If you’re in a relationship, you probably tell your significant other that you love them every day. But during the holidays, one great way to show them how much you care is by giving them a present that they’ll adore. It doesn’t have to be expensive, and it doesn’t have to take hours of your time. It really is the thought that counts.
That’s why this woman was so heartbroken when she realized that her boyfriend failed to buy her a single present for Christmas. Now, she’s asking the internet if her partner is exhibiting red flags. Below, you’ll find the full story that she posted on Reddit, as well as some of the replies invested readers shared.
This woman was excited to celebrate another Christmas with her boyfriend
Image credits: Getty Images/Unsplash (not the actual photo)
But when she found out that he didn’t buy her a single present, she began questioning their entire relationship
Image credits: Getty Images/Unsplash (not the actual photo)
Image credits: Minimum-Peach-7796
92% of people say they buy Christmas presents for their partner
Image credits: EyeEm/Freepik (not the actual photo)
What are the holidays about for you? Perhaps your favorite part is spending time with loved ones while you get a break from work. Or maybe you’re all about the delicious seasonal meals that you only get to have once a year. Or, if your love language is gift giving, you might look forward to the thrill of finding the perfect present for everyone in your life.
According to a YouGov survey, two-thirds of adults in the UK typically start their Christmas shopping by the end of November. But that doesn’t mean that everyone is spending hours perusing the mall, as a third say they do most or all of their gift shopping online. And another third say they do about half of their holiday shopping in person, while the other half is done online.
Unsurprisingly, it’s most common for people to give presents to their children or grandchildren. But 92% of Britons note that they buy Christmas gifts for their partner too. When it comes to getting presents for friends, women are about 40% more likely to do so than men.
Meanwhile, 44% of Britons would prefer to be surprised by their presents, and one third say they would rather people just ask them what they’d like. And only a measly 15% say they’d prefer not to receive any Christmas presents at all.
As far as how much people should be spending on Christmas presents for their partners, Forbes recommends sticking to a budget of about $50 if you’ve been dating for less than a year. If the relationship is more serious, you might want to spend around $100. And if you’re married, you may want to splurge, getting your spouse up to $300 worth of Christmas presents.
Giving your partner a meaningful gift is a great way to show them how much you care
Image credits: prostooleh/Freepik (not the actual photo)
But at the end of the day, it’s much less about the dollar amount than it is about the effort. Marriage.com notes that giving your significant other a meaningful gift “reflects a deep understanding of the recipient, reinforcing the bond between partners.”
To find the perfect present, they recommend listening attentively to what your partner wants or needs. You might even want to personalize the gift to ensure that it feels special. Something practical might be perfect if it helps your partner out and makes their life easier.
But if they don’t need any physical items, you can always gift them an experience instead. A trip to the spa, concert tickets, or a weekend trip might be the perfect present that they’ll never forget.
The worst thing you can really do is get your significant other nothing. Unless both partners explicitly agree that they’re skipping gifts that year, it can be heartbreaking to receive nothing but disappointment. Putting absolutely no time or effort into finding something that they would like communicates that you don’t care, and it might tell them that you take your relationship for granted.
Any happy, healthy relationship requires effort from both parties at all times. And if you feel like your boyfriend doesn’t care enough about you to even buy you a small Christmas gift, well, it might be time to have a difficult conversation.
Later, the author responded to several readers and provided more details about her situation
Many readers encouraged the author to end her relationship as soon as possible, noting that she definitely deserves better
