Christmas gift for someone you just started dating

On your first date she tells you her birthday isn’t until October, and you rejoice. She’s smart and cute and her face smells like bread, and you have a whole ten months until you have to buy her a birthday present. You sail through dates two and three worry-free, but then it’s date four and Christmas is two days away. Right in the middle of cuffing season, Christmas is basically an etiquette nightmare for the just-started-dating crowd. What if she gets you a nice, thoughtful gift and you have nothing for her? What if you get her something a little too thoughtful and scare her?

Fortunately you have a pretty easy one going in, because women love presents. We love presents on Christmas, we love presents on our birthdays, we love presents on your birthday—we love presents on any day. If you’re sure a lady is The One and you want to see her again, always default to a lavish gift. Or, use this guide:

If you're on...

Date 1
Say “Merry Christmas” while you pick up the check after drinks. Nothing further is required of you at this time.

Date 2
Say “Merry Christmas” while you pick up the check after dinner.

Date 3
She’s not expecting a gift, but you two have had two greats dates and you’re sure she’s your Tinder dream queen: you want to do something to lock in a third date. Buy her some Christmassy-looking flowers. Look for a bouquet with some holly or red berries shoved in there. (Just don’t get her a poinsettia—they’re mom flowers, they look super cheap, and they’re toxic to pets.) Pick a place near where she lives and offer to meet her at home beforehand, so she doesn’t have to carry those fuckers around all night.

Date 4
Take her to one of those twinkly cozy holiday markets where all you do is eat and jostle people in lederhosenan. Buy her a small overpriced tchotchke (snow globe!) that will be satisfying to smash when you two break up.

Date 5
By now you probably know where she works. Arrange for a sharable food item delivered to her desk. (Don't deliver it yourself; that's creepy.) She’ll love it because sharing with colleagues is a nice way to humble-boast about her thoughtful new guy, and you’ll love it because all her gossipy coworkers will forever remember you as “the guy who sent that delicious baked good that one time.” Send her something from Dean & DeLuca (these snowflake cupcakes are pretty and pricey) or send her my preferred romantic currency, the Christmas kringle. O&H Danish Bakery ships kringles within two days. The pecan is a definite panty peeler, but they have about 9,000 flavors.

Date 6 and beyond
Sorry yotch, from here on out you have to give her something tailored to her, that goes beyond the realm of the symbolic. We have some suggestions.

Gift-giving around the holidays can be challenging. After all, it’s a fine line between giving the person something nice, but also useful. And if you're trying to figure out what to give someone you just started dating, you may be stumped: What’s the right gift? What’s too much?

Decluttr, a site that lets you sell your unwanted tech devices, surveyed 2,028 American consumers aged 18-65+ and found that the average person plans to spend $600 on holiday gifts this year. They also found that the average American spends 40 percent more on their significant other than is expected from their partners. However, if you use the “thought that counts” mentality, you certainly don’t have to go into debt buying presents.

"I advise my clients to get a gift that is thoughtful and personalized to some degree, to show the person that you care and are paying attention,” David Bennett, counselor and relationship expert with Double Trust Dating, tells Bustle. He says you shouldn’t worry too much about money, and instead, focus more on getting them something that represents their interests and values.

Below, you’ll find gift ideas for the person you’ve recently started dating, and perhaps the items will inspire even more ideas, too.

1

Wireless Charger

UnPlugged 10K

myCharge

Christmas gift for someone you just started dating

$69.99

Buy On myCharge

Who couldn't use a wireless charger?! Now, the person you're seeing doesn't have to worry about their phone battery dying, which may mean they'll contact you more, too (hint, hint)!

2

Weighted Sleep Mask

nodpod

nodpod

Christmas gift for someone you just started dating

$29.99

Buy On nodpod

Whether they have sleep issues or not, this weighted sleep mask can help them get a better night's rest.

3

Puffy Travel Pillow And Tech Throw Travel Blanket

Puffy Travel Pillow and Tech Throw Travel Blanket

Grand Trunk

Christmas gift for someone you just started dating

$105

$75

Buy On Grand

This throw blanket and pillow set makes an ideal gift, since winter's just about here and it's the perfect reason to cuddle. The blanket even has a foot pocket, so neither of you should be the least bit cold.

4

Insulated Stainless Steel Travel Mug

Insulated Stainless Steel Travel Mug

Swig

Christmas gift for someone you just started dating

$25.95

Buy On Swig

This travel mug will keep your hot drinks hot and your cold ones cold. With winter here, it'll be perfect for them to "swig" from whether they're waiting for the train or taking a walk with you.

5

Happy Socks

Happy Socks Unisex Santa's Helper Combed Cotton Socks

Amazon

Christmas gift for someone you just started dating

$13.80

Buy On Amazon

No matter if you get socks with Christmas designs or other patterns, Happy Socks will make them happy, so it'll be a win-win for you both.

6

Outdoor Waterproof Bluetooth Speaker

Kunodi Outdoor Waterproof Bluetooth Speaker

Amazon

Christmas gift for someone you just started dating

$15.99

Buy On Amazon

Sometimes, playing music or a podcast from your phone isn't loud enough, especially when you're on the go, so that's where this speaker comes in.

7

Soy Candle

Midnight in Paris Luxury-Scented Soy Candle

Buy On Amazon

Christmas gift for someone you just started dating

$13.95

Buy On Amazon

Candles are not only soothing, but also romantic, especially when they have names like "Midnight in Paris."

8

Game Of Phones Scavenger Hunt

Game of Phones

UncommonGoods

Christmas gift for someone you just started dating

$20

Although the overuse of phones sometimes breaks people apart, Game of Phones will bring you together as you follow the fun prompts from the deck of cards.

9

Sriracha To-Go Bottle Keychain

Sriracha To-Go Bottle Keychain

Urban Outfitters

Christmas gift for someone you just started dating

$8

Buy On Urban Outfitters

If you want to spice things up with someone you're seeing, this Sriracha to-go is perfect. It'll make an ideal addition to their lives — and keychain!

10

Random Acts Of Kindness Kit

Random Acts Of Kindness Kit

UncommonGoods

Christmas gift for someone you just started dating

$10

Buy On UncommonGoods

Gratitude and random acts of kindness have been proven to be good for you, and with this kit, you can both benefit — you can use it together as a date idea.

11

Audible Gift Membership

Audible Gift Membership

Amazon

Christmas gift for someone you just started dating

$15

Buy On Amazon

This makes the perfect gift, especially if they've been meaning to "read" a new book. Now, they can listen to it instead, either on their work commute, while working out, you name it.

12

iPhone Charger Sticker Faces Set

iPhone Charger Sticker Faces Set

UncommonGoods

Christmas gift for someone you just started dating

$12.95

Buy On UncommonGoods

People cannot have enough phone chargers — they may misplace them or prefer to have multiple ones for different locations (like work, home, etc.). Not only are these chargers fun, but it probably won't be easy to lose them either.

13

Personalized Dating Coupons

Date Coupons

LoveCoups

Christmas gift for someone you just started dating

$29.95

$26.96

Buy On LoveCoups

Coming up with date ideas can be challenging sometimes, but when you make these date coupons, you'll always have something to do.

As you can see from the above, there are plenty of gift options out there. “If you just started dating someone, the good news is, you haven’t given them a lot of presents yet, so the possibilities ... are endless,” NerdWallet's consumer savings expert, Courtney Jespersen tells Bustle.

She says that to make a gift more sentimental, personalize or engrave something. “If you’re not quite sure what the person you’re dating will like, you can’t go wrong with items everyone could benefit from, like a scarf, picture frame, or tech-related gadgets.”

Plus, you can always ask their friends or roommates for suggestions if you're totally unsure. But at the end of the day, it will be the thought that counts.

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What do you get someone you just started dating for Christmas?

Dating experts suggest novelty socks, used books, fancy chocolate and other gifts that say, "I like you, but in a chill way."

Should I get him a gift if we just started dating?

So do both of you a favor and don't over think this one. If you've only been dating a couple of weeks, keep it small and thoughtful, though not super sentimental. If you've been dating longer, keep the gift in proportion to where you still feel comfortable (and not upset if they don't reciprocate).

Should you buy someone your dating a Christmas present?

However, the general consensus from The Inner Circle daters was that, if you've been seeing each other on the twelve weeks running up to Christmas, you should be buying them something. One of the best things about this time of the year is buying something for your other half that you know they'll love.

How long should you date someone before giving them a gift?

One To Three Months It's more appropriate to give gifts to your partner after you've been together for a few months. If you're exclusively dating each other, gifts are likely expected.