Whether you’ve been dating for a few years or married for decades, an anniversary is the perfect occasion for a couple to celebrate their love. But however clear the feelings inside of you, the ways in which you want to express them aren’t always that obvious.

So in an attempt to give some ideas to everyone who wishes to surprise their partner, we at Bored Panda put together a list of pictures showing those who have already done so.

With this wholesome collection, we wanted to show that it’s not the scale of the gesture that matters. Rather, the consideration that goes into planning it. It’s all about showing that you care. About your SO and your relationship.

#1 This Gentleman Showed Up With Flowers And In A Tux To Visit His Wife In The Hospital For Their 57th Anniversary

Image credits: reidrussell_

#2 My Husband And I Just Celebrated Our 20th Anniversary. He Wanted To Get Me Traditional Platinum Or China. Platinum Was Too Expensive, So Meet – China

Image credits: adalab

There’s a common misconception that romance has a short life span. But according to one study, it doesn’t always fizzle out in long-term relationships and progresses into companionship/friendship-type of feelings. In fact, romantic love can even last a lifetime and lead to happier, healthier relationships.

“Many believe that romantic love is the same as passionate love,” said lead researcher Bianca P. Acevedo, PhD, then at Stony Brook University. “It isn’t. Romantic love has the intensity, engagement and sexual chemistry that passionate love has, minus the obsessive component. Passionate or obsessive love includes feelings of uncertainty and anxiety. This kind of love helps drive the shorter relationships but not the longer ones.”

#3 My Wife’s Conservative Religious High School Wouldn’t Let Me Take Her To Prom Ten Years Ago Because We’re Both Women, So I Threw Her One For Our 5th Anniversary

Image credits: canadasnumber1queer

#4 In Honor Of The Traditional Gift For The First Wedding Anniversary, I Made My Wife A Bouquet Of Paper Flowers

I thought it turned out rather well for a guy with absolutely no crafting ability.

Image credits: hariraja

#5 My Wife And I Decided To Do Something Creative For Our 21st-Anniversary Portrait. “21 Years Of Adventure”

Image credits: Ken_Thomas

Acevedo, who is a social neuroscientist and specializes in human attachment and co-researcher psychologist Arthur Aron reviewed 25 studies with 6,070 individuals in short- and long-term relationships to see whether romantic love is associated with more satisfaction.

To determine this, they classified the relationships in each of the studies as romantic, passionate (romantic with obsession) or friendship-like love and put them into two categories: long- and short-term.

#6 My Wife And I Accidentally Got Each Other The Same Gift For Our Second Anniversary

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#7 That’s A Thoughtful And Beautiful Anniversary Gift

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#8 My Dad Sneaks Out Of The House Every Year At The Same Time For My Parents’ First Date Anniversary

He puts on his old high school letter jacket, rings the doorbell, and asks, “Is Kris home?” only to ask her if she’ll go out with him, reenacting that first moment 44 years ago.

Image credits: TostitosHabanero

#9 Husband Holds Sign For Wife Outside Nursing Home On 67th Anniversary After They Ban Visitors

It says: “I’ve loved you 67 years and still do. Happy Anniversary”

Image credits: NBCNewYork

The researchers looked at 17 short-term relationship studies, which included 18- to 23-year-old college students who were single, dating or married, with the average relationship lasting less than 4 years.

Then they analyzed 10 long-term relationship studies comprising middle-aged couples who were typically married 10 years or more. Two of the studies included both long- and short-term relationships in which it was possible to distinguish the two.

#10 My Grandparents Got This Picture Framed From Their 60th Anniversary

Image credits: Haminthepaint

#11 I Proposed To My Girlfriend On Our 5-Year Anniversary With A Stardew Valley Themed Pop-Up Book I Made. She Said Yes

Image credits: The_Goop2526

#12 My Parents Celebrate Their 40th Anniversary Today. Some Things Never Change. Then And Now

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#13 Couple Married 61 Years Ago Takes “Up” Inspired Anniversary Photoshoot

Image credits: cambriagrace.com

Ultimately, the review found that people who reported greater romantic love were more satisfied in both the short- and long-term relationships. (Companion-like love was just moderately associated with satisfaction in both short- and long-term relationships.) But those who reported greater passionate love in their relationships were more satisfied in the short term compared to the long term.

Couples who had more satisfaction in their relationships also reported being happier and having higher self-esteem.

#14 My Dad Surprised My Mom For Their 30th Anniversary And Had A Bench Dedicated To Her At The Park Where They Always Walk Together

Image credits: lol62056

#15 I Folded 1000 Paper Cranes For My Wife For Our First Wedding Anniversary

Image credits: inserthumourousname

#16 20th Wedding Anniversary Gift I Made For My Wife

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#17 20-Year Wedding Anniversary Proves My Wife And I Share The Same Brain

We picked out cards for each other from two different Targets on two different days. I love being hitched to my best friend.

Image credits: inkedsamurai

Anniversaries are great, but feeling that a partner is “there for you” every day makes for a good relationship, Acevedo said, and facilitates feelings of romantic love.

Conversely, “feelings of insecurity are generally associated with lower satisfaction, and in some cases may spark conflict in the relationship. This can manifest into obsessive love,” she explained.

#18 A Guy Asked If I Can Replicate His Wedding Bouquet From Paper So He Can Give It To His Wife At Their First Anniversary

Image credits: fornaughtytimes

#19 My Grandparents Celebrating Their 50th Wedding Anniversary, Beverly Hillbilly’s Style

Image credits: qwest27

#20 My Boyfriend And I Met At The Dog Park, So It Was Really Their 2-Year Anniversary Last Weekend

Image credits: keatno_pizza

#21 This Anniversary Gift

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Hopefully, this study helps people manage their expectations of what they want in long-term relationships. According to the authors, companionship love, which is what many couples see as the natural progression of a successful relationship, may just be an unnecessary compromise.

#22 My Great Grandparents Are Celebrating Their 75th Wedding Anniversary This Weekend

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#23 10th Anniversary Today, Thought We’d Capture The Romance

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#24 My 35-Year Wedding Anniversary Gift To My Wife

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#25 60th Wedding Anniversary During Quarantine. She Wore Her Wedding Dress. He Wore A Tux, Kind Of

Image credits: Hovie1

“Couples should strive for love with all the trimmings,” Acevedo added. “And couples who’ve been together a long time and wish to get back their romantic edge should know it is an attainable goal that, like most good things in life, requires energy and devotion.”

#26 Every Year For Our Anniversary, My Husband Makes Me A Ring From The Traditional Material For That Year

Image credits: CatLaydy

#27 Made Our 1-Year Wedding Anniversary Picture

Image credits: cozminace

#28 Made Stain Glass Window For Me And Wife’s 4th-Year Anniversary

Image credits: EinSchlagmann

#29 My Girlfriend’s Grandparents Got Married At The Ages Of 15 & 17. After The Wedding, They Went To White Castle. This Was The Cake For The 60th-Anniversary Party

Image credits: losersalwayswin

As with most things in life, if you put in the effort, the results will follow. Of course, I’m not saying that commemorating the start of your relationship is meaningless. Nothing that makes you or your partner happy is. But that’s just 1 of the 365 days in a year.

#30 Anniversary Gift From My GF Who Games With Me. We All Make Sacrifices To Have This

Image credits: Madforaday

#31 My Girlfriend And I Celebrated Our 1-Year Anniversary. We Met On Tinder, So Naturally, I Had Our First Conversation Printed On A Blanket

Image credits: TeenageTeenwolf

#32 I Made This Comic For My So To Celebrate Our 6-Year Anniversary Which Is Today

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#33 This Year’s Anniversary Card From Me To My Partner

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#34 For Our Anniversary, I Gave My Girlfriend A Silver Necklace Made After My “I Love You” Waveform Recording

Image credits: Efrima

#35 My Parents’ 40th Wedding Anniversary, Wearing The Same Dress, Suit And Flowers As They Did 40 Years Ago

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#36 My Grandparents Just Celebrated Their 75th Wedding Anniversary

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#37 My Husband Made Me A “Paper Clock” For Our One-Year Anniversary With Every Hour Representing One Month Of Marriage

Image credits: leilavanora

#38 For My Anniversary My Wife Got Me A Watch I Really Wanted, It Was Not Until Later That I Realized That She Got It Engraved

If a lifetime of rickrolls doesn’t say I love you, I don’t know what does.

Image credits: guywithtyejok3s

#39 My Husband Hates Sappy Greeting Cards. This Is What I Got For Our Last Anniversary

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#40 Happy Anniversary

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#41 I Painted Me And My Boyfriend As A Ghibli Couple For Our Anniversary

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#42 Came Home From A Long Day Of Work In The Heat And My Wife Had An Indoor Picnic Ready For Our Anniversary

Image credits: SoDakZak

#43 14-Year Wedding Anniversary. Can’t Go Out To Celebrate. This Happens

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#44 Girlfriend Made Me Coupons For Our Anniversary

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#45 Our Anniversary Weekend Room At A Bed & Breakfast In Bethlehem PA

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#46 A Guy Asked If I Can Recreate His Wedding Bouquet From Paper So He Can Gift His Wife On Their Anniversary