Can you feel it? The pressure is mounting…to find the perfect present for your new partner. The holidays are stressful enough with family dinners and tying up work ends, but toss in the ol’ Xmas shopping list and now we’re really freaking out.
Deciding what to buy someone you’ve just freshly started dating can be a struggle. But today, the experts at Plenty of Fish put together a gift guide of the best and worst gifts to give your new beau for Christmas.
THE GOOD LIST
Homemade Baked Goods: Double chocolate salted caramel decadence – Hell Yes! Move aside healthy salad, the holidays are all about sweets and calorie intake. Bringing your new date homemade baked goods is a great way to show that you care (you took the time to bake for them) and it saves you from spending a ton of money on someone you’re not quite sure about yet. Affordable and tasty!
Clothes with Their Customized Pet Pic: If your date has a furry friend, guarantee they will love their pet cat or dog on a pair of socks or a sweater. This is an A+ gift to give a proud parent. You’ve pulled at their heartstrings and have given them a reason to show off their fur baby to the world with zero shame.
Date Night for Two: An experience gift is one of my personal faves. First, it shows me you’re interested in spending quality time together and secondly, you’ve taken the time to plan an activity that we can do together. In this case, we recommend tickets to a movie, or a show followed by a nice dinner for two.
A Bottle of Champagne: Simple and irresistible. Seeing as the New Year is fast approaching, gifting a bottle of Moet or Veuve is a special celebratory present that your partner can share with you (if you’re lucky) or pop with their friends.
Fancy Chocolat (this spelling was intentional): That’s right, a lovely box of fancy chocolate always tastes as good as it looks. This fits right in that category of gifts that are sweet and thoughtful but not too serious.
At Home Spa Supplies: I don’t know about you, but after a big holiday ham, I love taking a bath in beautiful smelling epsom salts while drinking a glass of chardonnay! Gif your partner supplies to make their at home spa more luxury – think candles, face mask, coupon for a free massage (from you), and soaps.
Cozy Xmas PJ Set: In my house, we have a Christmas Eve tradition of opening just one gift and this is usually the coziest pj set covered in scenes of holiday cheer. There’s nothing like being nestled all snug in your bed (in your new pjs) while visions of sugar plums dance in your head.
THE NAUGHTY LIST
Sexy Lingerie: A great gift for sparking some romance in the bedroom for a couple, but if you’ve just started dating someone, gifting a sexy thong and bra is probably not the best choice. It shows you’re thinking about one thing and one thing only.
Self-Help Book: Yikes – you’ve basically just told your partner you think they may be emotionally unstable. This gift can come off quickly as offensive, even though your intention was to be thoughtful.
Office Supplies: Talk about a gift you need vs. a gift you want. If you find yourself perusing the halls of Staples this Xmas, run far far away. If your partner is anything like Milton from the film Office Space (great movie), they are the exception and will absolutely love this gift.
Coupons for Fast Food: Ho Ho Ho, more like No No No! Regifting a flyer you got in the mail is a huge no no, even worse if they’ve expired. Gifting coupons basically shows you forgot to get a gift for your partner and you’re hoping they’ll accept your apology with a McDonald’s half priced McChicken coupon. Think again!
Ugly Xmas Sweater: Kind of like cilantro – you either love it, or hate it! Many people have ugly Christmas sweater traditions and if you’re dating this type of person, great – keep doing what you’re doing and gift that raggedy thing. But, if your partner makes no mention of an ugly xmas sweater in their interests, I would steer clear of this gift idea.
Watch our full gift guide video below!
If you still have questions about what to buy your partner, feel free to ask below in the comment section!
