By Samantha Nader
It’s almost February 14th: crunch time. Valentine’s Day is fast approaching and although you’ve been putting it off, you need to figure out a present for your boyfriend. Guys are impossible to shop for, and forget about getting ideas from them, because all you’re going to get is the latest videogame or a football jersey, both of which are unoriginal and have absolutely nothing to do with the romantic evening he knows you’re hoping for.
Every girl wants to be that girlfriend who finds the perfect gift for her boyfriend, but between trying to figure out if it’s too early in the relationship for an intimate gift, or too far in for a gag gift, Valentine’s Day shopping has become a romantic nightmare that haunts you even after you’ve settled on a gift you think he will sort of/kind of/maybe like. To keep from freaking out over what to get for your man, here are some tips to keep in mind when you’re heading to the mall this year:
1) Don’t go all out too soon. While it might feel like you HAVE to go all out on the romance for a Valentine’s Day surprise, the intimacy of a present should always line up with how long you’ve been with your boyfriend. While you never want to get him something as impersonal as a gift card, things like designer watches or season passes for his favorite sports team are going way overboard if you’ve only been together for a few months. Save the expensive cologne for at least five or six monthsin.
2) Sometimes quantity beats quality. If you just can’t come up with some big cool item to get for a new boyfriend you don’t know too well yet, sometimes the best thing to do is to get him a mix of small things. Baskets of goodies can include his favorite candy, a cool T-shirt, a CD or book he might like, or even a cute picture of the two of you together. It doesn’t have to be expensive, just fun and interesting.
3) Think useful, not sentimental. It doesn’t matter if you’ve been together for two weeks, or two years, men don’t know what to do with presents that don’t have a clear use. Most guys don’t want a decorative mug or a lava lamp, so stick with things they have expressed a need for, or that you’ve noticed they’re lacking. For example, if your guy says he is cold when you’re on a walk, buy him some leather gloves, or even pick up some yarn in his favorite color and learn how to knit a scarf online.
4) DYI presents are okay. As a college student, you probably don’t have much money on hand, but simple Do-It-Yourself projects can be great gifts for someone if you’ve been together for a while, since it shows both effort and time. The way to a man’s heart is through his stomach, so take the time to cook him his favorite dinner, or to bake him some delicious cookies.
5) Men appreciate thought and effort too. Just because men are stereotypically less open with their emotions, doesn’t mean that they don’t like it when their girlfriend gives them a gift that is thoughtful and shows a lot of work and heart. Intimate presents are definitely better for long-term boyfriends, because they show that the time you’ve spent together has taught you about him and his personality. The point is that you know him almost as well as he knows himself, and that present is a reminder of how close the two of you have become.
While you might feel like you’re trapped in a pressure cooker trying to make this Valentine’s Day perfect, the real key here is that no matter what you get for your boyfriend, he’ll like it because it came from you, and he cares about you. Stressing out over what to get him won’t help anything, but remembering that Valentine’s Day is just one day and that you will have many more days together is what’s really important.
Photo: Chacha.com