They try to hide it, but you know something's missing. It's the way she gulps down her wine as he retells the story of the bar fight he got in last week. It's the passive aggressive comment she makes about always having to clean up his dishes. It's the sideways glance he gives her when she brings up the new guy she met at work. As Parks and Rec's Tom Haverford once said, "Love fades away. But things? Things are forever." So give the loveless couple you know some things, and maybe, just maybe, it will spark some romance.
SNARKY MUG (a)
It could be that this couple takes itself too seriously. If that's the case, help them make fun of themselves a bit. Let them own the fact that they've drifted away with this mug that shows it can be a fun thing. How funny: Our poor cat doesn't know its name because we don't know how to talk to each other! $12 • Decorum • 126 N. Washington St.
HOLIDAY COOKIE CUTTERS (b)
Try to help this loveless couple find some common ground through a shared activity. Find them this cardboard book of holiday cookie cutters to go with a festive towel and tray. They can actually make something together. It might be the first time they've enjoyed making something since their first child. $75 • Savvy Home • 1407 W. First Ave.
WIRELESS HEADPHONES (c)
Maybe what this couple needs is some space away from each other — a way to escape, even if they can't physically escape each other's presence. Give them the gift of some wireless, noise-cancelling headphones. It's the perfect way to pretend that the other person isn't there, that they aren't actually yelling in your face, that none of it matters. $299 • Huppin's • 8016 N. Division St.
SPA WEEKEND (d)
There's no better way to bring back the romance than a weekend getaway, especially when it's already paid for. With the Stay & Spa Couples Experience package at Coeur d'Alene Resort, couples can stay overnight and get a 50-minute massage for two in one of the more romantic places in the Inland Northwest. $359 • Coeur d'Alene Resort • 115 S. Second St., Coeur d'Alene ♦
