you want to be more intimate, you could even print romantic messages on lingerie or underwear.

Accessories – Women love accessories. Bracelets are perfect items for personalization. You could choose sterling silver or even 9 carat – 22 carat gold. This depends on your budget, of course. But remember, it is the thought that counts.

Common themes that are put on bracelets are the date of your wedding or your anniversary or the couple’s name. You can personalize rings and necklaces in the same way too.

Tankards – Tankards are very useful. If you are giving a gift to the groom, customizing his beer mug or wine glass would definitely be appreciated. Choose a beer mug that is not embarrassing. Pewter or glass look nice and the personal message would stand out clearly.

Clocks – You could purchase a wall clock or personal watches. Either way, you can be certain that the recipient would find them very useful. Engraving one’s name on a metal steel sports watch is an eye catcher too. A pocket watch would be just as appreciated.

Looking for wedding gifts can be very enjoyable. Personalizing your gifts would add a special touch to each present. No matter the value of the gift, remember that it is always the thought that matters most.

Owen Jones, the writer of this article, writes on many topics, but is currently involved with Romantic Gifts: Ideas. If you have an interest in romantic gifts, please go over to our website now at Romantic Gifts: Ideas

Chocolate For The Chocoholic

March 2nd, 2010

I have a few questions for you first of all. Do you like chocolate? Or does it go further than that? Do you love chocolate are you what is called a chocoholic? And lastly, was that attitude fashioned by store-bought chocolate such as Mars Bars, Galaxy and Snickers?

I posed all those questions because, if you love chocolate and all you have ever tried is store-bought chocolate, you have a real surprise waiting for you one day. A thoroughly agreeable revelation. One day you will taste gourmet chocolate and it will bowl you over. It will make you regret all those days of your life that you had not known it.

Gourmet chocolate is to a Mars Bar what fillet mignon is to a ham sandwich or what champagne is to cheap wine. It sounds as if I am running Mars Bars down and I guess I am in a way, but I do believe that they have their place in the hierarchy of the realm of chocolate, it is just not near the top and when you have tasted gourmet chocolate, you will agree with me.

You will see the light and come to understand that perhaps you used to eat store chocolate for the sugar rush and not for the chocolate, because the store kind is, in fact, a very adulterated copy of the real thing. If you do not believe me, look at the contents list on the back of the wrapper.

Dark chocolate is produced by adding fat and sugar to the cacao mixture. The U.S. Government calls this “sweet chocolate”, and demands a 15% concentration of chocolate liquor. European regulations stipulate a minimum of 35% cocoa solids. It does not sound very much, does it? (By the way, chocolate liquor is like lumpy custard and if you pulverize the lumps and remove most of the fat, you get cocoa solids).

This is why European chocolate has a better name than American chocolate in general, although there are excellent gourmet chocolate manufacturers in the USA (called chocolatiers; like a chef is to haute cuisine)..

Some inexpensive chocolates are even blended with wax and most bakery chocolate products have very little, if any, real chocolate in them! They contain mostly sugar of one kind or another and “partially hydrogenated palm oil.” On the other hand, gourmet chocolate will echo the quality of the ingredients, which includes high quality cocoa beans, no preserving agents or vegetable fats (other than cocoa butter) and sugar, which is also a preserving agent, should only be used in moderation.

Some chocolate is made from only one kind of bean, just like some wine is made from one kind of gape and some whisky is single malt, but most is made from a blend of several varieties of beans again lust like the cheaper wines and whiskeys. Fine chocolate has a far greater percentage of cocoa butter, and will be more highly refined.

Aficionados of gourmet chocolate are like connoisseurs of fine wines and single malt whiskies, they appreciate the object of their attention. In time, they can talk about the advantages of one bean or process over another. If you want to go down this route, you could join one of the many good gourmet chocolate clubs on the Internet

Owen Jones, the author of this piece, writes on many subjects, but is currently involved with Gourmet Chocolate Gifts. If you have an interest in romantic gifts, please go over to our website now at Romantic Gifts Ideas

A Romantic Vacation in St. Thomas, UVI

February 26th, 2010

If you and your partner are interested in a romantic vacation, you may have a difficult time deciding on a locality because there is such a large number of break destinations to choose from. However, I would like to propose St. Thomas, in the US Virgin Islands, which lies in the Caribbean.

St. Thomas is well-known for its romantic holidays. Hundreds of thousands of couples have been vacationing in St. Thomas in order to enjoy a private, intimate, and romantic break. If you are wondering why St. Thomas is such as wonderful place for romantic breaks, you ought to read more about St. Thomas on their official Internet web site.

The Caribbean, in general, is well known for its wonderful, tropical weather and this sort of setting is many couples’ ideal romantic getaway. The lovely weather means unmatched opportunities for swimming and other beach activities. If seeing all the good-looking people in their swimming costumes does not turn you on then nothing will!.

However, do not think that St. Thomas is only intended for younger people. It caters very well for people of all age groups, although some areas are ‘adults only’. So, if you will have to check up on any age restrictions on some of the private beaches. Some may be Club 18-30, others may not admit under 18 year olds.

The ‘adults only’ resorts in St. Thomas are perfect for romantic holidays. The hotel rooms in these resorts are also of a higher class. Many of them have ocean views and large in room baths or jacuzzis. If you can get hold of one these rooms, you may not even care to go outside.

However, if you do want to venture outside, many of St. Thomas’ beach resorts offer exceptional opportunities for all kinds of water sports like boat trips, snorkeling and assisted scuba diving tours. If you are not water-orientated or you want to try something on land then there is horseback riding too. Horse riding along the coast is very popular. Many resorts have their own specialist activities, so when you book your holiday, make sure you check out what is available to you in that district.

There are abundant opportunities for shopping and sight-seeing on your own as well. You could hire a car and journey up the coast or inland to one of the national parks, where you may see wildlife or find a secluded restaurant serving delectable local food.

Last, but definitely not least, in the list of romantic things to do in St. Thomas in the US Virgin Islands is to get wed. There are fewer restrictions on marriage for American couples than on mainland America. The only observances are a $50 fee and an eight day posting of bans to declare your intention to wed. You can get married at almost any time of the day or night. So, a sunset wedding on the beach is easily workable and is, in fact, one of the most popular romantic reasons for young couples coming to St. Thomas.

Owen Jones writes on many subjects, but is currently involved with romantic men’s perfume. If you have an interest in romantic gifts, please go over to our website now at Romantic Gifts Ideas You are welcome to reprint this article – but get your own unique content version here.

How To Make Up A Healthy Gift Basket

February 25th, 2010

Nowadays, everyone is extremely aware of the benefits of eating properly and the penalty of excess. This is one of the reasons why a healthy gift basket is a great idea for a gift. Going ‘healthy’ does not mean that the gift basket cannot be enjoyable, individual and beautiful. If your loved one likes nuts, then buy nuts, but unsalted ones in their shells. You see? It only takes a little lateral thinking.

Kids may appear to be hard to please on the subject of healthy gift baskets, because children love candy and sugar, but there are many healthy snacks, which have a little less sugar. For example, jam-filled biscuits contain sugar, but they also contain fruit. The same goes for oatmeal raisin cookies.

Put in a few energy bars from the health food shop made from grains, fruit, honey, raisins and nuts and you may not have cut down on the calories, but you have increased the goodness of the foodstuff. An unusual fruit from the Indian Supermarket, like a passion fruit, a star fruit or a papaya might go down well too and impart extra vitamins.

If you are facing giving a healthy gift basket to a teenager, you may do well to remember that teens worry about their appearance. The get bad skin and spots. So you could prepare a healthy gift basket which included fresh fruit, pimple cream and skin cleanser with rose-scented bath bags for girls, and shaving kits for boys (or vice versa).

If you are giving a healthy gift basket to an elderly person, then keep in mind that many older people often suffer with dietary problems and aches and pains, so the older you get, the more you value healthy treats. Gourmet chocolate, fine quality drinking chocolate, bath salts and peppermints would surely be cherished. Single leaf tea is also an idea, say, Lapsong Suchong.

If you are thinking about giving a healthy gift basket to your parents, why not? Mum may well appreciate a variety of anti-wrinkle skin creams, cocoa butter or glycerin soap and bath salts. Many shops stock oils beneficial to mature skin. Gourmet chocolate will also be appreciated as will rarer nuts and fruits. Rose water is a good addition too.

And Dad? Well, you know him best. Is he sporty and health orientated or is he into work and relaxation? Does he take pleasure in fishing or golf? Does he like bar-b-queing? Does he enjoy expensive, single malt whisky – the non-guzzling variety? Does he like the occasional beer? If so, you could get him a few foreign beers that he has never tried before. Chocolate liqueurs are usually a firm favourite as well. Stem ginger is a popular luxury with those men who are aware of its existence.

Perhaps a few magazines on his favourite subject (no, not Penthouse) or a couple of tickets to a game. A joint basket for Mum and Dad is probably easier and then you can send them to the theatre or/and a restaurant too. A healthy one, naturally.

Owen Jones, the author of this article, writes on many subjects, but is currently involved with Valentine’s Day Gift Baskets. If you have an interest in romantic gifts, please go over to our website now at Romantic Gifts Ideas

Dating for Single Dads

February 25th, 2010

Can a separated Dad be a great father? Sure, but maybe a divorced man should also ask Why are you saying that? Just because you’re not divorced, it does not mean that you are a great father. It’s really such a pity that our society considers someone as a dead beat parent just because he’s divorced. There are a lot of fantastic divorced fathers out there and you can learn a lot from them.

Realizing the Situation… You have got to understand that children suffer greatly from having only one parent. It could be because they had angry parents, or because of separation anxiety or any number of things: it’s tough for children whose parents are divorced, getting divorced, or who are single.

Preserving a relationship with the children require sacrifice. Usually, both mother and father have to be able to set aside their differences long enough to inspect the damage that they have both caused to their children. More often than not, parents get so engrossed with their emotional pain that they fail to notice that their children suffer even more than they do.

If you are a single parent this is very difficult. Dating for Dads and dating for mothers is the answer – don’t rush into things, but children need two parents and when you’re ready, you should get another partner.

Studies show that when two parents make a conscious effort to stay close to each other, then they have more successful and stable children. What more do you need to know? Children require two parents. Never think that dating for single dads is out of the question. In fact, it is important for the kids. You know it is, don’t you?

Study: To make the importance of a father being close to his children more obvious, the State University of Arizona conducted a study of college students whose parents were divorced. The researchers observed personality, emotional and mental maturity, health, and even interest in school and success. The researchers found evidence that supports the idea that whichever parent had primary custody, it is certain that children need access to adults of both sexes. Widow(er)s need to get back into society for the sake of their children and the,selves.

Findings: The results are quite surprising. Statistical evidence clearly shows that children whose parents are separated have healthier and more mature relationships than their parents and make a conscious effort of keeping the family together.

Just over 60% of the children involved in the study asserted that their mother or, whoever had primary custodianship over them, moved them at least an hour’s drive away from where the other parent lived. The students were particularly worried about getting caught in the crossfire. Furthermore, when they stayed with one parent, future financial help (like for school or college) lessened. For example, if they stayed with Dad, Mum gave less when college came, and vice versa. So, the fact is that the 1 hour distance between them already had a negative effect on the children.

Emotional upheaval cannot be avoided, but a keener inspection of the kids showed that those whose parents kept them close have a healthier disposition emotionally and mentally.

Summary: All in all, the case study shows that divorce does affect children. The way the parents treat each other and the distance they live from their children does have a significant impact that could determine whether the child succeeds or not. It is difficult to make friends with an ex-wife after all that has been said and done, but it will be more difficult for you as a divorced dad, when in the future, you see your children suffer the consequences of your actions.

As a separated Dad, it is your responsibility, to yourself and your children to make the supreme sacrifice of making the first step of keeping close.

Unmarried men are in great demand, so if you want to know who’s looking for you in your area, please go to our web site http://dating.the-real-way.com

Valentine’s Day for Single Young Women

February 22nd, 2010

Some people do not like being alone on St. Valentine’s Day. Younger women in particular feel that being alone on St. Valentine’s Day bears a stigma, which makes them feel depressed and abandoned. But just because someone is not in a relationship, it does not mean they cannot have a good time. I will give a couple of suggestions below to help you have a time to remember.

1] Call up all your single girlfriends and go clubbing. Many young men like to dance every now and again or to their favourite songs, but they do not want to dance non-stop. On the other hand, young women often do like to dance non-stop, so you may have a better time without a boyfriend in a nightclub.

2] Another good idea for single girls on Valentine’s Day is to give a movie night at your home. You could invite over all of your single friends and hire a few comedies. Instead of being gloomy and miserable, you and your friends can watch the movies and take the rise out of the characters in the film.

Hire a few horror movies too for an extra special night. Lots of young people like horror films. They like to have a scream and hide their faces behind their friends’ backs. Treat the evening like a proper night at the movies and get popcorn, snacks, ice cream and cola, etc in.

3] You could hold a singles party. Invite all of your single friends and tell them they have to bring a friend of the opposite sex. Buy or borrow some of those games that make you answer personal questions like ‘Forfeits’ and ‘Twister’, where you have to put your hands and feet on different coloured spots on a plastic mat.

‘Mr and Mrs’ is another game where you ask one half of a ‘couple’ questions about the other in his absence. He has to corroborate the replies when he is invited back into the room. The answers could be side-splitting, because the contestants will not know each other well.

3] Hire a table in a non-romantic restaurant and get eight or more girlfriends to go out for a meal. Once the atmosphere starts building, it can become great fun and you could go dancing later.

4] You could arrange a visit to the theatre and have a meal afterwards. Most people do not go to the theatre every year, so going with your friends on St. Valentine’s Day would make the day truly unforgettable.

5] You could make up a basket of your favourite things. Include some really special things like gourmet chocolate or other gourmet candy. Get something luxurious to drink that is appropriate to your age. Then you can pig out on your favourite foods and drink and watch a few films on your own or with your sister or other family member like a favourite cousin.

There are many things you can do to enjoy Valentine’s Day as a single girl, there’s no need to mope around feeling sorry for yourself at all.

Owen Jones, the writer of this piece, writes on many topics, but is currently involved with Gourmet Chocolate Candy. If you have an interest in romantic gifts, please go over to our website now at Romantic Gifts Ideas

Valentine’s Day Gifts For Your Girlfriend

February 21st, 2010

It is a fact that a lot of men become awfully stressed out when the time comes to go looking for a Valentine’s Day gift for their girlfriends. This is more often than not because they are concerned about picking an inappropriate gift. They are concerned about giving a gift that will be misinterpreted for the current stage of the relationship.

If they have just started dating their girlfriend, they may worry that an expensive present may be inappropriate, but at the same time, do not want to risk giving a present that will make their girlfriend think that they are stingy.

This dilemma makes buying a present for your girlfriend for St. Valentine’s Day a difficult task. I will endeavor to give a couple of essential suggestions below to help you get started choosing a fitting gift for your girlfriend for St. Valentine’s Day.

The first thing you have to do when trying to settle on a Valentine?s Day present for your girlfriend is to consider what stage of the relationship you are currently in. This is very vital because it will decree which kind of present you can give to your girlfriend. If you and your girlfriend have been going out with each other for a long time and you are quite confident that you are both loyal to each other, you can consider an extravagant gift.

However, if you have only been dating for a short period and you are not sure where the relationship is heading, you might want to consider a less elaborate gift. There are no two ways about it, you have to weigh up your relationship, but you must also bear in mind that she might not think the same way as you.

You may feel that everything is going well and that the two of you are strongly committed, but she may feel as though the relationship is going nowhere. If you are having difficulties working out where you both stand, talk to your girlfriend about it. She will like that anyway and it will help to assure the two of you that you feel the same way about each other.

Flowers are the old stand-by and are an ideal gift for a man to give his girlfriend on St. Valentine’s Day, whether it is a new relationship or not. It is also such an easy gift because it is so widely associated with Valentine’s Day that it is not likely to misinterpretation. A gift of a dozen red roses is considered a romantic gift but it is also familiar enough that your girlfriend is not likely to read too much into it.

However, there is a common mistake associated with roses on Valentine’s Day. For example, your girlfriend may be upset and saddened by a gift of yellow roses because yellow roses are usually meant to be a symbol of friendship and not romantic love, so speak to the florist.

Jewelry is an apt gift to give to your girlfriend on Valentine’s Day so long as the cost and type of the present is proportionate to the current phase of your relationship. This is not so complicated, it is black and white really. Ask yourself the question: ‘Is she worth $100?’.

However, a good middle of the road, romantic gift would be a box of expensive gourmet chocolates. It shows that you care enough to have sought out such a rare present, to have spent more than a few dollars and that you think she is sophisticated enough to appreciate them. She will love them, even if she is on a diet.

Owen Jones, the author of this piece, writes on many subjects, but is currently involved with Gourmet Chocolate Gifts. If you have an interest in romantic gifts, please go over to our website now at Romantic Gifts Ideas

The Origins Of Chocolate

February 13th, 2010

The Theobroma Cacao or ‘the food of the Gods’ is what we all know as the cocoa tree. It’s origin can be traced back to South America’s rain forests, particularly to Central America, although historians are still debating over certain facts with regard to this tree.

It is suggested that the Mayans first grew the cacao tree in 300 AD, although others point to inadequate evidence that it was grown or at least harvested in around 3,000 BC. The Aztecs also used the cacao, but from about 1100 AD.

The chocolate (drink) that we all know today was called ‘xocoatl’. It was a very exclusive beverage that was made with cacao, chilies, anise seed, vanilla, corn meal and some other spices. It is believed that only royalty were allowed to drink it and then only from golden chalices, which were to be used for the purpose only once.

The cacao tree is very sensitive to its environment and it most often grows in the shade of the rain forest canopy. If only for this reason alone, chocolate lovers should join forces with the environmentalists to save the rain forests so that the cacaos will continue to exist.

This tree is unusual because its fruits grow directly on its branches and trunk; midges cause the pollination of the flowers during the night time.

The cacao tree is very prolific, but not very fruitful. It can have approximately 10,000 blossoms, but only about 10 to 50 of those will mature into fruits or pods. This is thought to be because the cacao tree can adjust the number of blossoms that will mature according to its ability to handle the energy loss of bearing fruit or pods.

The cacao tree regulates itself in this way to preserve its health. Too many pods might exhaust its energy so much that it could not survive a viral or insect attack or too many ripe pods might snap off its branches.

The cocoa beans grow within the pod, the fruit of the blossom. Harvesters wait for the pod to ripen. They will then break open the pods and take out the seeds, which are surrounded by a white pulp. This is thrown away these days, but it is thought that many years ago it was fermented into an alcoholic drink for ceremonial occasions. The beans are the source of chocolate, although there is plenty to do yet..

The seeds are very bitter at this point and it is for this reason that they will go through a procedure of fermentation for between three and seven days. This causes the seeds to go through chemical as well as physical changes. The result of this was used for the royal drink, the ‘xocoatl’.

However, to turn it into what we recognize as chocolate, the fermented beans need to go through several more procedures. Processes by the name of: drying, cleaning, roasting, grading, opening, separation, grinding and liquefying.

After liquefying, you have unadulterated chocolate in the form of chocolate liquor. This is sold to chocolate manufacturers and the good ones make high-quality chocolate from it and the bad ones adulterate it so much that it is hardly chocolate any more.

Owen Jones, the author of this piece, writes on many topics, but is currently involved with Gourmet Chocolate Candy. If you have an interest in romantic gifts, please go over to our website now at Romantic Gifts: Ideas

Romantic Cruises In Paris

February 12th, 2010

If you are feeling romantic and you want to be alone with your loved one in a romantic place far from petty distractions, why not go to Paris and take a cruise? The cruise ships are beautiful and offer haute cuisine with fine wines and a wide range of dishes. Service on board is excellent and if they know that it is a special trip for you, they will go out of their way to make it even more special.

Just by selecting the city of Paris as your venue, you will be conveying the impression of romance, because as everybody knows, Paris has the reputation of being the capital of the world of romance.

So, how do you go about booking one of these cruises? Well, clearly, first of all, you have to be in Paris. This is not a difficulty, if you live in Europe as there are flights and sleeper trains. If you are American, you will have to take the longer-term view and start saving for next year.

Once in your hotel in Paris, you can either ask reception for details or go to one of the many Tourist Information Centres, where everybody speaks English. The cruise line staff will pick you up from your hotel on the chosen day, so that you will not have the hassle of having to find your way through a strange, busy city on your own.

Once on board, the pampering starts with your welcoming on board and a complimentary drink to ignite the fires of romance. You will enjoy four or more hours of this, depending on which cruise you decide on, but they are all wonderfully romantic voyages aboard beautiful cruise liners.

Generally speaking, the cruise will start on the left bank of the river Seine, usually in the vicinity of the Eiffel Tower. Some of these boats are made of a kind of perspex, so that your view of the streets and monuments is unimpeded. And of course, all the sights are lit up at night and in quite a spectacular manner too. You will also be able to gaze downwards into the water itself.

As you cruise on this glass boat you will be entertained by some of the finest musicians that Paris can offer you. Solo instrumentalists; quartets; classical music; solo artiste singers or a duet. There are also cruises with more modern music as well, but I don’t find them as romantic as the more traditional stuff. However, you can take all these details into account when you book your romantic cruise in Paris.

You will not only pass by celebrated landmarks, you will also pass very close by them and even underneath them. Famous bridges; Notre Dame; the Louvre, and many more. Not only that, but you will see all these fantastic historical monuments while being pampered by the best hosts that Paris has to offer and drinking fine wines and champagne, seated at the bow of the cruiser in luxury.

Once your romantic cruise and your meal are over, you will be taken to a lavish show on the Champs Elysees, where you will be given a half bottle of champagne on entry. There is no need to worry about driving, so let your hair down and enjoy yourselves.

When you have had enough of the high life, you will be taken back to your hotel, in the same manner that you were picked up. However, there are other options too. You may want to go back to the hotel on a romantic horse and carriage, it will sustain that romantic mood.

Once you get back to your hotel, why not both get in the bath together? Light a few scented candles, open another bottle of wine and play some soft music. It will be an evening you will both remember for the rest of your lives, I assure you.

Owen Jones writes on many subjects, but is currently involved with Valentine’s Day Gift Baskets. If you have an interest in romantic gifts, please go over to our website now at Romantic Gifts Ideas Get a totally unique version of this article from our article submission service

Choosing Perfume For Someone

February 6th, 2010

A person’s scent is a unique way of expressing oneself. Some people choose the perfume they wear depending on their frame of mind, some wear one perfume during the day and another in the evening, while many people choose to wear the same perfume all the time. Others have a favourite, very expensive scent that they wear only on special occasions.

Whatever someone does, the choice is a personal one. Some people use a scent like a personal brand, so that whenever you get a whiff of that particular bouquet, you instinctively think of that one person. My mother used a scent called ‘Wild Gorse’ made by the monks on Caldy Island in west Wales for this reason. Very, very few other people had that scent, as you had to go to the island to buy it.

It is almost impossible to choose perfume for someone you do not know, unless you go for a famous, expensive name like Chanel No. 5. There are few women who would turn down a bottle of that, even if it was not their favourite fragrance. The more you know the person the easier it should get, in theory at least.

So, how do you know which scents are going to be a welcome gift? That is the $65k question. There are a number of ways that reduce the odds of you making a slip-up. You could take a sneak look on their dressing table to see what that person wears already.

If you think far enough ahead, you could bring it up in conversation with an off-hand compliment like: ‘Oh, what a lovely scent/after shave! I like that. What is it called?’. But you have to do it weeks before you need the information.

Or you could choose a scent that brings a special memory to mind, like the perfume that was worn on their wedding day, anniversary, or graduation day. Perfumes like these bring back pleasant memories and make them feel good by association. If you are not a bosom buddy of the one you want to buy for, you could ask their friends’ advice.

If you want to give a present of scent to someone that you want to remember you by, why not invite them out for a meal or a show and a meal and present the perfume in the restaurant? Most perfumes lose their potency after four or five hours, which is why many women top up every now and again with a spray from their handbags. Very few men do this.

So, if you give the perfume later on in the evening, there is less chance of it clashing with what they are already wearing, meaning that someone is more likely to dab a bit on there and then, thereby associating the bouquet in their memory with the night you took them out. Just make sure it was a good night out.

If all of the above fails, then most department stores offer scent gift sets which include the scent , a powder and body wash. These scent gift boxes are a respectable option, even if the person only wears it to go to bed or around the house.

Owen Jones, the writer of this piece, writes on many topics, but is currently involved with men’s perfume. If you have an interest in romantic gifts, please go over to our website now at Romantic Gifts: Ideas