The girl I’m dating is really into celebrating anniversaries.

She wants to celebrate our anniversary every month, but I think it’s kind of stupid. How can I let her know that I’m not into meaningless anniversaries without hurting her feelings? — D.W., Arkansas

Anniversaries are supposed to happen once a year; the word comes from two Latin words: annus, which means “yearly” and versus, which means “a turning.” By definition, they should only be celebrated once each year.

While milestones are important, celebrating too frequently takes away from the special feeling you get and the importance. You need to be clear and tell your girlfriend that you only want to celebrate once a year because celebrating monthly cheapens it for you.

Instead, have one nice date night every month, but make it more experiential than just going out for dinner. Try kayaking, going to a concert, or having a 24-hour lock-in with delivery, a bag of lingerie and plenty of books to read naked in bed.

That will feed her desire for more frequent celebrations of your relationship without forcing you to celebrate impractical — and inaccurate — anniversaries. It’s a relationship win-win.

This column doesn’t constitute medical or professional advice. Always consult a qualified health care professional for your medical, psychological, or relationship problems.