2008 Woodie Awards
He said/She said: Gift giving at little expense; holiday cheer that won't kill the wallet
To buy, or not buy: those expensive season tickets or dinner and a movie
Lindsey Nelsen and John Rickgarn
Issue date: 12/7/05 Section: Features
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How much is too much?
He said: Budgeting of course plays a big part in this. Yes, you could go out, max your credit cards and buy that diamond necklace for your girlfriend or that Xbox 360 for your boyfriend. But should a gift force you to go into debt? And would you expect or want your significant other to do that for you?
Stick to your budget and look for something that they'll love, don't just concentrate on how much it costs.
She said: I could play devil's advocate here and argue the opposite, but I cannot bring myself to do it. It drives me crazy when I see college kids buying 100-plus gifts for their significant other like it is nothing. Are you buying love, or doing it because you feel you have to? If you spent around 30 to 50 dollars, would they be upset you didn't spend enough? If so, there are some serious issues in this relationship. It is not supposed to be about how much you spent, but the thought, as corny as it sounds.
However, is there a minimum amount of money or thought required?
He said: It may seem arbitrary, but $25 seems like a good, baseline minimum amount. I think $100 should be the max. Of course, I buy a lot of gifts during Christmas for my family so I have to watch how much I spend. But of course I spend more on my girlfriend.
As cliché as it is, it really is the thought that counts towards a gift. I'd rather have someone purchase something small that I really want rather than say $75 football tickets that I would have no use for. If you're in a good, strong relationship, money shouldn't be a concern and you should be able to find something that he or she would really love.
She said: We need to stop agreeing in this article. I think a minimum amount around $25 is a fair number. I think a significant other is worth three to four hours worth of work at minimum. If you don't think you can afford more, if you have a solid relationship, I think you can negotiate getting a joint gift to each other or maybe going out to eat and spending time with each other instead of a traditional gift. I would rather have a significant other devote four to five hours with me than him fuss over trying to afford to buy me something.