[摘要]圣诞节买礼物是一件很棘手的事，要买多少钱的？是否买收礼人不想要的礼物，出其不意？是否要给点头之交的邻居买点小礼物？这些都是需要考量的问题。

Set a mutual budget

双方花销保持一致

'For a new couple, a mutual budget is definitely a great idea,' says James. 'There's nothing worse than one of you going overboard when the other has done the opposite.'

“对新婚夫妇来说，花销一致无疑是一个好主意。”詹姆斯说。“你花了大价钱而对方却恰恰相反，没有比这更糟糕的了。”

He even points out that this is a good test to see if you have differing financial views.

他甚至指出这也是很好的考验，可以看看双方是否持有不同的消费观。

'Some people are natural over-spenders and think that the more they spend then the more you’ll love them. If you aren’t in sync with your spending habits then it can spell problems further down the line.'

“有些人天生大手大脚的，而且认为他们花钱越多，你就会越爱他们。如果你不遵循你自己的消费习惯，接下来就会出现各种问题。”

Long-term couples will likely already have an idea on what to spend, based on previous years and their financial situation - but it is still a good idea to set a maximum spending limit.

而老夫老妻们根据之前那些年的经验还有他们的经济状况，可能已经拿好主意要买什么了，但制定消费支出最大限额仍是一个不错的想法。

Surprise them

给对方惊喜

'Whatever relationship stage you are at, you absolutely do have to surprise them,' advises James.

“不管你们的关系到了哪一步，给对方惊喜都是必须的。”詹姆斯建议。

'For new daters, show that you’ve been paying attention to their hobbies and conversations. If you remembered something small that they said, they’ll be flattered and happy you noticed.

“对于刚开始约会的对象，要表现出你留意到他们的喜好，记得与他们的谈话内容。如果你记得他们说过的一些小事情，他们会为你留意到那些小事而受宠若惊，感到高兴。”

'If you’ve been together a while, you’ll probably have a list of suggestions of things that they want. It's fine to get them something off that but you also have to think outside the box. That's the only way to make it a magical experience for them.'

“如果你们在一起有一段时间了，对方可能会向你暗示过很多他们想要的东西。其实送他们别的东西也是可以的，只不过你也要在礼品盒的包装上花心思，因为那是唯一一种让对方觉得你的礼物妙不可言的方式。

Of course most partners drop hints - so make sure you listen.

当然，大多数伴侣都会给对方一些暗示——所以要确保你有留心听。

If you're still struggling, take them shopping and make a note of what they like, or ask close friends and family for ideas.

如果你还是拿不定主意，那么带他们去购物，然后记下他们喜欢的东西，或者向他们的密友和家人打听一下他们的喜好。

Of course for some a gift that really matters is something that's wanted and perhaps wouldn’t otherwise be affordable, so just asking if they want a surprise or not may be the safest bet, says Helen.

对于一些人来说，礼物贵在合心意，而不是多数人买不起的价格，所以先问一下对方是否想要一个惊喜可能会更稳妥，海伦说。

Good gift ideas

送礼佳品

Something handmade or baked; a personal IOU voucher - i.e. a massage/home-cooked meal/naughty treat etc; a book that you love and would like to share with them; an event/show tickets; a piece of art; cooking or craft classes; spa days; weekend away; gadgets.

手工制品或烘焙品；私人欠条凭据——即欠一次按摩/一顿家常饭/一场玩闹等；一本你喜欢并且想和他们分享的书；一张比赛/表演的票；一件艺术品；给他们报厨艺班或工艺品制作班；spa体验；周末出游；一些小玩意儿。

Bad gift ideas

送礼馊品

Novelty or joke items; chocolate, underwear and toiletries (too boring); gift vouchers; something from your local petrol station bought on Christmas eve.

廉价小饰物或笑话集；巧克力，内衣和化妆品（太无聊）；礼品券；平安夜在加油站小商店仓促买的东西。