7 Gifts Your Brand New Man Will LOVE! (And 7 Awkward Ones To Avoid)

Here's the conundrum: You just started dating a great guy and you don't want to appear anxious or presumptuous about your relationship by giving him a Christmas gift that's too sentimental, too soon. But you don't want to show up empty-handed on your upcoming date should he present you with a gift.

Oh the dilemma! What should you do?

Keep in mind that your brand new boyfriend is probably wondering the same thing: Should he give you a gift? He also doesn't want to appear too eager.

He doesn't want to buy anything expensive for fear you'll read too much into the new relationship, but he worries if he gives you something small, you'll think he's cheap. He's also afraid to show up empty-handed should you give him a gift.

First, give from the heart. Don't show up with expectations of whether he'll give you a gift.

Second, give a modest gift that says, "I like you. I thought of you. I look forward to getting to know you better."

Here are 7 simple yet thoughtful and sweet gift ideas:

1. Give a gift that's an inside joke. I dated a guy who said he hated Christmas. A coffee cup is a horrible gift, but I found one at Starbucks that said "Bah Humbug," which made it a personal but not overly intimate present.
    
2. Feed his caffeine addiction with a Starbucks gift certificate.
    
3. Give him a DVD of a TV show or a movie that he mentioned he wants to watch.
    
4. Buy him tickets to a movie or a play, but only if the event is just a week or two away. Anything further out and he'll think you're trying to rope him into a relationship.
    
5. He'll love a batch of homemade cookies, just don't complain when he puts on a couple of pounds.
    
6. Does he like to cook? Get him a cool cooking gadget or a live-potted rosemary plant decorated with red ribbons. When he pinches rosemary, he'll think of you. 
    
7. Give him a fun CD mix of Christmas music. Hopefully your mix will become a holiday tradition. Otherwise, after your guy splits  — and he's sitting on his sofa with his new honeybun and he pops your CD into his stereo to set the mood  — he'll think of you.

Now, what's on the "it's too soon to give" list when you have a new boyfriend? Here are 7 gifts you should definitely avoid: 

1. Don't give him a shirt. The same goes for a tie or socks: It's personal and BORING!
    
2. Don't give him jewelry. Cha-ching! Jewelry screams "I'm desperate. I'm needy!"
    
3. Don't give him tickets to a romantic get-away weekend. It's too soon.
    
4. Don't give him a scrapbook of your time spent together. 
    
5. Don't knit him a scarf or hat. You're a modern gal — not his grandma.
    
6. Don't give him your ring size! 
    
7. And for goodness sake, do NOT give a brand-new boyfriend a framed photo of yourself. It's egotistical and howls "make me your one and only."

Do you wonder and worry when you're dating a new man? I know what it feels like to be single and lack confidence with men. Based on inspiring true events, my God, Please Fix Me! trilogy will teach you how to be the woman that men pursue for a serious relationship.