Don’t we all love receiving gifts? But for some people, receiving and giving gifts holds a deeper meaning. It is a way to express their love and how they also feel reassured about your love for them.
It is an action-backed emotional language that doesn’t just require you to say how you feel— but show it as well.
If you have a partner with gift-giving as their primary love language, you’d want to understand the nuance of this language beyond the notion of materialism and other popular misconceptions. It is a beautiful way of expressing abstract things like emotion through tangible means that you can see, touch, and cherish forever.
Whether in a long-term relationship or dating someone new, this guide will teach you the right way to express love through gifting without breaking the bank.
What is The Love Language Theory All About?
The love language theory was developed by the renowned author and counselor Dr. Gary Chapman. It highlights how every individual has a unique emotional language with which they convey and perceive love. These love languages include acts of service, words of affirmation, quality time, physical touch, and, yes, gift-giving.
This theory aims to help you understand your emotional needs and those of your partner by speaking each other's unique language of love. If this sounds new, you should check out this article first.
Let’s delve into the ultimate guide for gift-giving as a language of love!
Understanding Gift Giving and What It Means to Your Partner
As the name implies, gift-giving as a love language means to express and feel emotional love through gifts. It is the only emotional language besides physical touch that is a tangible affirmation of love. Because of its nature, it is often regarded as materialistic and a way of trying to “buy love” with money, but that is entirely false.
Materialism is not an expression of love but a personality trait developed due to upbringing, past traumas, and other factors.
Giving and receiving gifts, on the other hand, symbolizes emotional connection, love, and appreciation the people with this love language hold for their partners. Each gift is their unique way of saying, "I see you, I understand you, I thought of you today, and I cherish our relationship."
Beyond the item being gifted, what makes gift-giving such a beautiful love language is the sentiment behind the gift, the thoughtfulness in selecting it, and the emotional resonance it carries.
To help you better understand gift giving (especially if it's different from your language), here are some core values a gift holds for your partner with such love language:
A Gesture of Thoughtfulness and Fondness:
To your partner whose primary love language is gift-giving, a present symbolizes fondness, love, care, and affection. It is their way of saying they know what matters to you and have been thinking about you.
An Act of Gratitude
When your partner gives you a gift, it is a way to express their gratitude and appreciation. To them, merely saying thank you would not truly tell how they feel.
An Expression of Love
A present can also represent a piece of your partner's heart. So when they give you a gift, it is a tangible expression of their feelings towards you.
A Means of Making Long-Lasting Memories
One of the beautiful aspects of gift-giving is the ability to create memories that last forever. To your partner, a gift is no longer an object but a physical reminder of how you made them feel when you handed it to them.
A Symbol of Celebration
Special occasions like birthdays, anniversaries, and holidays are significant for those with this love language. They see these moments as opportunities to showcase their love and strengthen the bond through meaningful gifts.
Understanding what a gift represents to your partner will help you see from their perspective the next time you pick out a token of appreciation.
Need ideas for the perfect holiday present for someone with the Gift Giving (or should we say receiving?) language of love? Read this!
How to Tell if Your Partner's Love Language is Gift-Giving
While everyone loves getting gifts, how can you tell that it is indeed your partner's primary love language, especially in a new relationship?
There are several signs and indicators that can help you decipher if your partner's primary love language is gift-giving.
Here's what to look out for:
Expressing Appreciation through Gifts
One way to know that your partner appreciates gift giving as an expression of love is that they show their gratitude by also giving gifts. For example, if you do something nice for your partner, they'd most likely want to thank you with a token of their appreciation. It could be small or handmade, but when they hand you the present, they may say something like, "Thank you for doing this for me, take this, I love you."
Surprise Acts of Kindness and Thoughtfulness
Another way to know that your partner speaks gift-giving as their language of love is that they go out of their way to do little things for you. For example, when they prepare your favorite meal or send a fruit basket when you complain about a stressful day. You’d notice them being attentive to your likes, dislikes, dreams, and goals while incorporating them into their gifts.
Thoughtful Gestures in Early Dating
During the early stages of dating, your partner might have made extra effort to plan unique and personalized dates, showing their thoughtfulness from the beginning. They may have also given you a meaningful gift early on to express their interest and affection. These actions indicate they'd also appreciate it if you do the same in return.
Complaints of Unmet Needs
Suppose your partner's love language is gift-giving, and their needs aren't met. In that case, they might express dissatisfaction by mentioning they feel unappreciated or unloved, Even if you've been spending quality time, telling them you love them, and being physically affectionate.
Sentimental Attachment To Gifts
If your partner holds sentimental value to objects, it strongly indicates that gift-giving is their primary love language. You'd find them keeping stuffed animals and trinkets or storing flowers in books because they hold a special significance.
Reciprocal Gift-Giving
One way to decipher whether or not your partner's primary love language is gift-giving is by observing how they first express love. Most times, people often default to expressing love to their partners in their own primary love language. In this situation, you’d receive frequent and thoughtful gifts.
When your partner responds to gifts with genuine appreciation and delight, and in most cases with a gift in return, it is their love language.
The Ultimate Hack to Giving Gifts — Without Breaking the Bank
When it comes to gift-giving, there is the fear of doing too much or too little! How do you get it right? As Gary Chapman would say, “The most important thing is not the gift but the emotional love communicated through the gift.”
So, be it a little souvenir you picked up on a trip or a luxury clothing brand, all that matters is that the gift says, “Hey, I was thinking about you, and I love you.”
Here are some tips to help you show love to your partner through gift-giving without spending too much or being over the top.
Thoughtfulness Over Extravagance
When it comes to gift giving as an expression of love, the price tag does not matter—instead, the thoughtfulness behind it is what's important. Many times, a simple, well-thought-out present can hold more value than an extravagant one to someone with this love language.
The trick is to pay attention to your partner's needs at that moment and be as practical as possible. Keep a note on your phone listing things they've made subtle references to. For example, concert tickets to see their favorite artist or get a new release from their favorite author.
Yes, they will appreciate “cheap” flowers (or their favorite candy bar) you bought at the convenience store for no particular reason just as much, if not more so, than a big expensive bouquet or box of chocolates on Valentine’s Day. And if you really want to make them smile, stop along the roadside, and pick a few wildflowers!
Gifts That Hold Sentimental Value
Unknown to many, those with gift-giving as their primary love language are lovers of objects with sentimental value. So, another hack to save money while genuinely expressing your love through gifts is to give items richer in emotional value compared to their monetary value. For example, a charming locket with pictures from your first date, their hard-to-find favorite childhood candy, a DIY craft engraved with their initials, etc.
However, please do not take advantage of this tactic or do it cunningly because your partner will eventually see through it. Instead, use it to strengthen everyday bonds. But do go a little further to splurge on them on special days like birthdays, anniversaries, holidays, or, occasionally, "just because."
Personalized Gifts
Another way to express your love through gifts on a budget is to make your present as personalized as possible. This way, your partner sees that you don’t only know them but also love every unique part of them. For example, you may create a personalized playlist incorporating their favorite artist, zodiac sign, season of the year, and other information unique to them.
Gift-giving is One of the Languages of Love
Always remember that gift-giving is not simply about presents; it's about the emotions and thoughtfulness they carry. It's about the surprise that brightens a day, the symbolism that creates lasting memories, and the unspoken words that convey deep affection.
The ultimate advice you need to do gift giving the right way is to see each item as a vessel that carries your love, care, and commitment. This way, you take off the burden of trying to impress your partner with the gift's economic value but adore the priceless emotions they represent.
If you are still not sure whether your partner speaks the language of receiving gifts, these articles may help you figure out their true language of love: Quality Time, Acts of Service, Words of Affirmation, and Physical Touch.
Learn More about Love Languages
