I picked "other." My favourite gifts from a love interest are the gifts that show me that he knows who I am. My ex-boyfriend gave me a dictionary and a Dr. Seuss video one year for my birthday. My friends said they would be offended if a boyfriend gave them a gift like that. I loved it, though. My boyfriend knew that I wanted my own Oxford Dictionary (with etymological entries). I always had my nose stuck in the etymological dictionary every time we went to the library, so I was thrilled to finally have my own. My fascination with words is a big part of who I am.

The Dr. Seuss video was based on my favourite Dr. Seuss story when I was a child -- "Horton Hears a Who." I have always loved that story because I often feel small like a Who and I believe that "a person's a person no matter how small." We had discussed the impact of that story on my life years earlier and he remembered.

One year, he was in between contracts and completely broke on my birthday. I didn't expect a gift, but he spent his last $5 on a container of Haagen Dazs Caramel Cone Explosion -- my favourite. He wrapped it up with 2 spoons and we ate it by candlelight.

I have received flowers and jewellery and perfume (all the typical "girlfriend" gifts) from boyfriends, but they never meant as much to me as the gifts that remind me that the man I'm with really knows me and loves me for who I am.