Is it ok to give gifts to female friends who aren't girlfriends?

[PsychoPsyops]

Is it ok to give gifts to female friends who aren't girlfriends in real life, on their birthday and other holidays such as Christmas? Or is that not socialy acceptable? I have no clue! lol
If it matters, I'm age 26, they're also in their 20's.
I'm asking primarily because I don't want them to think I'm trying to be their boyfriend or anything.

[Myrmicon]

You can give gifts to whoever you like man. Especially on peoples birthdays..

[blue]

sure if they're good enough friends

i usualy wait til someone else gives me a gift to add them to my gift list tho

[Ironclad]

It is pretty common here, but it also depends on the women of course.

[Zulwarn]

If it's a really good friend, give them a gift only if you want to. Imo you shouldn't gift someone a game because of their gender. You do you though.

[Hextravert]

Telling people exactly why they are getting a gift is also so-called socially acceptable.

Originally posted by BehindAnimeLines:

Is it ok to give gifts to female friends who aren't girlfriends, on their birthday and other holidays such as Christmas? Or is that not socialy acceptable? I have no clue! lol

If it matters, I'm age 26, they're also in their 20's.

[ʙᴜɴ.ᴇ]

I only give gifts to my best friends.

But sadly they don't have funds to give me anything back usually.

I don't mind.

[PsychoPsyops]

Originally posted by Hextravert:

Telling people exactly why they are getting a gift is also so-called socially acceptable. :DEALWITHIT:

Originally posted by BehindAnimeLines:

Is it ok to give gifts to female friends who aren't girlfriends, on their birthday and other holidays such as Christmas? Or is that not socialy acceptable? I have no clue! lol

If it matters, I'm age 26, they're also in their 20's.

I don't understand where you got that from, but ok.

[spanglock]

A gift is an act of kindness, not one of sexual intention (unless this objective is obvious through the object given [e.g lingerie])

[Linus Hyper]

Why not?

[76561198034396398]

as long as your girlfriend doesn't find out

[alligatorade]

Originally posted by Evil Doctor Porkchop:

as long as your girlfriend doesn't find out

Yeah I'd say it's totally fine, give gifts to whoever you want. I'd be wary if you have a girlfriend though, she may or may not be comfortable with that. It really depends on the friendship.

[Hextravert]

Hey Ursula, I got you a gift — because it's Christmas.

Don't worry; I'm not trying to be your boyfriend or anything.

I've told you time and time again I find you very, very unattractive. Happy Birthday!

[76561198205901381]

Of course you can. This is a rather silly question.

[Spawn of Totoro]

I give female friends gift all the time, on and off Steam. A bag of their favorite chips when we visit, a game that all of us can play, ect.

[C4Warr10r]

What effect your gifts are going to have largely depends on you. With a clever name like "BehindAnimeLines," along with your age, the fact that you're asking, your articulation, and your concenr for both social norms and girls' feelings, I'm guessing that you aren't worried about looking desperate.

No, you're worried about leading them on, and I'd be willing to bet you've had this problem with ladies before. I'd also bet you're intoverted and highly empathetic, not to mention a clever sort.

If that is the case, you are right to be worried. Even if not 100% of it is accurate, there is still cause for concern. People tend to see what they want to see, some more than others, and about five-hundred times more so if you seem approachable. A gift CAN be seen as an invite to a relationship.

So what's to be done? Well, first, let me explain exactly what you should NOT do and what you are probably already doing. I bet a shy-guy like yourself tried to act like he saw nothing, and that made the problem worse, didn't it?

My friend, women look for men to complete them, just as we look to them to complete us. Once a lady sees what she wants, the absolute LAST thing you want to do is act like a gullible, blind fool. You're practically giving her an invitation to step into a super-suit that will endow her with all the powers she never had. This is how shy-guys end up with harridans for wives.

That is not the soul of a relationship, people shouldn't be looking for others to complete them. It's just the soul of breeding and it lasts about as long.

The key to a good romantic relationship is for each person to be a complete person in and of themselves, full and ready to face the world with all they have to offer. When two people like that come together, they select a partner, they don't depend on one, and they can build something better than the pair combined: a life, even a progeny, that is the finest of both.

That is how you deal with the friends you value too much to directly turn away, but don't want a romantic relationship with. You already have the words and the empathy, all you need to do is put them together in your own form, and use them to help somebody else become a better person on their own. It's what they really needed, what they really wanted, and what you wanted for them.

Give your gifts in that context, with that personality, and I swear to you, no woman is going to mistake your intent, nor will she be worse-off for it.

What you may have problems with, down the line, is the occassional psycho who thought you meant that she needed to prove herself to you. If that happens, you should be honored. And then you should repeat the lesson she clearly didn't get the first time. And if that doesn't work, let me know, I'm an extrovert, I specialize in dealing with outwardly-projected desires.