It’s that time of the year again. The time of the year when your brain overheats trying to figure out what to get your significant other for Christmas without messing up.
Fortunately, this year I will make it easier for you with a list of what you definitely should not give your boyfriend or girlfriend.
1. Things with sizes
Clothes and shoes are very personal items. It seems like an easy gift to get, but it might end up being the hardest option. You might not know the right size and you could cause some body image issues if you go too big or too small on the size. Unless you know the exact size of the piece of clothing or the shoes your significant other has been dreaming about, avoid this at all costs.
2. Gift cards
Gift cards are awesome if, and only if, they are well-thought out beforehand. For instance, get your girlfriend a Victoria’s Secret gift card and I assure you she will like it. For the guys, getting them food or electronics can be good options, but be generous. Five dollars on a Chipotle gift card is not enough, not for a burrito and much less for your boyfriend.
3. Jewelry and watches
If it doesn’t come in a Tiffany’s box, there is a big chance you’ll get it wrong. Girls are very picky when it comes to what they wear, especially if they are supposed to wear it every day. Amongst the most uncomfortable things in life is the feared question, “Is this exchangeable?” Avoid this by simply not getting jewelry if you are not 100 percent sure of what you and your girlfriend are looking for. The same rule could be applied to guys with watches. If you don’t know which specific watch they want, they probably will not love it.
4. Kitchen appliances or apron
Do I really need to explain this? Neither of you belong in the kitchen unless one is a chef.
5. Shower gel packs or toiletries
Hygiene is personal for both men and women, but when it comes to a gift, it becomes completely impersonal. I remember the first time I dated a guy, he gave me a box with a shower gel, lotion and a shell-shaped soap for Christmas. Little did he know, our “love” lasted three weeks and after this gift, I knew the right choice was to walk away.
Sounds mean, I know, but just remember what you get your significant other is not “just a gift,” but a symbolic demonstration of how much you care and know about each other, so be considerate when choosing it.
One last bit of free advice: It is probably safe to say the smartest thing to do is to catch what your significant other has been saying he or she needs or wants during the year or in the next few days or weeks. Write it down on a note on your smartphone — or a notebook if you are as old fashioned as me — and surprise them with what they have been looking for. I assure you, this will put you as number one on your significant other’s favorite people’s list for 2017.
