<human>: We've been together nearly 6 months and my boyfriend is wonderful in that he always takes care of me, wants to be the best he can be for me and even wants to work on small romantic gestures after my insistence on their importance.. 

What he doesn't seem to understand is that I want to be surprised by these things. He tells me that he's going shopping and I can't come along, or that he plans to hide little romantic notes around the house, etc. 

It's incredibly frustrating to never be surprised by a romantic gesture because he tells me ahead of time that I can expect something. 

How do I convey to him that in these cases being secretive is a bonus and that it is a big part of the romantic gestures I'm talking about? 

I've talked to him- I've flat out spelled it out, "Don't tell me." I've insisted, and not sort of jokingly. He says okay, seems to get it, walks away and a couple days later tells me ahead of time that something is coming.

Could you distill the essence of the text into 1-3 sentences?
<bot>: I want to be surprised, telling my boyfriend this in plain English doesn't seem to make a damn bit of difference. Need advice.