675 Make a custom certificate for your lover. You can get blank certificate forms at a stationery or paper store. It doesn't have to be artistic and perfect; don't forget, it's the thought that counts! Here are some certificates that were created by Romance Class participants: A certificate "For Putting Up with Me Over the Years"

An award "For Meritorious Conduct in Bed"

An acknowledgment of "The World's Best Wife"

A ribbon "For Hugs & Kisses Above and Beyond the Call of Duty"

Chapter Theme Song:.

"Handy Man," James Taylor

(MORE) CUSTOM-MADE.

676 Compose an original song for your lover. You may get some help from a local musician, but the essence of the song should be yours.

Present him or her with the score, rolled into a scroll and tied with a red ribbon.

Sing the song to him or her.

Hire a band to perform the song for him or her at a party.

677 How about a scrapbook to commemorate your relationship? Get out your old photographs, mementos, and love letters, and be sure to have plenty of glue sticks on hand! Your lover will treasure it forever.

678 Make a "Commemorative Scroll" to celebrate some special occasion: your lover's birthday, your wedding anniversary, some other special date, or maybe a special year.

Research the major happenings of that date or year. Consider these categories: in the news, quotable quotes, famous people, world events, scientific breakthroughs, advertising and commercials, TV shows, popular music, movies, books, Broadway, sports, art, politics, daily life, religion, miscellany.

Some resources to help you: American Chronicle by Lois & Alan Gordon, The Timetables of History by Bernard Grun & Eva Simpson, and Celebrity Almanac by Ed Lewis.

One-of-a-kind items are among the most cherished gifts.

This commemorative scroll can be handwritten, designed on computer, or rendered in calligraphy. Tie it with a bow and present it. You may want to make a special presentation of it: Read it aloud to your partner.

(MORE) SURPRISES.

679 Buy tickets well in advance to the theater, symphony, ball game or concert. Don't tell her what the tickets are for. Simply tell her to mark her calendar. The mystery surrounding the event will be almost as much fun as the event itself. Guaranteed.

680 Surprise her by bringing dinner home from the best restaurant in town.

681 Surprise him by making his favorite homemade dessert.

682 While the two of you are out grocery shopping or running errands together, have a friend deliver a gourmet dinner to your home. Have him or her set the table with your best china, candles, and flowers, and turn the stereo on to play some soft jazz.

683 If the two of you have to be apart for a birthday, anniversary, or Christmas: Wrap a new mobile telephone as your gift. Give instructions that the gift must be opened at a precise time that you name. Then, call your partner on the new phone exactly one minute before it's to be opened, and let the gift ring until he or she unwraps the box and answers the phone. (Note: Make sure you synchronize your watches!) Many men understand the fun and romance of presenting an engagement ring as a surprise. How can you surprise her now?

(MORE) FLOWERS.

684 One gal in a Romance Class gives her guy pressed flowers. She explained that, "Flat flowers are more versatile than real flowers: You can slip them in between the pages of a book he's reading; you can hide them in his work files; and you can mail them!"

685 Give him one giant sunflower. Attach a note: "You are the sunshine of my life." Also attach a copy of Stevie Wonder's song "You Are the Sunshine of My Life."

686 Always ask specifically for fresh flowers. A good, fresh rose should last nearly a week, while an older one can wilt in less than a day.

Chapter Theme Song:.

"Bring Me Flowers," Hope 687.

Every home needs one elegant crystal vase.

And a bud vase.

And it wouldn't hurt to have a special vase for flowers at work.

(MORE) ROMANCE ON A BUDGET.

Romantics aren't spendthrifts!

(But there is a difference between being frugal and being cheap.) 688 Timing is everything when it comes to saving a few bucks. You could save 20 to 50 percent on virtually every gift you buy if you shop smart.

FYI, lingerie catalogs often have great end-of-season sales.

Hit the stores immediately after Christmas.

Shop at end-of-the-season sales.

Look for overstock sales.

Scan catalogs regularly, looking for deals.

689 Most cities have "City Coupon Books" that include hundreds of discount coupons for restaurants, shops and services. These coupon books usually cost just a few bucks, and can save you hundreds of dollars. They're also a good incentive to get the two of you out of the house, and get out of that rut you've been in!

690 Rediscover coffeehouses and small clubs. They're an inexpensive and entertaining change of pace. (Folk music never really dies, it just continually ebbs and flows.) 691 TKTS in New York City is the place to get half-price tickets for Broadway shows on the day of performances! Located in Times Square and at South Street Seaport, it's the best deal in town. (Be prepared to stand in line-a long line. It's a "scene" in itself!)

(MORE) BUBBLE BATHS.

692 Run a bath for her while she's out running errands. Put a candle, a glass of wine, and a bottle of fancy bubble bath on the kitchen table-along with a note saying, "I'll put the groceries away for you. Go relax. You deserve it. I love you."

693 Towel her dry after she showers. S-L-O-W-L-Y.

694 If your lover loves nothing more than a luxurious soak in a steamy, hot, elegant tub, then consider taking him or her on vacation to one of these first-class hotels-where they really understand the romance of baths.

Post Ranch Inn, Big Sur, California. Picture sunken marble tubs in rooms at the edge of 1,000-foot cliffs overlooking the Pacific Ocean. Call 800-527-2200 or visit www.postranchinn.com.

Chateau de Bagnols, Bagnols, France. Featuring huge old tubs in Renaissance castle near Lyons. 011-33-4-74-71-4000 or visit www.bagnols.com.

Park Hyatt Hotel, Tokyo, Japan. Imagine sitting in a deep, hot tub that overlooks the city of Tokyo. Call 81-3-5322-1234 or visit www.tokyo.park. hyatt.com.

Mandarin Oriental Hotel, San Francisco, California. How's this for luxury with a view? A bathroom on the 48th floor, with floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the Golden Gate Bridge. Call 415-276-9888 or visit www .mandarinoriental.com/sanfrancisco.

THINKING OF YOU.

695 Buy some small, red, heart-shaped stickers and place one on the face of your wristwatch. It's a reminder to think of your lover every time you check the time. If you're like most of us, that's about a thousand times a day!

696 Make a donation to her favorite charity-instead of going on your next expensive date. You can show her that you care about her-and at the same time show you care about the whales or the birds or the environment or whatever her favorite cause is.

697 Wonderful insights can be gained by asking each other quirky questions: 1. If you could be a comic strip character, who would you be?

2. If your name were to appear in the dictionary, how would you define yourself?

3. If you could create the perfect job for yourself, what would it be?

4. Who are your heroes? (Fictional and real.) 5. If you had three wishes, what would they be?

6. Could you live for a year in a tent with your partner (without going crazy)?

8. If you could accomplish one crazy stunt that would land you in the Guinness Book of World Records, what would it be?

9. Would you rather be really smart, or really good looking?

10. If you could be a super hero, who would you be?

11. If you were Rick in the movie Casablanca, would you have let Ilsa leave at the end?

12. What one part of your body would you like to change?

Ask yourself what's important to your partner-then make gestures that reflect it.

Tuck a little gift into the inside zippered pocket of her favorite purse.

THINK DIFFERENT.