You can barely turn on the TV during the holidays without encountering a commercial in which a good-looking but not intimidatingly attractive individual surprises his or her significant other with the perfect gift (a diamond, a car, a Swiffer, etc). The gift recipient always tears up a bit, clutches the item to their chest (providing it’s not, in fact, a car), and leans in for a kiss under the Christmas tree/mistletoe/menorah. The message behind these commercials is clear: give a gift, or die alone.
Unfortunately for singletons and casual daters, knowing whether or not to give a gift at all can sometimes be tricky. Is it weird to give a gift at this point in your relationship, or is it expected?
We’ve made a handy little flowchart to help answer the perennial Christmas question: To Give, or Not to Give?
Related stories:
Eight Places to Meet Someone in December
How to Survive the Holidays as a Single Person
Six Sexy (But Not Cheesy) Gifts for a Lover
