Women want to be romanced; men have more primal needs. These are two very common sentiments that are based on stereotypes more than reality. Sure, many women do enjoy being treated to romantic gestures, but they are just as likely to be interested in other forms of pleasure. Men do love sex, but they are romantic! According to science, men are more romantic than women in many ways. And so, there are some romantic gestures for him that are likely to ignite his day.
The worst thing about these misconceptions is that people don’t know how to romance men. Think about it! Media and marketing about romance almost always centers on women being the recipient of romantic gestures, not men.
So, how can a woman romance her man? Here are 21 fabulous romantic gestures that he is sure to appreciate.
Why Are Romantic Gestures For Him So Important?
“Romantic love is mental illness. But it’s a pleasurable one. It’s a drug. It distorts reality, and that’s the point of it. It would be impossible to fall in love with someone that you really saw.”
Dorothy Parker, writer and poet
He craves romance just as much as you do. It doesn’t take a certified relationship coach to see that. All you have to do is try it. When you see how he responds to your efforts, you’ll know that his heart goes much deeper than sexual desire and a focus on physical appearance. He genuinely wants to feel loved.
1. Cook Something That Touches His Heart
Cook his favorite meal, that’s a wonderful romantic gesture. There is something very seductive about feeding another person, so don’t miss a chance to create something that will satisfy his body and soul.
Alternatively, you could prepare an amazing dessert for him to end the night on a sweet note or find out his favorite meal from childhood to combine nostalgia with romance. If you are not a cook, simply order delicious food from your favorite restaurant. That’s a great way to start a romantic meal. You can even turn things up a notch by making it a candlelight dinner.
2. Celebrate a Party with an Intimate Afterparty
So many guys are made to think that it’s childish to want to be celebrated. Birthday parties are for kids or something you put together for a wife or girlfriend. At least, that’s a popular narrative. In reality, men like to be celebrated too. If you’re interested in grand romantic gestures, throw him an amazing birthday party.
Invite his friends. Order amazing food, and get him a cake you know he’ll love. Let him enjoy celebrating with his friends, opening gifts, and reveling in positive attention.
Later, when the party guests leave and he’s had his last bite of cake, you can start the after-party with an intimate kiss. Don’t forget to throw in a sexy or romantic gift that’s best opened in private. This could be the ideal time for one of your big romantic gestures like an erotic dance.
Related reading: Want Some Spice? Add a Sexual Surprise to Your Sex Life
3. Serve Him Breakfast in Bed
Is his favorite meal breakfast? If so, one of the best romantic gestures for him might be breakfast in bed. Learn your sweetheart’s favorite breakfast menu, and bring it to him while he lounges in bed. Of course, it’s even more romantic if you join him for this meal. You can snuggle for a while and spend a lazy day watching movies and talking. Think of it like turning a romantic date night into a date morning.
Are you overwhelmed at the thought of having to cook his favorite meal so early in the morning? You could try some basic dishes you can make ahead and pop in the oven in the morning. There are so many online tutorials to help with this.
Then again, he might love some coffee and pastries from his favorite neighborhood spot. As long as you treat it like your partner’s special day, he will love the romantic gesture.
4. Plan a Date Night With His Tastes in Mind
As you plan romantic gestures for him, you may unintentionally lean towards activities that are more to your tastes than his. It’s a natural thing to do. You’re planning something that seems like the ideal romantic gesture, but it unfortunately isn’t something he loves.
Take a step back and remember how he likes to have a good time. Then, plan an impromptu getaway, quiet night in, or evening at the ballpark. The point of romantic gestures for him is to leave him completely surprised and touched by your thoughtfulness.
Related reading: How to Be a Good Girlfriend: Master the Skill
5. Pay Him a Sincere Compliment
While they may act as if they don’t care at times, men do appreciate sincere compliments because it shows that you notice the little things that they do. When you want to make your partner happy and appreciated, the best way to do this is to pay them a sincere compliment.
When you compliment his work, you show him that you recognize the efforts that he makes. When you take the time to compliment his appearance, you show him that his hygienic habits are paying off in good ways. There are many other ways you can give him a compliment and many more positive effects that those compliments can have.
6. Leave Him Cute Little Notes and Romantic Messages
You may think he just ignores those notes or will throw them away. However, those notes do so much good for him.
A note in his lunch or a romantic text message is just one of those simple romantic gestures that can help him get through a less-than-ideal day. You may spark a sweet conversation by doing this, so start with something to make the exchange worthwhile.
Related reading: Words of Affirmation – How to Make Them Into Love Language?
7. Enjoy the Beautiful Weather at a Nearby Favorite Picnic Spot
When thinking of simple romantic gestures for him, you may think of the old saying, “The best way to a man’s heart is through his stomach”. Of course, the only thing better than that is you spending time with him.
Pack a filling lunch on a nice day and head out to your favorite spot to enjoy a nice picnic with him. By doing this, you not only fill his stomach with a romantic dinner, but spend time with him as well. With that, you kill two birds with one stone when it comes to making romantic gestures for him.
8. Give Him Small But Thoughtful Gifts
A bag of his favorite candies in his glovebox is a fabulous surprise.
You don’t need to buy expensive presents to have a great love life. He loves to receive gifts that show you are thinking of him. Even a potted plant in his stuffy office will make him think of you even as get takes that last bite.
9. Buy His Favorite Snack
Sometimes the smallest gifts and gestures have the biggest impact. Whether you just want to say I love you, or you want to cheer him up buying his favorite snack is a great way for you to show your partner how much you love and care about him.
Related reading: The Love Language of Gift Giving
10. Give Him a Massage
One of the most intimate and romantic gestures for him is to help him relax after a hard day.
Of course, you may not be amazing about it, however, there is something about receiving a massage from your romantic partner that makes it so much more enjoyable. When you want to give him a way to tell him that you love him a massage is a great way for you to help him relax and bring you both closer together.
11. Show an Interest in Things He Loves
Whether we are talking about small romantic gestures or the most romantic gestures they all have a common theme, and that is spending time together. While some gestures work well when you are apart, such as a heartfelt message or love notes. Most of the romantic gestures for him work best when you are together.
Figure out what he loves and find an interest in it. You not only get to spend more time together as you bond over that interest. But you also get to develop a new hobby that you can spend your time on as well.
12. Wear Something He Loves
Just like you may have a favorite dress, he may also have a favorite outfit that you wear from time to time. In fact, that favorite dress or outfit may be the same thing. You could even make a date of it and have him choose your outfit and have yourself choose his outfit.
Not only does this send a romantic message between you two, but it is also one of the simplest romantic gestures that greatly affects the relationship for you both.
13. Be the Big Spoon
No! We aren’t talking about a romantic dinner! Just like you, sometimes he just wants to be held. Sometimes he wants to feel a little vulnerable with you and feel your arms around him.
Being the big spoon isn’t about being the more dominating person in the relationship. It is about making your partner feel safe and protected for a little while.
14. Buy Him Something to Make Him Feel Sexy
Just like you may appreciate a gift, you can sometimes make the right romantic gesture when showing him how much you are attracted to him to buy something that makes him feel sexy. Of course, men’s lingerie does exist, although we often consider lingerie to be more of a gift to yourself than a gift for your partner.
Buy him a shirt that fits well, a new pair of swimming trunks, or a nice pair of pants. When you want him to feel and look good about himself, you are doing one of the more seductive romantic gestures you can.
15. Hold His Hand and Praise Him Publicly
Being physically affectionate is one of the most ordinary gestures of romance. However, it can also feel as significant as one of the more grand gestures of romance.
Remember that physical affection does not always have to be laying on top of each other or even sexual in a way. Sometimes the right romantic gestures for him are the simplest ones. Such as showing how much you love each other by holding hands where everyone can see you both.
He may act embarrassed by this, but there is a certain sense of pride that comes with being praised in front of others. When you praise his efforts alone, you show that you appreciate him and that he does a good job. However, when you praise him in front of others, you not only show him your appreciation for him, but you also show others the positive things that he has to add to the world around him. That’s pretty romantic for those who like attention.
Related reading: Understanding Physical Touch Love Language
16. Hug and Kiss Him Goodbye
Remember that some of the best romantic gestures for him are often the smallest. By taking the time to give him a hug and a kiss goodbye or hello, you take just a moment to make your partner the center of attention for you.
That can be the positive boost that he needs to get the day started – or the sweetest goodbye before his business trip.
17. Encourage His Friendships and Family Relationships
Sometimes, the big romantic gestures you can use to show him you love him have very little to do with you. It has more to do with him and his other relationships. When people enter relationships with others, they may neglect those relationships.
Of course, this is because those romantic feelings may take over at times. However, that doesn’t mean you should let it happen. While it may not feel like a romantic gesture, encouraging him to cherish his other relationships shows him that you care about him as a whole and not just about him as a romantic partner.
18. Nurture Him When He Is Sick
When you are sick, you are most likely in your worst condition and may need or want more attention than usual. The same goes for him as well. By caring for your partner when he is sick, you give him one of the more sweet romantic gestures.
When a person is sick, all they may want is to be taken care. Or they may just want a bit more attention than usual. Even a few hours of watching a romantic movie while giving him medicine could be just enough nurturing to show him you love him.
19. Give Him 30 Minutes of Undivided Attention
When it comes to romantic gestures for him, you should spend time together. Therefore, one of the most romantic gestures you can give him is 30 minutes of undivided attention. It’s such a short amount of time; however, that short amount of time is one of the most sweet romantic gestures you can give to him.
By giving him your undivided attention, you help him relax and keep the relationship alive as well.
Related reading: Quality Time – It’s a Love Language
20. Send Him a Text
Remember that you don’t have to make huge romantic gestures for him to show how much you care. More often than not, the biggest parts of a romantic relationship involve the stuff that we sometimes don’t even think about.
You can use a text to write cute notes and messages for him, or even send him a funny meme that shows you were thinking about him.
21. Don’t Be Afraid to Do Something Big
While you don’t always have to display your love with a grand party, there are times when it is a perfectly reasonable option to consider.
Although he may always appreciate you buying a small gift or maybe some Netflix with you on occasion, a big display of your love for each other never hurts either.
6 Tips to Choose a Romantic Gesture For Him
You want to choose romantic gestures for him that truly resonate. So, how do you pick something he’ll love and avoid anything he’d just find underwhelming? Here are some tips to help even a complete novice plan something special.
1. Pay Attention to the Things He Likes and Dislikes
The best romantic gestures for him will involve things he truly enjoys. So, get to know him. Pay attention to his hobbies and interests. Also, make note when something bores or annoys him.
Remember, you’re going for a bit of a thrill, not just your ordinary activity or gesture. If movie night is something you do every Friday, it may not hit his radar as being particularly romantic, for example. Then again, you could spark things up a bit leading things off with a special candlelight dinner before you head out to the local megaplex.
2. It Doesn’t Have to Be Huge
Grab a stack of sticky notes and start writing some sexy, sweet, and romantic sayings. Then, leave those heartfelt notes for him all over the house. He’ll be happy to read each unexpected note. It will give him a great boost without much time or expense on your part. These little things are truly a big deal.
3. Keep the Unexpected Within Reason
Be wary of overwhelming him. That can kill the romantic mood. Instead, think of small gestures. These will delight him without causing him to worry about the time or money you might have invested.
4. Make Him Feel Good
You can tap into his sensual side even if he isn’t a hopeless romantic. Men love sensual and platonic touch but don’t get enough of that. So, a bear hug may not scream romance, but it can lead to a very happy relationship.
Does he have a particular brand of t-shirts, socks, or boxers he loves? Chances are, those feel good against his skin. When you buy him things like this, he notices you care about his comfort and tastes.
5. Ask Him Questions
Any certified relationship coach will tell you that communication is the foundation of a great love life. That doesn’t mean you should interrogate him about his likes and dislikes. Instead, ask him open-ended questions and listen. That’s a romantic gesture in and of itself.
It’s also how you learn more about him, so you can do little things like buy his favorite food for snacking.
Related reading: 42 Questions to Ask Your Boyfriend: Grow Your Relationship Gradually
6. A Romantic Future Is in the Cards
Every time you write a cute note and leave it in your lover’s pocket, you create a positive memory and strengthen your romantic connection. These romantic ways are worth the effort because they help build a strong, committed relationship between you.
Build Romance Into Your Relationship
You love being romanced, and he feels the same way. Take some time to learn what makes him feel amazing, and put in some effort to make it happen. It’s worth what you get in return.
But how do you know if it works for your relationship? One of the first signals of a romantic relationship in the works is that he wants to spend time with you. Not just during the moments all of your mutual friends are getting together.
If he is potentially interested in being in a relationship with you, he won’t start diving into big romantic gestures at first. It’s going to start with the most mundane tasks. Instead of a romantic dinner, it may be a trip to the grocery store to start off with.
He may also invite you over to act lazy and maybe watch some old TV shows with him at his house. While these may not be the most conventional romantic ways, they are good signs that he is ready for a committed relationship.
If you feel that things between you move romantically, that’s great news! Everybody deserves to be with someone always happy to see them. And when you romance him with special gifts, gestures, and surprises, you will foster that kind of relationship.
