My friends consider me to be a birthday gift genius. I know you’re probably thinking: “What could possibly make her unique birthday gift so special?”

Well, actually two simple things; personalization, and personalization! I’m not kidding. That’s the secret. It’s all about personalization. There are only two basic rules that I follow:

1. I remind myself of the true meaning behind a birthday, especially that of a loved one.

To get a better idea of how I prepare for my ‘moment of giving,’ I would suggest that you first take a look – if you haven’t done so already – at my RomanceIt! Model for gift-giving. It’s a step-by-step guide for finding not only a unique birthday gift, but a unique gift that’s a perfect fit for just about any occasion.

Once you’ve familiarized yourself with the RomanceIt! model, you can also take a look at your gift recipient’s astrological profile (for example: take a peek at the Aquarius sign and see how many ideas you come up with) and use it as a complimentary tool, together with the RomanceIt! model, to customized a one-of-a-kind, unique birthday gift for your special love:

Rule #1:

1. The meaning of birthdays: according to the American Heritage Dictionary, a birthday is:

Think about it. Each year of our life, we meet different people, we try new things, visit new places, and start new projects. It’s like being reborn year after year. There are more and more changes that take place all around us. However, there is one thing that does not change: LOVE. Yes, he –or she- is still in love with you and you are in love with them. That’s something even grander to celebrate!!!

To help you bring this idea down to earth, I want you to try an exercise for me:

1. Think of special events (big and small) that have occurred in your loved one’s life over the past year. List them: got a promotion at his job, got a different hair cut, changed his car, had a baby, moved to a new home, went to Hawaii for vacation, found out that he prefers apple juice to orange juice...

2. Extract a common factor from any of those events –or combination of: CHANGE – SUCCESS – SIMPLICITY - LOVE – FAMILY – FUN, etc.

3. Think of the situation, or elements of it that represent the common factor you extracted.

4. Visit the 'Relaxing Ideas' and 'Fun & Game Ideas' sections of the website and see if one of those plans will help you jump start your imagination.

5. Write down at least a couple of possibilities.

Now it’s time to ‘DOUBLE CUSTOMIZE’ your gift. So let’s go to Rule #2:

Building a basic astrological profile of your loved one. It’s very simple. Just check out his astrological sign’s general characteristics bellow, think about which descriptions match him the most, and combine that knowledge with the insights you gained from doing Rule #1. Yup, it's that simple!

Quick Note: Keep in mind that these are only general characteristics and might apply only in part to your man. In order to have a more personalized description, you really need to get his astrological chart done.

However, if you’re really curious and really impatient (just like me!:-), you can take a look at your partner's free numerology reading by completing the following form. It’ll give you an idea of his life's path, his soul's urge, and much, much more! I think you'll find it quite interesting and insightful (amazingly accurate too!). Try it:

So let’s get going. Here’s the list of each sign’s personality traits:

Aries sign: Pioneering, competitive, needs challenge, head-strong/rebellious, risk taker, impatient, impulsive, dominant, extroverted, good sense of humor, high libido, dislikes details, easily bored, dynamic
The Aries unique birthday gift basket: tickets to a race car event or football game, karate classes, a distinctive license plate for the car, a BOLD red tie (Aries rules red! :-)

Taurus sign: Romantic, artistic, habit-bound, self-indulgent, bit lazy, luxury-and comfort-loving, sensuous, conservative, sentimental, pragmatic, builder, humble, nature-loving
The Taurus unique birthday gift basket: An addition to his favorite 'collection,' gardening tools, a velvet back cousion for the car, a five-course meal at a plush restaurant, theater tickets

Gemini sign: Quick, talkative, communicative, entertaining, clever, witty, unpredictable, adventuresome, inventive, broad-minded, cerebral, multifaceted, short attention span, changeable
The Gemini unique birthday gift basket: A book on his favorite subject, tickets to a social event, a multi-time zone watch, a yellow bird (Gemini rules yellow & birds)

Cancer sign: Nurturing, emotional, moody, domestic, materialistic, nostalgic, sentimental, sensitive ego, self-centered, great sense of humor, dramatic, artistic, imaginative
The Cancer unique birthday gift basket: A boat ride on a lake, a country gourmet picnic, a romantic evening at home, tickets to a comedy show, a sensual bath

Leo sign: Fiery, romantic, social, creative, amorous, inspiring, hates detail and routine, big spender, proud, self-indulgent, child-like, fun-loving, dramatic, showy, wants/needs a fan club
The Leo unique birthday gift basket: tickets to a social event, acting lessons (improv), HUGE surprise birthday party with lots of guests, a gold watch, an expensive and sun-filled holiday

Virgo sign: Perfectionist, selective, altruistic, self-righteous, practical, modest, undemonstrative, curious, energetic, health-conscious, healer, organized, responsible, good teacher
The Virgo unique birthday gift basket: a gym membership, an appointment with a renowned nutritionist, a book on organizing the home, a nicely tailored white suit (Virgo rules the color white)

Libra sign: Attractive, artistic, sociable, procrastinating, seductive, subtle, detached, cool, team player, narcissistic, diplomatic, popular, polite, rational, sophisticated
The Libra birthday gift basket: Add a painting to his art collection, enroll him in an art class, get him concert tickets, renew your vows, order a Mariachi Band to play while you're having a romantic, intimate dinner.

Scorpio sign: Complex, mystical, lusty/passionate, intense, capable, curious, adventurous, stylish, secretive, self-indulgent, non-conforming, probing, devoted, penetrating
The Scorpio unique birthday gift basket: A mystery novel, a HUGE puzzle, sexy underwear/pajamas, scuba-diving lessons, a nature-survival course, a sensual/exotic dance from you!

Sagittarius sign: Expansive, high-spirited, blunt, joyous, extravagant, philosophical, giving, adventurous, adaptable, scholarly, impulsive, musical, cultural patron, progressive, explorer, spiritual
The Sagittarius unique birthday gift basket: An adventuresome holiday trip (nature trek or sports boot-camp), a horse ride in the country, a trip to the casino, tickets to an athletic event, invitation to the latest/hottest cultural event (with a spiritual/philosophical twist would be ideal)

Capricorn sign: Ambitious, responsible, purposeful, passionate, vulnerable, materialistic, attracted to structure, conformist, traditional, selective, dislikes risks, realistic, likes sarcastic humor, passionate
The Capricorn unique birthday gift basket: A hand-crafted, engraved leather organizer, an antique to add to his existing 'collection,' an invitation to a political/or non-for-profit dinner/event, a romantic, passionate night in the penthouse of his favorite hotel

Aquarius sign: Quirky, offbeat, non-materialistic, freedom-seeking, mental, altruistic, talented, group-conscious, inquisitive, experimental, humble, informal, futuristic, curious
The Aquarius unique birthday gift basket: An intimate get-together with his closest friends, an astrological reading, a new gadget for his computer, a trip to Greece (or any other locale ruled by Aquarius...if you want a few ideas, click here

Pisces sign: Romantic, mysterious, adaptive, sentimental, highly spiritual, introverted, artistic, compassionate, nurturing, creative, mutable, escapist, and lyrical
The Pisces unique birthday gift basket: Midnight sail, a personally written poem by you, a night of dancing, theater tickets, a psychic reading, a picnic on the beach...or anything else that you can think of that's irresistibly romantic

I realize that this list is quite basic. But it’s still a good place to begin for getting a feel for the type of personality that you’re dealing with. For example, a Capricorn would normally NOT consider a psychic reading as a unique birthday gift, while a Pisces might. And a Cancer individual might not be as thrilled to be enrolled in a lecture series on the ‘World Philosophies of Life’ as a Sagittarius would be.

Well, that’s it! Now you should have at least a couple of potential unique birthday gift ideas in mind and a general ‘likes’ and dislikes’ list for future occasions. If you use the astrological insight gained from the exercise above to choose among your previous ideas, I’m sure that you’ll find at least one perfect match…or maybe two...or three...

But, as they say, “It’s not the quantity that counts, but the quality...” And that's exactly what you'll have – “individualized quality.” I guarantee that by the time you’re done, you will not only find a unique birthday gift for him, but also will become an expert in the art of birthday gift-giving!!! Not bad for half an hour’s worth of work, is it?