Dating expert Dan, from The Modern Man, said that everyone places a different level of importance on gifts.

"Some people really don't like gift-giving and just want their presence to be the present. Others participate because they assume it's the right thing to do, whereas others do it because it really means a lot to them and is a token of their love," he told Bored Panda.

According to Dan, "in its purest form," gift-giving is "an expression of love and appreciation for the other person." Though he added: "Yet gifts can also be used to fit in, be liked, show off, gain favor, and so on." 

Bored Panda was curious about how men can still surprise their partners if they feel like they've already done everything and they're starved for original ideas. Dating expert Dan noted that all of this depends on three factors: the age of the woman, what she thinks of gifts, and how long the couple has been together.

"For a younger couple in their teens, a teddy bear, a cute trinket, or an inexpensive piece of jewelry is usually something a girl will cherish receiving from her boyfriend. It doesn't need to be any more original than that when in a very young relationship," he said.

"For a couple in their 20s that have been together for many years, it can be a wide range of things," Dan told Bored Panda that some examples might include "perfume, luxury pajamas with slippers, a puppy or kitten, tickets to a stage show she has been wanting to see, along with a gift voucher for her to buy a dress at her favorite store, etc."

"For a married couple who've been together for over a decade, it can also be a wide range of things depending on the woman's interests," Dan from The Modern Man said.

Some gift ideas include: "Scented candles, a handy charging station for all her devices rather than just having them strewn everywhere in a mess on her bedside table, a new set of high-quality pots and pans, perfume and moisturizer from the same brand in a pack, a painter's startup kit (e.g. easel, palette, paints, canvasses) so she can try out painting as a hobby,"

The obvious needs to be said: giving gifts feels gooooood! People are incredibly social beings, and our brains reward us for cooperating with others and being kind. We are, essentially, hardwired to care about others and form long-lasting bonds. Nearly all cultures also value altruism in some shape or form as well.

However, at the same time, we’ve got a competing instinct at play. One that deals with mistrust and survival.

Psychotherapist Silva Neves explained to Bored Panda some time ago that these two instincts—kindness and survival—are in competition with each other. There’s always that nagging thought at the back of your head or in the pit of your stomach that, hey, your kindness might somehow backfire on you. That’s just how things are. However, that only means that choosing to be kind shows just how much we truly care about others.

“Being kind is good for us because it gives us a sense of purpose, it raises our self-esteem, and it releases feel-good brain chemicals,” the mental health specialist told Bored Panda a while back.

“It [kindness] is also good for others, obviously. So kindness is actually something that we, humans, are naturally driven to. The sense of kindness is in competition with our survival mode, so, as human beings, we tend to live in contradiction, between kindness (opening our arms) and protection (closing our arms).”

Altruism, kindness, and generosity can take many different forms. The most obvious is giving someone a gift, however big or small you feel it ‘needs’ to be. Even something as seemingly ‘insignificant’ as an apple, a piece of candy, or a handwritten note can make someone’s day. Meanwhile, a gift that is meaningful, practical, and fulfills your partner’s long-held dreams is definitely going to make them smile and jump with joy (tears are optional).

Usually, it’s the meaning behind the gift rather than the present itself that is responsible for all of that happiness, countless hugs, and endless ‘thank yous.’ You’re showing your partner that you care about them. That you’re thinking about them. That you’re going the extra mile to put them first. Self-sacrifice, perceptiveness, and the ability to keep your surprise a secret are very attractive qualities, in our opinion.

At the very core of generosity is a very simple premise (that is incredibly hard to live by, truth be told). In short, when you’re being kind to someone, you should do so without any expectations. That means that you’re giving someone your time, attention, and resources without asking for anything in return. Whether overtly or in your own mind.

It’s not truly a gift if you want something in return… or if you’re only doing it for the sake of improving your social standing. You might get thanked, get a gift in reciprocation, or improve your reputation either way, but these things should never be your goal.

Put yourself in your loved one’s shoes. Think about their goals, ambitions, hopes, and dreams. Consider what kind of gift would make you happy as well. And if you’re ever in need of some light inspiration, you can always look to the internet for help.

A completely original gift is practically impossible, but that doesn’t mean that your present can’t be uniquely tailored to your relationship. It’s perfectly fine to use a good idea you spot elsewhere, so long as you put a personal twist on things!