How2Day: Gifts for a 2nd Date With Her

In the early stages of dating, expensive gifts are inappropriate. A couple dating image by yummy from Fotolia.com
Giving a present to someone you care about is a nice gesture, but you don't want to put too much pressure on a girl you've just started dating. When choosing a gift for a second date, you should avoid expensive or overly romantic items. Instead, you should use what you learned on the first date, or earlier in your friendship, to select a gift that is friendly and personal.

If your date insists on "going Dutch," you can surprise her on the next date with a coupon for her half of the meal. Before planning the date, browse around for coupons in newspapers, magazines and mailings. Find one that offers a good deal: Buy one get one free, 50 percent off and so on. Recommend that you go to that restaurant or cafe on the second date, and when the bill arrives, present your date with her discount coupon. This gift shows that you have a sense of humor, which women appreciate in a man.

During your first conversations, your date may mention her passion for a particular cause, small independent company or band. Show that you support her interests by offering a small contribution to her pet organization. Go to its website and make a charitable donation of $10 or so, through PayPal. A gift like this will demonstrate your sensitivity and generosity.

Boxes of chocolate are kind of cliche. Some girls think it's cheesy when guys give them candy gifts, because they're romantically charged yet impersonal. As people tend to enjoy tasty snacks, most girls will still appreciate food gifts, as long as they're carefully chosen. Pick something out of the ordinary yet tasty: chocolate-covered potato chips, upscale chocolate bars with unusual additions and fillings, gourmet jelly beans and ethnic foods are unexpected alternatives to the usual candy gifts. Keep her preferences in mind when making your choice, and sample your selection first to make sure it's OK. With this gift, you can give your date something new to try.

If your date is the intellectual type, show that you admire her mind by presenting a secondhand book on your second date. Use information you learned from your first date to select a book that fits her tastes in authors and genres. Choose a thin book that you really enjoyed and think she will appreciate. When giving her the book, briefly tell her how much you liked reading it, and why you think she'd like it, too. This shows your date that you listened to her and put thought into the gift. In the future, you can discuss the book together.

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