Valentine’s Day; for a couple in a committed relationship it’s a time for showing your love for each other, and just as often a time for going out to celebrate that love, and traditionally, during the course of that celebration a gentleman will be gifting something special to the someone special in his life. In the spirit of tradition there are certain gifts that come to mind before any others, these gifts usually include temporary, material displays of affection like elaborate bouquets or chocolate dipped strawberries elaborately boxed at a specialty chocolatier.
Then we step up to the big leagues, and chocolate and flowers become something complementary to the real Valentine’s Day gift. Suddenly a teddy bear becomes an elaborate display holder for dazzling necklaces, but just how suddenly should this happen? What about the couples who consider their relationships serious but haven’t been dating that long? Sometimes it’s hard to decide what’s expected and what’s appropriate when it comes to gifting, but we’re here to help.
Just follow this list of what to do and what definitely not to do when deciding on jewelry to gift to the girl you’d give the world, and you’ll make the right choice when it comes to gifting jewelry this Valentine’s Day.
DO consider earrings, necklaces or bracelets for your girlfriend if the two of you have been in a relationship for a while but haven’t tied the knot and aren’t even close to having the engagement talk. It’s not that you aren’t serious about each other, but you’re comfortable where you are and there’s no reason to make things uncomfortable with gifts that just aren’t appropriate for the stage in your relationship that you currently find yourselves in. Pay attention to her personal style to make the perfect choice and know without question whether she’s a chic chandelier or a sartorial stud type of girl.
DON’T even think about buying her a ring if the two of you have been together for multiple years; two to three years seems like a safe amount. It’s fairly obvious how and why this can send the sort of mixed messages no one should want to send, but just incase this is a matter that needs a bit more clarification, you simply don’t want to raise any expectation that you aren’t ready to fulfill.
DO get creative. Rings and earrings aren’t the only things the jewelry world has to offer. You can spend big with elaborate statement necklaces, or keep things simple and focus more on the message than the piece with items like delicate hand chain bracelets for relationships that leave you without a doubt you’ll be gifting but not without questions concerning how much is too much.
DON’T miss the mark on what she likes. There is so much to choose from when buying jewelry. Should it be rose gold, should it be white gold, does she wear statement necklaces? Are you at a stage in your relationship where she will feel comfortable accepting a particular item from you? If you don’t know the answer, go back to the drawing board; you don’t want to make assumptions in this case!
DO feel good about your decision. Purchase something that you feel good about giving and don’t make the choice based on anything other than what’s relevant for the relationship you’re in. Even if what you buy isn’t exactly what she’d get herself, there’s something to be said for it being the thought that counts, and if you put your mind and sense of style to it you’ll likely decide on the perfect Valentine’s Day gift without even knowing it.
