9 Gifts Guys Should Never Give To Their GFs

Valentine’s day, birthday, and anniversary (both dating and wedding, for all of you who put a ring on it) – having to continually wreck your brains throughout the year for a suitable gift for your significant other can be extremely taxing.

The bad news: we don’t have a one-size-fits-all solution for you. The good news: we’re going to tell you what to avoid at all costs if you don’t want a happy occasion to turn sour real quick.

P.S. Keep in mind that this is a general guideline! If your girlfriend has specifically mentioned that she’s been eyeing to buy any of the below items and you think she’d genuinely enjoy receiving it as a gift, feel free to get it for her.

1. Fancy lingerie

Newsflash: fancy or sexy lingerie are typically some of the most uncomfortable things you could ask another person to wear. Gifting your girlfriend a set of fancy lingerie that only you like will almost certainly make you come across as self-centered and only having one thing on your mind.

2. Running shoes/gym membership/fitness tracker

The only acceptable situation to gift these is if your girlfriend has repeatedly voiced out her seriousness in getting one of these but is held back by her finances. In any other situation, especially if your girlfriend has never ever brought up the topic of needing more exercise gear or classes, these gifts will send her the message that you think she needs to lose weight. We all know how that’s going to go down.

3. Weighing machine

A weighing scale isn’t all that expensive to get, so in most cases, a girl can well afford to get her own if she felt the need to own one. With weight and body image being such a sensitive topic for girls in our current age, why would you even think of getting this?

4. Apron/cooking equipment

Gone are the days when women are contented to be consigned to the kitchen as their “natural” place in the house. Even if your girlfriend is a cooking whiz, it’s likely that she wouldn’t appreciate receiving these gifts that act on these outdated stereotypes of women.

5. Box of chocolates

Unless it’s an expensive and high-quality brand that your girlfriend particularly likes and doesn’t get to enjoy often, chocolates are generally a forgettable gift that reeks of insincerity and lack of effort. We think you’re better off with no gift at all, and instead spending some effort in planning a day of quality time with her.

6. Generic or cheap gifts packaged in a branded box

You may think it’s funny to pack something like a cheap drugstore hand cream in a Tiffany and Co. box, but it’s likely that such pranks won’t amuse your girlfriend. Even if she had not been expecting an expensive gift to begin with, it’s never fun to have your hopes and expectations toyed with for the amusement of another.

7. Box sets of travel-sized toiletries

These gifts may be all right for your office Secret Santa but steer clear from them with a significant other. It’s obvious that they’re cheap and that you probably picked them up along the way because you couldn’t be bothered to think of something else. It’s likely she already has a cupboard full of unused toiletry sets from these gift exchanges anyway.

8. Vitamins and supplements

Aside from sending her the message that you think her health needs improving, these vitamins and supplements may not actually be what she needs in the first place. When it comes to health conditions, it’s best to let her decide for herself with the help of a healthcare professional.

9. Toothbrush (no matter how electric it is)

We get that power toothbrushes are really great for dental hygiene and also really expensive. This, however, doesn’t make them great gifts, especially not for a girlfriend. Receiving a toothbrush as a present would inadvertently make anyone interpret that as a statement that their dental hygiene is lacking, or that they actually have bad breath, previously unknown to them. This is hardly a happy or confidence-boosting gift you’d like a special someone to receive on a special occasion.