12 Romantic Ideas for 1st Anniversary Gift for Girlfriend & 5 Ways to Ramp Up the Romance (Updated 2020)

Paper is the traditional gift for first anniversary as it is symbolic of how a new relationship is substantial yet fragile at this stage. These traditional gifts can be interesting because of what they symbolise - paper serves as an empty canvas for the young couple to fill as time goes by, yet it is fragile and can be torn, reminding them that they have to work toward creating a meaningful relationship and cannot take it for granted.

You can add a paper element to gifts you buy for her, or go with the more modern first anniversary gift of clocks which signifies the eternal nature of time and love. She will be touched you put so much thought into your gift and your relationship.

If you are looking for a traditional paper gift, give her one with a not so traditional element of fun such as A Little Box of Romance with 25 romantic coupons for playful couples wanting a bit more fun’. Examples being coupons for a full body massage, a home cooked meal, chore relief, starlight picnic and naughty coupons like striptease and dress the recipient.

It is a great gift for a first anniversary and a wonderful way to snap you out of the comfort zone back into the glorious early days. The cards are smaller than playing cards, measuring 3.5” x 2”. They are professionally printed on heavy stock paper and are machine cut. This ships all the way from the USA and will take up to 45 days to arrive through standard shipping, so if you don’t want to pay extra for express shopping, order in advance. Buy it for about Rs.1,000 from FlytrapOnE on Etsy. The cards have a five star rating and nearly 8000 reviews so may be worth the wait.

Clocks are the modern gifts generally given on first anniversaries, symbolic of the eternal nature of time, encouraging couple to look forward to the years to come. If you feel your relationship will indeed stand the test of time, a clock, or a wrist watch can be lovely gifts for your girlfriend.

This Time Less Joy Black & Gold Wrist Watch With Bracelet puts a fun twist to the typical wristwatch by combining it with three bracelets. She can wear the watch and the accessories separately, or combine them to make a unique style statement. Made of PU with a rose gold alloy case, it has a steel back and glass encasing. A simple metallic bracelet a two types of chain link bracelets comprise the accessories. Buy it for Rs.1,995 from Chumbak.

The couple that drinks together ought to celebrate their first anniversary in style, with a pair of cool shot glasses to raise a toast to themselves. These Crazy Boyfriend-Girlfried Glasses are just what you need to knock back a celebratory drink before you head out to the fun night you have planned. Later it will be a cute reminder of the day and the fun you had.

Made of glass, they can hold 1.5 oz not that you care exactly how much they hold; when you are celebrating love there is nothing better than a shot, or two, or as many as you need to get into the celebration mood! Buy a pair of one blue and one red glasses for Rs.495 on bigbaloons.com.

Since it is your first anniversary and a big day, and as cool as these glasses are, you may want to get her something more so you don't have them flung back at you. But you know her best, so go with what you think you can do with these.

This handcrafter leather passport holder will be a wonderful addition to her travel essentials. The two-fold holder is large enough in dimensions to keep two passports. There are additional handy pockets where you can store cards and other important papers. Featuring a cover flap with an elastic, the holder is sure to keep you valueble documents safe. You can personalise it for her with a charm of your choice (pick from a selection available on the site). The cool holder can be ordered on blackcanvas.in for Rs. 1200

Want to make it extra special? Buy something that's been personalised. Consider this personalised Money Clip Walled from urby.in in a beautiful shade of wine. Designed with great care this handmade premium leather wallet can hold credit cards, business cards, receipts and other documents along with cash in the money clip. Add a personal message or her name to make it uniquely hers. Get this super thoughtful gift for Rs. 1295.

As lovely as roses are, sadly they wither and die. So for your anniversary, give her a bouquet of a dozen long stemmed beautiful red roses, and one that will stay with her while all the others are gone. There are versions of the everlasting rose available, we suggest you get her a gold plated rose.

This long stemmed rose measuring around 10 cm is plated with 24K gold. Remaining every bright, this rose will be a constant reminder to your beloved about your love. Order it on amazon.in for Rs. 220.

Pictures are some of the best ways to record and relive memories and also make great gifts. Transform your favourite picture of the two of you into a puzzle and give it to her to solve. We suggest a heart shaped puzzle to make it a tad more romantic. Have it framed for her when she has finished putting it together, or let her keep it as is if she wishes.

This option by Gifts By Meeta has a puzzle made with hardboard to give it durability. The heart measures 6.7 inches across as well as in length. Keeping the shape in mind, select a picture that will lend itself well to a heart shape. Order it for Rs.380 on regalocasila.com.

Jewellery is a popular gift for girls for just about any occasion. They can never have too many accessories to adorn themselves with. But when it comes to an anniversary and one as special as the first anniversary with your girlfriend you want jewellery with a little more meaning.

Which is why we liked the Beloved Bangles Bracelet with the simple but sincere message of 'I love you’. The true beauty lies in its simplicity and subtlety. The slim and delicate bracelet has three slim bangles made of sterling silver that is clasped together with a brass heart. It is an elegant piece of jewellery yet the words and it’s meaning are subtle, meant for the wearer alone, serving as a reminder of your promise of everlasting love. You can find it on Uncommon Goods, with a starting price of Rs. 5,780.

Go back to where it all started, and you will be surprised to feel some the exact same emotions you did that day - the anticipation, the touch of nerves, the indescribable feelings that awashed you the moment you first saw her arrive for the date.

Planning it may present somewhat different challenges from the last time, specially if you went for a seasonal show, a movie, or a restaurant that may no longer be around but do your best to recreate the spirit of the first date. Relive the precious moments from that day; there was bound to have been a few awkward or uncertain moments - such as you wondering if you should give her a peck on the cheek in farewell, and you can laugh about these. Tell her of the thoughts that ran through your mind while you contemplated your decision. If there was a faux pas you can tell the reasons that led up to it - which was probably the nervousness.

First dates are magical, especially when they lead to a relationship as long as this, and you can go through the memories you have racked up over this time. Looking back can bring back some lovely memories.

Does your girl have a big fascination for the big screen? The celluloid fan would like nothing better than a picture of her up there along with a romantic message meant only and only for her. Plan a romantic date with her with the highlight being a personal message displayed on a movie screen.

Oye Happy gives you the chance to display a special message during the interval. All you have to do is take your girlfriend to watch a movie, buy all the snacks in advance and come up with a good reason to keep her in her seat during the interval when the message will be displayed on the big screen.

You can have a maximum of two pictures along with your message displayed over a time frame of 15 seconds. This facility is available only at Inox theaters across the country, although prices may vary according to city. You can select any date, time or movie for your big surprise. Call and check with the service providers before placing your order. Book her 15 seconds of fame on the 70mm screen for Rs.Rs.9,200 on Oye Happy. Do note that the message will be displayed only during the interval so have a really good plan to prevent her from going outside.

Travelling together is a true test of compatibility and if you have avoided a proper holiday together due to this reason, now would be a great time to test the waters. Having spent a year together you would have reached a certain comfort level in your relationship by now so it’s a good time to whisk her off to a romantic destination. If the two of you prefer adventure, history, food or something else, take her to a destination which will offer these.

If your budget doesn’t allow a full fledged holiday, how about a weekend getaway, or even a staycation? The latter is fast gaining in popularity for multiple reasons - it allows you to explore the nice hotels in your own city, or even turn your own home into a quiet haven for a few days, it is convenient, easy on the pocket, and allows you to spend quality time with your partner especially in a fast paced world where you may not always get as much time together as you would like. Explore your options and pick one that suits your budget and will ensure you two get plenty of time to spend together.

Engaging the services of a professional photographer to take pictures of couples getting married, special occasions and landmarks is fast becoming the norm. Your first anniversary with your girlfriend is just as important as any other memorable occasion so why not surprise her with a photo shoot?

You are looking for a photographer who specialises in candid shots and preferably one who has a body of work in this field that you can see before hiring them. The typical old school ‘wedding photographers’ must strictly be avoided. Owing to the large demand there are many professional photographers offering such services and you can hire one depending on your budget.

These photoshoots can cost anywhere between Rs.10,000 to astronomical sums depending on the skill of the photographer and the requirements for your shoot. If you are working with a low budget consider amateurs and photography enthusiasts who often do a tremendous job for a nominal fee. Ask friends if they know anyone who is up to the task.

Enlist your photographer’s help to find props and organise clothes. The best option is to surprise your girl in advance, perhaps a few weeks before the anniversary, and plan the photo shoot with her so you both get the kind of pictures you would like. You can then use these pictures to make personalised gifts, props for a party or get a few framed in time for your big day.

For starters, it doesn’t have to be a cooking class, it can be literally anything new that you haven’t done before and will be fun to do together as a couple.

We recommend a cooking class because food has this incredible way of bringing people together. You may not cook together often if at all, and while she may venture into the kitchen now and then your finest creation on the stove is probably a cup of tea. None of that matters if you sign up for a beginner level class, or something fun and easy like making waffles or cupcakes. Pick a class you both will enjoy.

A cooking class takes away the stress of planning and organising, all you have to do is show up, try to follow instructions and spend quality time admiring each other’s culinary skills or even just each other, you may even learn a thing or two. Being in a new environment will allow you to discover new things about each other and it can be a great way to spend time together.

After an entire year together couples start drifting into the comfort zone. It is a different kind of intimacy that spells all kinds of comfort, but an anniversary is the perfect time to reignite the spark of your early days.