Holiday Gift Giving Etiquette by
Relationship Stage
Deciding what to get your special
someone for a holiday gift is a tricky proposition, as there are many
factors to take into account. How long have the two of you been dating?
Is the relationship casual, serious, or something in between? Will
holiday gifts be exchanged in front of friends and family? What types of
holiday gifts are to be avoided at all cost? How much should you spend
on a holiday gift?
Follow these rules for holiday gift
giving, and you'll be sure to please.
Relationship Stage: New or Casual
Relationship
If the two of you have been dating
less than three months or if you are dating someone casually (i.e.
seeing each other less than once a week or are not exclusive), this is
the holiday gift giving etiquette to follow.
Holiday gifts for newly dating
couples should be fun, somewhat frivolous, and cost no more than
$15-30. The reasoning behind this rule is that your relationship is
new and fresh, and therefore any holiday gifts given should reflect
this. Items that are only practical in nature (such as a can opener),
suggest a more serious relationship than what the two of you have
forged (like jewelry) or are overly romantic (tickets to see Romeo and
Juliet) should be avoided altogether.
Relationship Stage: The Newly
Committed Couple
Newly committed couples who have had
"The Talk" and have decided they will date each other exclusively (but
aren't living together or engaged) fall into this relationship stage,
as are those who have been dating for three to six months and seeing
each other on average of two to three times a week.
Holiday gift giving etiquette for
newly committed couples is a bit more lenient than their new and
casual relationship counterparts, with items falling in the $30-75
range. Romantic holiday gifts are encouraged only if the two of you
are exclusive.. Items that remind the gift receiver of your time
together are perfect, as are fun things that you can share with your
date.
Relationship Stage: Long Term
Relationship
Long term, serious relationships are
those where you are either living with the person, are engaged to be
married, or have been dating exclusively for six months or more.
By this time, you should know your
partner well enough to have a fairly good idea of not only what they
want for the holidays, but also what they need. Still, there is some
gift giving etiquette to follow. Holiday gifts for long term committed
couples should cost more than $75 (depending on your budget), and will
preferably have a romantic component to them. Practical items aren't
so much of a no-no now, unless they suggest bad hygiene, bad
housekeeping, or anything else with a negative connotation.
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Don't
forget
our Gift Registry feature!!
You can
easily setup your registry and send out an email to friends and family
so they can purchase exactly what you choose. Perfect for the bride to
be to use for the wedding shower or bachelorette party.