• Women love receiving surprises in boxes of any size.gift box image by Rog999 from Fotolia.com
  
  Giving gifts to women can be pleasant for both the giver and the recipient, with a little thinking and planning ahead. While there are eight bank and public holidays in Wales each year, personal celebrations for gift-giving include birthdays, anniversaries, graduation and other special times. Always consider the person you are buying for, and take into account things like favorite colors, foods or hobbies. Keep an eye out for unique gifts throughout the year; when she opens your surprise, you'll receive an extra-big smile!
  
  

Items

• Women appreciate custom bouquets.bouquet de fleurs image by Eric BENSOUSSAN from Fotolia.com
  
  Flowers, candies, candles, books and scarves are purchased for women everywhere. Try making things different and more special by combining a few of her favorites.
  
  Tie a beautiful scarf from a boutique like Gusto Clothing in Aberystwyth around a couple of little poetry books from Waterstones or Blackwell Books. Or place three roses tied prettily on a box of chocolates from Thornton's.
  
  Rather than grabbing a ready-made bouquet, hand select fresh flowers from the neighborhood shop into a bouquet of the same color to mix with slender candles of darker shades. Try potted plants instead of flowers, especially if she has a garden. If herbs are to her liking, learn what she is missing and buy three to five small pots for her to add.
  
  Both modern and vintage jewelry can please women of all ages. Try Peers Jewellers in Llandudno or hunt for custom jewelers nearby. If she prefers sports, equipment and accessories can be found at places like Clubsport in Newtown.
  
  Traditional love spoons or fair trade items from Africa like thuya wood marquetry boxes can be found at Cadwyn Gifts. Or give a leather bag from Leather Wise in several outlets (leatherwise.net). Handpainted glassware from Rossvar make lovely gifts for the home (rossvar.co.uk/).
  
  Visit antique shops like the Antique Market in Hay-on-Wye to find unusual little treasures. Or try a music store like March Hare Music in Llandudno for instruments or music lessons.
  
  Bundle a group of cards showing scenic local photography, such as those by David Perkins of Pembrokeshire, and give them to her with a pretty writing pen to use as stationery.
  
  Check out the listings on the Wales Craft Council website to find local artisans who offer unique or custom-made items. Or visit the small, independently owned shops in Narberth and Carmarthen.
  
  If she likes art, visit galleries like Tower House in Knighton. Or send her with a box of paints and sketch pad to Aberglasney Gardens, which has been "an inspiration to poets since 1477."
  
  

Places

• Castles in Wales appeal to the romantic woman.Caerphilly Castle, Wales, UK image by pgwenlan from Fotolia.com
  
  A day of pampering at a salon will refresh any woman. If you can only manage a pedicure, take her a cup of her favorite tea while she's in the chair.
  
  Take her to see the Welsh Ballet Company in Newport. Tickets to the theater or concerts are always appreciated, but also consider special events held by places like the National Botanic Garden in Carmarthenshire.
  
  Feeling romantic? Get a paperback copy of "The Mabinogian," press a few flower petals between the pages, and take her to Harlech Castle. Gently take the book from her after she opens it, and read a chapter.
  
  Arrange an overnight or weekend stay at a resort or inn. Check out Escape in Llandudno, the Mellington Hall Hotel or Bryn Tegid Country House in Bala.
  
  

Novelties

• Virgin Experiences offers a range of lessons, from gliding to surfing. Maybe she's talked about trying her hand?
  
  If she loves supporting wildlife organizations, adopt an otter in her name through the Welsh Wildlife group.
  
  Call your local astrologer and have her put together a natal chart for the woman you hope to impress. Better yet, set her up an appointment so she can get all the details she needs. If she's into learning more, contact Nick Campion at the Sophia Centre for the Study of Cosmology in Culture at the University of Wales, Lampeter. He offers online courses and is a great resource for the all things astrology and astronomy.
  
  

Personalize

• If you have a talent for crafts, make something just for her that she won't find anywhere else. She'll cherish it for years to come. For example, make a calendar from her favorite photographs of your travels together. Some women enjoy a monogram on an evening bag, towels or a journal cover.
  
  

Tips

• Sometimes, budget constraints limit people from gift giving. But even a simple card with your own poem or thoughts in it will make her smile. Toss in a few handmade gift certificates for things like a dinner cooked by you or a date for seaside stargazing.
  
  Shopping with a sour attitude will usually bring dissatisfying results. Try to look about when you are in good spirits and can hold happy thoughts of her in mind as you do so.
  
  Avoid generic gift cards, especially if they have no personal connection to her.
  
  She'll be happier if you invest as much thought into your gift as she will likely do when it's your turn.