Getting the Right Gift

Birthdays. Anniversaries. Christmas.

These are Hallmark days we’re living in; there’s an occasion for everything.

I don’t care if you’ve been with her for ten weeks or ten years:
When one of those occasions rolls around, it’s on you to find the right gift.

Not necessarily the prettiest, shiniest, or most expensive gift.

The right gift.

To a man, we’re still just as dumbfounded at the concept of shopping for the fairer sex as we’ve ever been—if not more.

Not necessarily dumb, fellas—

–dumbfounded.

After all, there’s an etiquette to buying that-certain-something—these days, there’s just as many rules for gift giving as there are days that (unofficially, of course) demand it.

Here’s a couple tips on surviving ‘till the next occasion.

-Hold back a little.

Sure, you’ve been with her for three months, and now, finally, that first birthday-anniversary-special occasion-just-because has rolled around. You want to impress her. You want to floor her, to send her giggling hysterically to her next coffee date with her just-as-impressed friends.

Don’t.

You’re setting the bar here, guys—although she may not realize it (–unless she’s one in a million, in which case: marry her already–) this random (though still somewhat expected) act of kindness sets the bar for all of your other random acts of kindness to follow.

So put the credit card down, hotshot.

You’ve got plenty more chances to whip it out ahead.

-Christmas is coming.

Sometime within the next 365 days, anyways.

This ties into the previous point—while it’s positively amazing that you spoil her on occasion (–and she does deserve it–) you have to remember that, in this consumer-driven society, Christmas is the Motherload of ‘occasions.’

And it’s coming.

Plan accordingly.

-Do it for the right reasons.

Getting laid is fun. And important (to us, anyways.)

It is not a reason to treat her to something special.

-It’s not about the cost.

Stop laughing, fellas. It’s true. If you take the time to make her something, or, heaven forbid, use your head and come up with something clever to get her—something that reminds her of a time you shared, or a special moment together—it’ll mean more than some random, thoughtless bauble.

Regardless of said random baubles’ cost.

For the most part.

So there you have it—it’s all about the thought behind the gift (behind the occasion.)

Put some effort into it—make it mean something—hell, make it mean something to both of you—and the dividends are great.

If you’re lucky, they might just be greater than the standard you’ve now set for yourself.