<p>Do you buy holiday gifts for your children’s girlfriends or boyfriends? I want to get something for my son’s GF, but I have no idea what to get. She has spent time with our family, but I don’t know her well enough to know her tastes. Please don’t suggest I ask DS - he has a Y chromosome and is clueless.</p>
<p>Any suggestions?</p>
<p>How old are the two love birds?</p>
<p>DVD of their favorite show that they watch together :)</p>
<p>Classy, simple earrings tend to be a pretty safe bet.</p>
<p>I have some experience along these lines having three sons. Two of them have been dating the same girls for years, so it’s been hard coming up with something different. In the past I have gotten them comfy jammies. NOT sexy. More along the lines of loungewear. I have also given them college sweatshirts, lighted makeup mirrors, and this year: a heated throw. </p>
<p>I have always had good success going to Costco or Sam’s and seeing what they have there that is different. Something to wear that isn’t too personal, like a jacket, christmas sweather, etc. works. They have nice gift baskets along the lines of makeup sets or bath products. Without knowing the girls better, that’s all I can say.</p>
<p>I think she would just appreciate the fact that you think enough of her to buy her a present. Personally, I also think it’s easier to buy presents for a girlfriend than it would be for a boyfriend. I do NOT envy the mother of my son’s girlfriends. I don’t think she’s ever gotten them anything they’ve liked.</p>
<p>Would a gift certificate be too tacky??</p>
<p>Well, I asked for gift suggestions for D’s BF on another thread, and my favorite was for a restaurant gift certificate. I thought I might include a small token gift with that. Also, someone else suggested the addition of a movie gift certificate. That’s a gift that you can give to anyone. </p>
<p>I find girls are much easier to shop for than boys. Most girls enjoy accessories of all sorts, - jewlery (real or costume), make-up, perfume, lotions, shower gels, etc. If you know where she gets her hair/nails done, maybe a gift certificate to the salon. Also, candles or small picture frames are always nice. Good luck!</p>
<p>Hi! I need more gift ideas for D’s boyfriend. Any ideas?</p>
<p>Significant others of my 4 Ds are getting: </p>
<p>1- Tickets to an NHL game (D gets to enjoy this, too!)</p>
<p>2- A dozen golf balls and a golf glove (they’re going on a quick trip south over the holidays on their break from shows they’re in).</p>
<p>3- Tickets to a musical (D gets to enjoy this, too!)</p>
<p>4- A season of his favorite tv show on dvd and a couple of movie passes.</p>
<p>As a mom of 4Ds, I can suggest some of their favorite gifts to receive from moms of significant others - gift certificate for a manicure or pedicure, picture frames, candles, gift certificate for books, pajamas (none of my Ds wear nightgowns!), chocolates, a nice cozy throw blanket. I wouldn’t recommend make-up, most girls are very picky about what kind they use. Jewellery also may be difficult to find something that they’ll like, and will wear.</p>
<p>^I like the movie pass idea.^</p>
<p>Perhaps a Starbucks gift card (or a gift certificate to any local coffee shop) or an iTunes gift card…useful gifts that require no real knowledge of the recipient. When I have given them they have been very well received.</p>
<p>Car stuff ( only thinking of this b/c my teen s is walking around looking for an ice scraper to get the snow off the windshield), balaclava, scarf, gloves, driving gloves, golf shirt (collared short sleeve), beard trimmer, gift certificates to Bestbuy, Borders, or someplace like that.</p>
<p>What age are we talking about? For 16 year olds how about a Starbucks card in a cute presentation - stuffed in a mug or something.
For 20 year olds, maybe a small gift basket type thing.
If they are really serious beyond that point you know them well enough to pick a small personal present, but keep it well below the level of whatever your child is giving. Don’t wan’t the kid thinking the BF/GF’s mom likes you more than he or she does…</p>
<p>Brakes, please.</p>
<p>I encountered this thought today while shopping for gifts for my 17, 22 and 24 year old. They all have a significant other, but what different life stages!</p>
<p>With the older two, I’m afraid a gift might even be viewed as pressure on them. I’m not their mother-in-law and always am afraid not to tread heavily into acting like this. I feel very comfortable, based upon recent experiences over the last 5 months, to gift the oldest S.O. (female) just with a small thing for her household to show I’m thinking of her. Or I’ll get her something to embellish her classroom/professional world, since we’re both teachers and share the same alma mater. So that’s dignified as heck… </p>
<p>For the S.O. (male) of the 22 year old D, I will actually ask her first by email if it’s even appropriate for me to send him anything. I’m really afraid of being presumptuous since their relationship has some issues of independence/dependence yet to be fully resolved. I’m going to mail it to her and if she thinks it’s appropriate let her hand it to him as coming from me. I wouldn’t feel comfortable to mail it right to him. That’s for his mom to do, I feel.</p>
<p>The 17 year old (female) g.f. is just on a more lighthearted plane and of them all, with the least involved relationship and youngest age, I feel freest to give her something “just because” it’s the holiday season.</p>
<p>Maybe I’m taking all of this waaaaay too seriously. Not sure. My care packages sit
here and tomorrow is Post Office day. Everyone lives out-of-town.</p>
<p>LOL, LIfe is Beautiful :)</p>
<p>I’ve found that Old Navy giftcards are great for either sex. They sell everything from socks to outerwear. The mom of D’s ex bought her some really cute, comfy lounge pants/top there one year, too, and they are among her favorites.</p>
<p>as a sixteen year old, all of these gift certificates sound great. dont feel that theyre too impersonal - theyll be genuinely much more appreciated and used much more frequently/quickly than a sweater or non-expensive jewelry.</p>
<p>I’d still ask the ages. My daughter is 15, and although she’s been with her bf for over a year, I don’t buy him gifts. Although I did help her to pay for his Christmas gift, so maybe I did buy him something… but it didn’t “come from” me.</p>
<p>Last year bf’s mom gave D a gift basket with some scented shower gel and cream (I think it was Bath & Body Works). D thought that was sweet but unneccessary. She hasn’t suggested that I buy bf anything… but maybe I’ll ask her?</p>
<p>I don’t remember my parents ever buying my bf a gift until dh and I had been dating quite a while, or maybe when we were engaged?</p>
<p>Oh great, now I’ll feel creepy if I buy him something and guilty if I don’t.</p>
<p>LOL, Momneedsadvice! I never bought our daughter’s bf anything. Is that bad? It never really occurred to me to do it! DD and BF exchange gifts on all occasions- Valentine’s Day, birthdays, Christmas, and their ‘anniversary’</p>
<p>I have never bought the boyfriends a gift. I start giving gifts after they are engaged. The only exception was high school and college graduation.</p>
<p>We’ve never given a gift to S’s girlfriends, except for graduation. He buys a gift, but we don’t. He’s only 19, though. If he were to develop a significant, long-term relationship in adulthood, I would feel differently.</p>
<p>I was planning to buy my D’s bf a gift because he will be having Christmas dinner with us. Relatives will be here and gifts will be exchanged, and I don’t want him to feel left out. D bought him a Hanukkah gift because that is what he celebrates, and a little gift to give him on Christmas day because he is spending it with us. I asked for suggestions on another thread and everyone there was very helpful. I still haven’t gotten him anything, but at least I now have a few ideas.</p>