Science and romance are not two words that one would usually put together, but in today’s society where every little aspect of our lives is subject to scientific observation and investigation of one sort of another, books are appearing that dissect romance and explore it from the perspective of all sorts of difficult rules. Now, would it be old-fashioned to suggest that this seems, well, a little bit cynical? After all, what happened to all those black and white films where love and romance were all powerful entities that swept everyone away without explanation? Well now it’s been replaced by biological, psychological and every other type of explanation that you could possibly want. Very well, so if we fall in love, or are attracted to people for scientific reasons what about perpetuating romance. Take Valentine’s Day for example and the millions of gifts and cards that are given worldwide – can science tell you what would absolutely be the best gift to give?

Of course it couldn’t. Well, maybe it could. The solution would most likely involve a number of different words that have far too many syllables, all boiling down to one simple thing, ‘think about what you are going to give and who you are going to give it to’. Despite what others would try and convince us giving a gift is not a scientific thing because people like different things. Obviously some things are easy, don’t buy a hot air balloon ride if your partner has vertigo but there is no way of saying why one person thinks that receiving flowers is a beautiful, thoughtful thing, and another thinks of it as a nauseating cliché, how one would go about finding the solution in a scientific form I do not know, but people try and explain these things.

Surely, though, the thing about romance is that it shouldn’t be explained. Sometimes the best gifts are completely unsuited but they are received with so much more affection because of the effort that went into them, even if the thought was misguided, or if the individual receiving a gift had already had one exactly like it the year before. It is, after all, the thought that counts. Absolutely the best way of picking a gift, of perpetuating a romance, is to just try and do what you think is best, chances are, even if you get it wrong, it will be received warmly because a gift is only as worthy as the feeling that it demonstrates.

So, ignoring the science of romance and all the other explanations, when it comes down to looking for a gift all you have to do is give it some thought. If it’s a birthday or Christmas then asking what would be ideal is surely allowed – even if you then discount it completely and go with your own judgement, but if you are looking for an impromptu, unexpected gift then you’re going to have go with your own judgement. Sometimes the best thing to do is to look through a number of different options, websites like Not On The High Street offer all sorts different birthday gifts and other presents from pashminas to personalised perfume oils and you might see a nifty present that suits the recipient exactly.

Of course, there is the surefire romantic gift of an overflowing bouquet of flowers...if you're stuck for Cassanovea-like ideas, then have a look at Interflora's website for flowers, flower delivery and handy florist advice. There's also (and this requires a little creativity) new photo books that you can buy on the Asda site. You can gather all your lovey-dovey pictures together and put them all in a book that's printed so it looks completely professional. Pop it on the coffee table so that all can see your love in pictures. How sweet...

 

Office co-workers often have a 'white elephant' strategy during important Holiday periods where everyone buys something for someone else at a set price. This kind of “Secret Santa” present buying can be tricky. Some people manage to make such gifts look effortless, while others struggle with the idea of having no set agenda. Depending on the way the gift exchange at your office or workplace is organised you may know who you're buying for even if you don't know them particularly well. This makes the task slightly easier given approximate age range, sex and your recipients personal sense of style, and simply looking around the person's desk may give you clues as to their likes and sometimes hobbies. For example, if your recipient is a family person, why not invest in a stylish photo frame that will show off those that they love the most in an elegant form?

If you don't know the recipient so well, one of the golden rules is to observe that they will know who bought the gift, and if it is not a well-rounded type of gift that would suit most people (bear in mind, in these situations, no one is expecting miracles!) your impression on them and their friends will be set in stone. For example when dealing with recipients you don't know remember that second guessing that the 'novelty' present that you find hilarious will be equally appreciated by them is never a good idea. You may find a singing soft toy dog entertaining and funny but others may not. At all.

If however your “Secret Santa” means your gift goes into a 'hat', where everyone chooses a gift at random, you're faced with a tougher challenge but there are still ways around this. There are ways to buy unusual gifts within the set range that do not send out the wrong message and that no one will forget. Gift sites such as NotOnTheHighStreet offer a huge range of unusual gift ideas for every taste and budget (they're also a great resource for birthday gifts!) Looking in sections of these sites that are most appropriate to where you work, your type of job and the average age range within the office means you can't go wrong. Buying practical gifts that everyone in your office uses, or opting for a modern take on a basic office need (e.g. a desktop CD holder) is a practical approach to a difficult situation.

In either of these situations avoid gifts that can involve food - if you don't know who is going to get your gift you don't want to give the person with a nut allergy some chocolate peanuts or the person who has hay fever a pot plant.

One last consideration when buying Holiday gifts is not to buy a trinket that is associated with the holiday itself. If you work in a large office remember that not everyone celebrates the same occasions throughout the calendar, and you do not want to offend anyone. Steer clear of holiday slogans and Yule all be happy!

There is often a lot of confusion that surrounds buying the right gift for a wedding. The most important thing to remember is that it is not necessary to buy a gift although it is considered polite. If you have been invited to the wedding your presence alone should be enough, but in these times of present lists and high expectations you may still feel compelled to buy something.

The tradition of wedding gifts derives from days when couples married and were leaving home for the first time. In these times it was fine to buy table linen or bedding since neither would have owned these items and price was not relevant in lieu of the practical nature of the gift.

However, most couples these days already have the basic requirements for a house and for this reason the wedding list has come into fashion. Also moving with the times, the tradition of gift giving has shifted up a few monetary notches in order to replace the couples' existing dinner service with a designer named service (for example). If the budget set by the wedding list makes your eyes water, try visiting an online gift store such as Notonthehighstreet for a limited and reasonably priced range of gift ideas. This way you won't be distracted by a one off sculpture in a department store and will stay within your budget - and you'll have an unusual present you'll be proud to present to the lucky twosome.
 
Whether you're given a list or not you may wish to buy something that reminds the couple of you – unfortunately many people have a restricted budget after clothes and travel have been factored in. The golden rule that governs how to budget for a wedding present is simply to consider how close you are to the happy couple and how much your budget after expenses allows for. There should be no considering of the type of wedding in this equation; whether it's a Society wedding or an informal registry affair, your present should reflect what relationship you have to the couple and not what they are spending. If at all in doubt, you could always offer to contribute something to the wedding itself, such as the flowers. Use a reputable company such as Interflora if you have doubts about your horticultural knowledge - you don't want to end up giving the happy couple some funereal flowers like lilies! They operate a flower delivery service so you needn't worry about getting them there on the big day.

No matter what your budget, your gift should reflect your affections and, to an extent, your personality - and if there's only a cutlery set left on the wedding list when you look at it, you might want to consider buying a small gift as an acknowledgement of the couples' needs and then invest in a gift which you have chosen for them. As a perfect compromise, this way of giving will be all the better for including the receipt for the gift you have chosen just in case it doesn't quite hit the mark for all your best intentions. While traditionally it has been frowned upon to leave the price tag on or discuss the value of the item, equally you don't want to give the present that becomes a talking piece at a dinner party for the rest of their married lives for the wrong reasons!

There is a commonly held etiquette myth around wedding presents that suggests you should at least pay for your meal and drinks with your present, but the reality is if you were invited that cost is covered and is not for you to consider. Staying within your budget should be just as important in your choice of gift as how much the couple would like your gift. After all if they truly care for you they wouldn't want you to – literally - pay for the gift for months afterwards on credit would they?

 

 

Backpacking is all about freedom. Striding out into the unknown and shouldering your every possession on to your back every day is a marvellous feeling, and something that everyone should try at least once in their lifetime. Backpacking has always stood for something particularly romantic within the various forms of travelling; something courageous, unbridled and carefree. Rather than being geographically fixed throughout a holiday, the backpacker always has the option of moving on to the next destination, deciding at a moments notice that it is time to move on, and how uncomplicated that decision can be.

However, despite its innate spontaneity, backpacking requires a serious amount of preparation; more so, perhaps, than an average holiday, in order to reap the rewards of a simple life once you’re on your trip.

It may sound counter-intuitive, but firstly, it’s worth having a vague plan of where and what you’re going to do. This certainly doesn’t mean a producing a laminated itinerary, but it does mean a list of potential ports of call for your journey. Once you’re out there, it can be pretty difficult to recall everything you’d really wanted to see and do when you were dreaming of this holiday. Having said, the second vital preparatory measure you must take is to be open to anything once you’re out there. One of the major boons of backpacking is the ability to go where your whim – or whatever else – takes you. It’s important to be open to that eventuality before you arrive.

Once you’ve decided on your destination (at least the continent), then it’s down to the technical nitty-gritty. Selecting the right backpack for you and your trip is essential if any modicum of comfort is to be upheld. Outdoorkit.co.uk has a wealth of backpacks for sale, along with almost every other outdoor-, trekking-, camping-style apparatus you could require. Accommodation is worth thinking about, as you might decide that camping is the way you’d like to do it, and if so selecting a tent (remember to consider weight here, and in fact, everywhere else too), appropriate mosquito netting etc. If, however, you decide that after a long day’s wandering then you’ll seek the warmth and serenity of a real, indoor bed, then hostels, easily bookable through a website like HostelBookers.com, are a cheap and authentic alternative. Maps, phonecards, traveller’s cheques, laundry soap for doing your washing in a sink rather than finding a laundrette; toiletries, cooking utensils, sleeping bag, mattress, phrase books, clothing, etc. etc. When space and weight are at a premium, it’s easy to overlook vital backpacking ingredients. Pack with the health of your back in mind, of course; but also pack thinking ahead to all those possible eventualities that might not crop up if you were staying in a hotel for a week. Also, make sure you get some good travel insurance, for which AA Travl offer some of the best for backpackers.

It’s quite an arduoustask, preparing for your virgin backpacking trip, but you’ll soon slot in to the right mindset. After all, next year you’ll already feel like an old hand.