5 Gift Giving Tips for a New Relationship
When you start a new relationship with someone, there are various crucial milestones and questions to cover before you’re totally comfortable with each other.
In those early stages, there’s plenty of excitement and thrills, but you can also stumble into some difficult situations if you’re not careful too.
For instance, when an important occasion rolls around, how do you make sure that you’re giving something thoughtful, without sending the wrong message?
If you’re concerned about an early gift exchange with your new partner, the following tips could save you from some uncomfortable scenarios.
Communicate from Day One
They say that the most common reason relationships fall apart is a lack of communication. If you’re concerned about giving the perfect gift, why don’t you start practicing your communication skills early? Talk to each other as often as you can about your likes, dislikes, and the kind of expectations you have for different gifting events.
You don’t have to ask you’re significant other to tell you exactly what they want, but you should at least figure out whether you’re going to spend a fortune on valentine’s day, and when you’re going to start celebrating your anniversary.
You might even decide that you want to set a budget on how much either of you can spend on certain occasions.
Take Notes
Getting to know your partner in a new relationship is a bit like taking a class. Over time, you get a better idea of the things that people love, and the things that they’d rather avoid.
However, it can be easy to overlook important things during the early stages. With that in mind, if your partner says something to you that might come in handy when you’re next shopping for gifts, make a note.
To avoid the other person stumbling across your notes, you can keep a list of things you need to remember on your smartphone. For instance, you might know that you should never get the other person flowers because they’re allergic to pollen.
Alternatively, you might find out that your partner doesn’t like a certain kind of precious metal for jewelry.
Consider the Occasion
Most of the time, the nature of the occasion will set you off in the right direction when it comes to buying a great gift.
For instance, if you’re buying something for valentines’ day when you’ve only been together for a couple of weeks, it’s probably safe to assume that you don’t have to spend thousands of pounds or whisk your other half off on an impromptu vacation.
During the early stages of a relationship, you can usually avoid spending too much and still get some great presents. However, that doesn’t mean that you should go for cheap and cheerful all the time.
If the occasion is very special, like your partner graduating, or accomplishing something amazing, then it might be worth spending a little bit more. The same goes for milestone birthdays, where a bigger purchase is usually expected.
Ask for Help
When you’re not sure what you should get a new partner for a gift, one of the best things you can do is speak to the other people around that person who might have known them for a little longer. For instance, if you’ve been introduced to the family already, try sending some texts for advice and inspiration on the kind of presents your partner would like.
If you’re not close with the family yet, or you feel uncomfortable approaching them for assistance, then you could consider speaking to friends instead. You’ve probably had a chance to connect with some friends already, so think about asking them for some advice.
Friends and family can be a precious insight into the perfect gift for someone you’ve only recently started dating. They can give you some great ideas, and they can also help to set your expectations in terms of how much you should be spending on gifts as well.
One thing that will make this process a bit easier is by asking good questions and showing interest in their answers. For example, by asking questions about what they are interested in, what they like and dislike, or any other qualities that might help you to know the right gift for them.
You might learn that they are into making music, narrowing your gift-buying options considerably. You might learn that they’ve wanted a singular sound loop pedal or a guitar pedal for a long time, and that would be an ideal gift.
Stick Your Agreements
Finally, make sure you stick to the agreements that you set in place with your other half. If you both agree that you’re not going to spend a fortune on a present for each other during your first anniversary, then make sure you don’t go over the top and spend more than agreed.
Although it might seem like you’re being romantic at first, buying an extra gift or spending too much can make the other person feel bad.
The same rule applies if you’ve agreed that you’re not going to buy anything for each other on a certain occasion. There’s nothing worse for someone in a new relationship than being left without a gift when the other half delivers something thoughtful. Stick to the rules.