How to send gifts to my foreign girlfriend? Any gift suggestions?

[generousman]

 

I have a girlfriend living in a different country. We have been together for almost a year and I want to surprise her on our first anniversary. I’ve asked her upfront what she wants, but she turned me down and insists that she doesn’t want anything . She doesn’t really like gifts, she said. Not once has she ever asked anything from me. This non-materialistic quality of hers really made me admire her more.

 

We met through A Foreign Affair. We had quite an interesting start as I didn’t know how to initiate a normal conversation with someone, let alone a romantic one. Things got better eventually and I can honestly say that I’m happier now than when I was single.

 

I want to do a romantic gesture for our special day. Perhaps send her some flowers or some  other material things? It has be something that will make her feel special.

 

She’s a really simple girl so I’m having a hard time what to give her.

 

Also, how do I send my present since I live miles and miles away from her? Are international parcels expensive? Should I just send money? Our anniversary is in three months. I need all the help I can get now so I can put my plans to action as soon as possible.

[Chimeric]

You can send a package through the mail. Letters and postcards just need international stamps (purchasable at your local post office), but larger items need to be sent from the post office in person, as they'll need some customs information from you. At least in the US, the size and weight of your package determines what shipping options are available to you, which will play a role in the cost of shipping. Things add up pretty quickly, though. Try googling your country's postal service to get an estimate of prices.

 

You could try ordering her dinner from a local restaurant for delivery, and ordering a similar meal for yourself so that you guys could do an anniversary Skype dinner together? You could draw her a card or something simple, that lets her know you care without being too over the top/expensive? Little gestures like that go a long way.

 

My boyfriend (also long distance) ordered flowers to my residence, once. That was the best gift I'd gotten in a long time, and I'm not even a huge flowers person.

[utca]

Since she keeps saying she doesn't want a gift, maybe a handwritten love letter on some nice stationary? Something that won't take up a lot of space, but has a lot of sentimental value.

[Luftschlosseule]

How expensive international shipping is, depends on where you're coming from. Here in Germany, they're expensive but affordable now and then.

You could also look into ordering something and letting it be delivered directly to her.

 

Just sending money is something you really shouldn't do - but if you do want to spend some, why don't you put this money aside to safe up for a visit to her? It's something non-materialistic, both of you will get something out of it.
I second the idea of simply writing her a letter, and then you can tell her about you saving money, if you like.

[oldgeeza]

A Foreign Affair mainly bases itself around Russian/Ukrainian ladies or Asian ladies, from what I'm told of these ladies, they're not materialistic ladies, the best present to them is you yourself, when you go out, these ladies do like you to hold the door open for them, take their coats/jackets from them, pull a chair out for them, and they like the man to pay when they're out, Russian and Ukrainian ladies are suspicious about the number of flowers in a bunch, also the colour of roses are suggestive too, I would take time to read up on that, but depending on where you are, you could order flowers through Interflora, or as the others have said, a nice letter to her would be just as nice a gift to her. 

[Guest]

If she doesn't like gifts, then it might be best to not send her something big - maybe just something thoughtful. You know what she likes after a year together, I'd assume. My partner doesn't like when I spend a lot of money on her, so I just buy small gifts that relate to a conversation we had or something.

 

As for how to send, you can send them via the mail. But, it is expensive to send international parcels. Last one I sent from U.S. to UK cost me $50 or so. 

[oldgeeza]

16 hours ago, Serran said:

If she doesn't like gifts, then it might be best to not send her something big - maybe just something thoughtful. You know what she likes after a year together, I'd assume. My partner doesn't like when I spend a lot of money on her, so I just buy small gifts that relate to a conversation we had or something.

 

As for how to send, you can send them via the mail. But, it is expensive to send international parcels. Last one I sent from U.S. to UK cost me $50 or so. 

@Serran, truthfully, US postage costs are a lot cheaper than the UK, for a small parcel from UK to the US (Michigan), I paid £142, (approximately $185), but as everyone has advised, costs are high, don't send money, some find it insulting, like you're paying for a service, it makes them feel like a prostitute

[Guest]

16 hours ago, oldgeeza said:

@Serran, truthfully, US postage costs are a lot cheaper than the UK, for a small parcel from UK to the US (Michigan), I paid £142, (approximately $185), but as everyone has advised, costs are high, don't send money, some find it insulting, like you're paying for a service, it makes them feel like a prostitute

Could almost fly over yourself at that rate, at some parts of the year. 

[Chimeric]

19 hours ago, oldgeeza said:

I paid £142, (approximately $185)

 

That's bonkers. The highest I've paid yet was still well under a third of that (other way 'round; US -> UK).