August is women’s month in South Africa, and to get the month started, August 1 is national girlfriend’s day. This is a special occasion and an opportunity for those with partners to celebrate their girlfriends.

Express your appreciation, love, and cherished relationship with your lady.

Gary Chapman, a writer, transformed the way a lot of people think about love in 1992 with his best-selling book "The Five Love Languages: How to Express Heartfelt Commitment to Your Mate."

We all speak some languages better than others when it comes to our romantic life, Chapman lists five main methods in which romantic partners can express and receive love in the book.

Among the five love languages is ‘gift giving’.

Presents are a reflection of the giver’s love and can symbolise or establish our connection with others.

We can express our gratitude and sentiments to someone we care about by giving them a gift.

Here are five affordable gift ideas that tap into the five senses to gift your girlfriend on national girlfriend day.

Human perception of the universe is mostly achieved through the five senses.

The five senses include sight, smell, hearing, taste and touch. We see with the eyes, hear with the ears, smell with the nose, touch and feel with the hands/skin, and taste with the tongue

Watch a movie

A couple spends quality time for National Girlfriend’s Day. Picture: Freepik

Using sight, watching a movie together from the comfort of your own space is a great way to save money and still celebrate your partner.

This makes for some quality time paired with watching something that will entice the mind and keep you entertained.

Flowers and roses

Catering to smell, how about a bouquet of her favourite flowers. Although old fashioned, flowers are still adored.

Alternatively you can plan a visit to a botanical garden filled with a range of flowers to marvel at.

Sync a playlist

Catering to the hearing sense, how about creating a personalised song playlist, filled with songs that relay the message you want to say to her.

It can be from her favourite artists or a selection of love songs from her favourite music genres.

Feed her

Taste, of course, how about an intimate dinner for two with her favourite home cooked meal.

The setting can be candlelit, table decorated with a dinner set or a picnic style with a blanket and pillows on the floor.

Massage

And finally, touch. Give her the ultimate massage experience, by setting up a cute and comfortable space.

Using her favourite scented oil, give her a neck, foot and back massage to relax the body, have a moment to bond and deepen intimacy.