<p>It never occurred to me to buy her a gift…they have been dating since February but we don’t see her that often. We helped him with ideas for her b-day and x-mas but I didn’t even think of that. Do most people do this?They are both seniors, I’m not opposed to buying a gift, it’s just something I didn’t think of…</p>
<p>Whew, I’m glad to finally hear from some other parents who never thought of buying bf/gf a gift. I was beginning to feel like maybe I was Scrooge and didn’t know it!</p>
<p>OK, now I’m thinking if I give him something it would be a gift certificate to a moderate restaurant in town or movie passes, and he & D can go out? Sort of a gift to both of them? Again, they’re only 15.</p>
<p>LIMomof2, your reasoning sounds good to me. If a bf/gf would be with us at a gift exchange, I’d get a small gift (not big enough that they’d feel bad if they didn’t get us something - I wouldn’t expect them to!).</p>
<p>Momneedsadvice - that’s exactly what I was thinking - maybe a gift certificate to one of the restaurants they enjoy so he and D can go together. My D is also 15 but her bf is 17 - but I think that would be fine. I just don’t want him to feel left out while everyone else is opening gifts.</p>
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You’re very kind. But if he’s used to celebrating Hannukah, he might be coming to your house just to share and support you on your holiday, but not expecting to receive anything. He has joyful holidays all year long on other dates. </p>
<p>Can you instead send his gift in the coming week (first night of Chanukah is Tues. Dec. 4 this year, and lasts 8 days), to his house to open on his date? THAT would be classy, and deeply understood.</p>
<p>If you give him something on Dec. 25, I’d suggest wrap it in blue paper, definitely not Christmas paper. Opening a Christmas-wrapped gift is hard for some Jewish kids, depending on how they are raised.</p>
<p>P3T, thanks for the suggestion. I understand what you are saying, but I don’t think that is the case in this particular situation. First, I am half Jewish myself, and it’s going to be my relatives (about half of them are Jewish) who will be at our house for Christmas. Also, the bf’s family normally celebrates Christmas at a friend’s house anyway, so I think that he is accustomed to Christmas traditions as well. I think I mentioned earlier that my D bought him a Hanukkah gift (which will be her main gift to him). I don’t want to send him a gift now, because I don’t want him to feel obligated to buy H and I gifts for Christmas. Anyway, I do appreciate what you are saying, I just don’t think we have to worry about that issue.</p>