Yahoo Finance Gifts For Someone You Just Started Dating Around The Holidays
Raaka bar from Thrive Market, hanging card from TheSingingLittleBird on Etsy, fat tire from Instacart,heart plant from The Sill. (Photo: Thrive Market, TheSingingLittleBird on Etsy, Instacart, The Sill)" data-caption="From left to right: Raaka bar from Thrive Market, hanging card from TheSingingLittleBird on Etsy, fat tire from Instacart,heart plant from The Sill. (Photo: Thrive Market, TheSingingLittleBird on Etsy, Instacart, The Sill)" data-rich-caption="From left to right: Raaka bar from Thrive Market, hanging card from TheSingingLittleBird on Etsy, fat tire from Instacart,heart plant from The Sill. (Photo: Thrive Market, TheSingingLittleBird on Etsy, Instacart, The Sill)" data-credit="Thrive Market, TheSingingLittleBird on Etsy, Instacart, The Sill" data-credit-link-back="" />
Hitting it off with someone around the holidays means not having to go to stag to parties, pub crawls and all other Yuletide events. Yet, it also means navigating the, “Do I need to get you a gift?” conundrum. If you just started seeing someone and you’re excited about where things are headed, the holidays may feel like a chance to show them how you feel. But how much is too much? And will they be totally wigged out if you show up with 12 individually wrapped presents? (Probably, yes.)
“Early in a relationship, [gift giving] can feel a bit awkward because you don’t know if they will get you a gift as well,” Trina Leckie, host of the Breakup Boost dating podcast, told HuffPost. “But the thing to keep in mind is, part of giving a gift is not automatically expecting something in return.”
Per Leckie, if you’re only giving your date a gift because you expect one in return, you’ll likely end up disappointed and probably a little resentful. Like romantic relationships in general, gift-giving shouldn’t be transactional. In other words, give them a gift because it makes you happy to do so, not because you want them to get you something even better.
Of course, after making the choice to give a gift, you need to decide what it is you’re giving. While you may feel compelled to wow them with a weekend away or an expensive piece of jewelry, relationship coach Shula Melamedurges you to consider how big of a gesture feels appropriate. If you and your date are both capital E extra, going all out on a holiday gift may feel right. Yet, if your dates have been more casual or your crush seems more reserved, a really pricy or exuberant present may make them uncomfortable and overwhelmed.
“The thought put into a gift really counts,” Melamed said. “Since it is early in the relationship, this is also a great way to see how your new partner receives gifts.”
If you really want to be transparent, clinical psychologist Joshua Klapow adds you can let them know they’re on your nice list. But you can also make it a surprise. “It’s the holiday season,” he said. “It’s OK to be spontaneous, but it’s also OK to give a little head up, ‘I want to get you a little gift.’”
The beginning of a relationship is supposed to be fun and flirty. So to keep you feeling at ease, we’ve rounded up the best gifts to give someone you just started seeing around the holidays.
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This article originally appeared on HuffPost and has been updated.
