We’ve all been there; it comes time to get your friend or significant other a present, and you have no idea what to get them. For me, I ran into this problem shortly after I started dating my boyfriend, as his birthday was less than three months into our relationship. I stressed out for weeks, pondering what to get him. How much is too much? Should I even give him something at all? And even though we’ve now been dating for a while, I sometimes still don’t know what to get for him. You want to find the perfect thing; something that they’ll love and cherish forever, and something that will make them happy. While this is the case for me, a lot of people choose not to give gifts, and that’s definitely an option if you feel like it’s superficial or frivolous. Nevertheless, if you are stuck in a bind and have no idea what to get your significant other, here are some options! These can also work for a friend, too.
- Homemade Gifts
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You can always go the homemade route; instead of buying something you’re not sure that they’ll like or worrying about spending too much or too little money, just make something! I recommend going on Pinterest and searching up “homemade gifts for your ____” (significant other, boyfriend, girlfriend, etc). It can be as simple as just writing a letter sharing some of your memories, words of appreciation, and aspirations for the future. One time, I made my boyfriend some “open when” letters, which are exactly as they sound: they’re a list of letters that they can open whenever the outside of the envelope says, such as “open when you’re sad,” “open when you’re bored,” and “open when you miss me.” They all start in a big envelope with instructions titled “open when you first get this.” It’s a fun one to make, too. Another idea is a jar full of 365 slips of paper, and each slip contains memories, jokes, or things you like or love about them. Again, remember that these are just some of the MANY homemade ideas out there. These gifts are sure to elicit an emotional response from your partner, and will be something they cherish for a long time.
- Dinner
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Another option could always be the gift of going out to dinner! Take them out to their favourite restaurant, whether that be the expensive steakhouse in the city, a cute diner near your house, or a fast food place they love. Take them out, have fun, and enjoy yourselves! Another way to do this could always be making them dinner at home, too!
- Material Gifts
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When figuring out what to get my boyfriend on the more material side, I drew inspiration by looking at some key interests that he had. For example, he loves music, so I got him a band t-shirt from an artist he loves. Also, he loves camping, fishing, and massages (just to name a few!). So, after brainstorming stuff that they’re interested in, I recommend thinking of specific items in each category, and from there, you can pick out various things that they’d want. So, I’ve gotten him things like band t-shirts, CDs, camping gear, gift cards for fishing stores, a speaker, and even a head scratcher. You could also try to think of something they may need; for example, my boyfriend works outside and said he needed sunglasses, so I got him those. Pay attention to what they talk about and try and get them something they’ll love and use!
- Quality Time
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One last area I can think of is to get them something that allows you two to spend time together. Some examples of this are: movie tickets, concert tickets, a train ride to the city, tickets to an amusement park or a water park, canoeing, skydiving, camping, and so many more. Anything that allows you to spend time together will work! Keep in mind that these things can be expensive, so if you’re trying to save money, then you can instead do something like hiking, walking around downtown in the city, going to the beach, or even feeding some baby ducks (but no bread, please). Another great gift that gives you quality time is learning something new together. You can learn how to ski or surf, learn how to make pottery, or attend a cooking class! Wherever your heart takes you, do it and make memories!
As you can see, there are many great and thoughtful gifts that you can get for your significant other, and you don’t have to spend too much money or worry that they won’t like it! Next time you don’t have a clue of what to get them, just remember this list!