Every year, mankind is faced with the same question that has daunted them for all of eternity: “What do I get my girlfriend for Christmas?”
What to get, how much to spend and the level of sentimentality the gift should have really all comes down to how long you’ve been dating.
With all this in mind, senior reporters and romance experts Sean Cotter and Kiley White share their own expertise to guarantee a successful shopping season.
Two months or less:
Kiley: This is the beginning of it all, and you need to set the bar high.
My recommendations:
- A handwritten note
- Flowers
- A Dunkin Donuts or Starbucks gift card. Who knows, maybe she’ll even shy away from her daily trips and doses of caramel lattes and buy you a nice hot chocolate.
Sean: Let’s get serious here, gentlemen. This time period of gift giving is called “the danger zone.” This is the time to set the bar low. I mean, you just started seeing this girl. What do you get her? Flowers? Chocolate? A blender? Who knows! My “can’t fail” gifts for this time period are as follows:
- A card showing that you care. WARNING: This should also show you’re not ready for anything serious. Signing it with “Sincerely” then your name should get your message across.
- A bouquet of fake flowers, so you save money.
- $5 so she can go out and treat herself.
Three to six months:
Kiley: If you end up here, you must be doing something right! Now that you really know each other better, your girl may expect a little more out of your gift.
My recommendations:
- A framed photo of the two of you
- More flowers
- Jewelry. I recommend an Alex & Ani bracelet with a meaningful charm, or a Pandora ring. Whenever she wears it, she’ll think of the special guy who got it for her.
Sean: First off, congratulations sir, you have made it this far and you should be proud of yourself. Three to six months is a good chunk of time, and now that you’ve gotten to know your partner well, this is when you hit them with the sentimental gifts that bring the tears and drop the jaw.
- A fire extinguisher: A useful gift for your girl to use whenever you walk into a room because of how hot you are.
- A picture frame is a nice and sentimental gift that show her you care. Nothing says “Merry Christmas” like a picture of yourself to give to your girlfriend to remind her how lucky she is. If you really want to score some points, write on the frame ‘The best thing that ever happened to you.’
- A romantic card, but here’s the kicker: Enclose a bill for her which details all the times you paid for dinner, gifts and movies, so she remembers how awesome you are. (And reminds her that she owes you money.) A real gentleman’s gift.
Six months to a year or more:
Kiley: Congratulations! You must REALLY be doing something right if she’s kept you around for this long. This gift has to have a certain spark to it. She’s been your girlfriend for long enough now, so you can spoil her a little.
I suggest scoping out tickets to her favorite musician. Then, go to her favorite store and buy her a new outfit to wear along with the tickets. Celebrate the relationship and sit through that Justin Bieber or Beyonce concert even if you despise them. The “Boyfriend of the Year” award will be given to you.
Sean: Wow. I tip my cap to you, fella, for making it this far. It takes a real man to make it to this stage, and this is when you’ll blow her away with the best gift ever.
If you’ve been dating a girl for this long, you’re basically married. It’s time to shack up: You’re buying your girlfriend a house. Yes, you heard me right. Nothing screams commitment like a 30 year mortgage and a lawn to mow every Sunday morning.
Make sure to throw in that always-important card, and this time you can sign ‘With kind of feelings for you,’ because this will show her you’re the kind of man who is ready to make that next step.
So folks, now that you have all the necessary tips for impressing your girlfriend during this holiday season, we wish you the best of luck. We’re sure you will have a successful shopping spree if you follow our guidelines carefully.
