If this were an easy question, then there would be no conflict between men and women.
Part of the difficulty lies in defining 'Romance'. Not only does this differ generally between the sexes, but each of us in turn is created differently. The essence of romance is to feel the full love of the person you care about.
Starting with HOW your partner feels loved would be a good starting point. In his book "5 Languages of Love", Dr. Gary Chapman defines the different ways that people 'hear' and 'speak' love as:
A) Words of Affirmation- saying things that let them know that you both love them, and accept them as who they are
B) Physical Touch- not 'sex' (though including sex), but also just a gentle touch, massage, stroking their hair, holding hands, etc. I might add that I've come to feel strongly that sex should be only within marriage. When you have sex with someone, you are in a real sense becoming 'one' with them, and this is not something to be taken lightly.
C) Acts of Service- doing things for the other person. This could be washing their dishes, helping them with homework, washing their car, or any other act to serve their needs
D) Quality Time- spending time just with them. For some men, this can be just being in the same room, but with many people it involves not doing anything else, but focusing all your attention entirely on them.
E) Gifts- These don't need to be big, but they show that you have thought of them even when they are not there.
Think about how your partner expresses love for you, and these are probably their primary languages of love. When planning a romantic activity, think about speaking their language.
If your partner expresses love through gifts, words, and time, then your romantic evening should include these. There are many possibilities on what to do... Focus on those that meet your partners heartfelt needs.
Part of the difficulty lies in defining 'Romance'. Not only does this differ generally between the sexes, but each of us in turn is created differently. The essence of romance is to feel the full love of the person you care about.
Starting with HOW your partner feels loved would be a good starting point. In his book "5 Languages of Love", Dr. Gary Chapman defines the different ways that people 'hear' and 'speak' love as:
A) Words of Affirmation- saying things that let them know that you both love them, and accept them as who they are
B) Physical Touch- not 'sex' (though including sex), but also just a gentle touch, massage, stroking their hair, holding hands, etc. I might add that I've come to feel strongly that sex should be only within marriage. When you have sex with someone, you are in a real sense becoming 'one' with them, and this is not something to be taken lightly.
C) Acts of Service- doing things for the other person. This could be washing their dishes, helping them with homework, washing their car, or any other act to serve their needs
D) Quality Time- spending time just with them. For some men, this can be just being in the same room, but with many people it involves not doing anything else, but focusing all your attention entirely on them.
E) Gifts- These don't need to be big, but they show that you have thought of them even when they are not there.
Think about how your partner expresses love for you, and these are probably their primary languages of love. When planning a romantic activity, think about speaking their language.
If your partner expresses love through gifts, words, and time, then your romantic evening should include these. There are many possibilities on what to do... Focus on those that meet your partners heartfelt needs.