Gift giving for dummies
Trying to find the perfect gift for someone you love is never an easy task, but what may be even more difficult is shopping for your other half in a newly formed relationship. No one wants to wander aimlessly around the mall only to find a mildly suitable gift.
That’s why The Reflector has compiled a list of ideas to help you decide which gift is appropriate for what stage in the relationship game. Whether you’ve been with your companion one month or one year, we’ve got some helpful tips for gift giving.
Speaking with several Mount Royal students about their gift-giving habits, the consensus was the longer the relationship, the more thoughtful the gift.
After more then three years with his girlfriend, second-year computer science student Gorman Lee explained that the level of thought that goes into a gift has to increase as things get more serious. “I think in the early stages, something more materialistic then in the later stages [is] when you expect something more sentimental,” he said.
Third-year public relations student, Tara Crowe was in total agreement with Lee and said that in her experience, she’s just looking to know that her significant other cares.
“After three years, just something that honestly proved that he thought about it, not that he just went to the mall and grabbed something quick and easy,” she explained. “At the three-year mark it’s more of the thought that goes into the gift rather than the expense of the gift.”
One month
This is a difficult time as you don’t want to come on too strong, but you also want to show you care. Because you may not know the person very well, stick to simple items like a CD or maybe a book. Crowe said that after one month she would be expecting: “Not much to be honest, if anything, like a card…. I wouldn’t expect something really big one month in.”
Price point: $15-$30
Three months
During this time, you presumably know the person better, so try to pick out a more personalized gift, but don’t go overboard. In this instance, buying them a DVD of their favourite movie and including a homemade coupon to cook them their favourite meal may be a good route to go. It may be a little cheesy, but it’s inexpensive and shows a little more effort.
Price point: $35-$50
Six months
After half a year with someone, you’re starting to figure out what turns his or her crank. It might be the time to splurge a little bit for a pair of tickets to a concert, play or sporting event that they’ve been dying to see. Spending money on something you know they’ll love makes it worthwhile for you as well.
Price point: $50-$200
One year
By this point, you’ve probably passed a birthday, perhaps an anniversary and now it’s time to get a little creative and think outside the proverbial gift-giving box. For this, try making something like a photo book. Most Macs come equipped with iPhoto, a program that allows you to make a coffee-table book full of your own personal pics. Basically, they are really professional looking photo albums, and best of all they’re cheap!
Price point: $30-$45
Over three years
Anytime past the three-year mark and you may be looking to spice things up. So if you can afford it, take your beloved on a getaway. This doesn’t necessarily mean two weeks in Mexico, but if you have the funds then, by all means. Even a night at a hotel in Banff or Kananaskis is romantic and takes quite a bit of planning, which shows you really care.
Price point: $100-Thousands of dollars.
What’s important to keep in mind is that, for most people, it isn’t the dollar figure attached to the gift that matters; it truly is the thought behind it. It’s easy to get caught up in the wave of consumerism that inundates us around the holidays, but keep in mind that materialistic gifts are often shallow, and if you want to show the person you have some depth for the long haul, give the gift of thought.
