7 Thoughtful First-Date Gifts For a Lasting Impression

What do you do when you’ve finally convinced your dream girl to let you take her out on a date?

The first dates are tone-setters, which means they will leave a mark. If they go well, a second date is in order. But if they fail, your chances of winning her heart diminish.

First dates can make even the most confident men feel nervous. Therefore, how can a guy like you make a great impression without coming on too strong?

Our suggestion: give her first-date gifts.

Gifts are a great way to break the ice and help ease the tension on your date. Finding the right gift can be challenging because no one can predict if your date will like it or not.

But this is a recommendation worth trying. Why? It shows your date that you’re thoughtful and serious.

Before we share our recommendations, here are a few general first-date gift tips to help you get started.

How to Go About Gift-Giving on a First Date

Gift-giving requires a lot of effort and thought. You don’t stop at picking a thing and wrapping it in a fancy wrapper. Put your best foot forward and follow these no-nonsense pointers:

1. Ask about her interests

Shopping for first-date gifts can be tricky, especially if your dream girl is a total stranger. By asking her what her interests are, you give yourself the chance of finding that perfect present.

2. If responses are vague, start small

Are her responses fuzzy and unclear? If so, do the next best thing and go small.

Giving a small gift on a first date still makes an impact because a gift is still a gift. The size doesn’t (and shouldn’t) matter. You’ve still invested thought and effort in that present, and nothing and no one can tell you otherwise.

3. Add a note

Do you want to show her that you’re thoughtful and sensitive? Send a note along with your gift. Write your well-wishes and thoughts toward your recipient to make your present more personal.

First-Date Gift Ideas for Her

Now that we’ve run through first-date gift etiquette, let’s move on to our suggestions. They aren’t the fanciest gifts, but they still hold much significance.

Without further ado, here are our recommendations:

I. Flowers

This first suggestion may seem lazy. How is a bouquet of roses, or any other flower, groundbreaking, right?

There’s a reason flowers remain one of the best gifts for a first date. Their simplicity is enough to make a statement to the recipient. Their looks and smells help a lot on that front too!

One of the great things about flowers is that they’re not too personal. Because of that, giving them to someone you haven’t gotten to know too well isn’t weird. Your match will appreciate your thoughtfulness.

Is your date someone you know? Go the extra mile and get her a bouquet of her favorite blooms! She’ll never forget your attention to detail.

II. A bottle of wine

Wine is one of the safest first-date gifts you can give. Unless your date doesn’t drink, this one is a fail-proof present. Who doesn’t love good-tasting wine?

We suggest giving small hints to figure out their preferred variant. By the time your date rolls around, you’re ready with her favorite bottle in hand.

This gift tells her you’ve paid attention to her during your conversation. This gesture also shows you’ve made an effort since you took the time to buy one. Not only will you make a good impression, but you’ll also have something to enjoy together should you decide to have a nightcap.

III. Chocolates

Chocolates never fail to please a woman on a romantic night out.

A box of chocolates is always a good idea. However, we suggest doing your research first before you buy one. Ask your date about her favorite brand or kind. Don’t buy her anything that may trigger any allergy.

IV. Simple jewelry

Uh oh! Does this mean you need to splurge for some nice jewelry? The good news is that you don’t have to! Great-looking jewelry doesn’t always come with heavy price tags.

You can go for simple and inexpensive pieces that match her style. Even a handpainted bangle will suffice. Just make sure the pieces you’ll buy are hypoallergenic to prevent allergic reactions.

V. A book

Are you looking for a more personal present? Go for books!

Books are special gifts for a first date because they’re thought-provoking and thoughtful. Not only do they add to a person’s reading collection, but they also gain something to remember you by. Try giving your date a book they’ve been talking to you about. If that’s unavailable, go for her favorite author or genre.

We recommend you only give books if your date is someone you’re familiar with or is an avid bookworm. You don’t want your present to be sitting unopened on a dusty shelf!

VI. An object they mentioned liking

Is this a lazy idea? No. Instead, a gift like this is where you apply your listening skills. If she mentioned something she was interested in during your conversations, you may want to recall that object.

A gift that aligns with your date’s interests tells her that you’ve been paying attention. Take this as a good thing.

VII. Something you made yourself

This last suggestion is one of the more creative first-date gifts on the list. Examples include a handmade card with quirky graphics.

Something is fulfilling about making a gift yourself. The thought and work you’ve put into it makes giving it away satisfying—especially if they like it.

You don’t need to be an artsy person to ace this present. If you feel like you don’t have artistic talents, try baking instead! A small box of fresh homemade cookies or brownies never fails to lift one’s spirit.

It’s the thought that counts here, and that won’t diminish your efforts.

First-date gifts aren’t a requirement, but we recommend giving one to your match to make your meetup extra special. Our tips and suggestions should help you out on that end. Good luck with your shopping!