Last week we wrote about the worst Christmas gifts for your girlfriend. But now, we’re going to tell you about some of the great Christmas gifts you can get. It can be daunting buying gifts but stick to some simple rules and you’ll do awesome.

Jewellery

This is cliched. A lot of things on this list are going to sound cliched. However, it’s cliched because people do it a lot, and they do it a lot because it works.

That doesn’t mean you can just get any old necklace or earrings. In fact, getting the right type of jewellery can be very tricky.

First of all, stay away from rings, especially if you and your girlfriend haven’t been together for very long. There are too many wedding connotations with rings. Once, I was gifted a beautiful ring box, to find a Pacman ring inside. The sentiment was very sweet, but it as a gift it fell flat. There was also a moment of “oh god no I hope this isn’t as serious as he’s implying it is!”

With other kinds of jewellery, such as necklaces and earrings, stay simple and elegant. Statement pieces can be beautiful but they’re also a gamble. Simple designs are more likely to match your girlfriend’s outfits and can feel more sweet and endearing.

If you’re worried about being too cliched, stay away from things that are heart shaped. There are also lots of geeky options now, such as a necklace with the chemical formula for coffee. Try something personal, such as earrings shaped like the constellations of her star sign.

Watch

A watch is timeless. No pun intended. I’ve known a few female friends be given watches from their partners, and the response has always been good. They can be fashionable, luxurious and practical all at the same time. (Still, no pun intended!)

You can be sickly sweet and get her a matching watch to yours. Or you can buy a more jewellery version that’s half a bracelet half a watch.

When picking styles, go towards more clean and simple over large and chunky. Women’s watches can be very feminine, although you can get more masculine designs. Consider your girlfriend’s normal attire. If she’s very girly, go for something girly. If she’s really into sports, check out some of the sportier designs.

Loungewear and lingerie

For a more intimate gift, buy her some luxurious lingerie. Emphasis on luxurious. They don’t have to be from an expensive brand per se, but you don’t want to be giving your girl cotton panties.

You can sneakily check out the brand of underwear she wears if you get a chance. This is also a good time to check what size she wears. If you know she’s a fan of one brand, or a certain style, hunt for that. You don’t need to be worried about getting embarrassed over buying them either. Now we have a handy thing called internet shopping.

If lingerie feels too sexy and you don’t want to get her size wrong, go for loungewear. This includes things such as silk robes, lace teddy suits (not a toy bear), or some fancy pyjamas. Bonus if she wears them for the rest of the day and you get to hang around with a sexy and comfy girlfriend.

Makeup brushes

If your girlfriend wears makeup, and I only know very few girls who don’t, makeup brushes are a fantastic gift. Like makeup, I’m of the strong opinion you can never have enough.

Unlike makeup, you don’t have to worry about getting the right colour or brand she likes. There are of course good brushes and bad brushes, so you’ll need to do a bit of research. A great way is to just search youtube and see what popular beauty gurus are going crazy over.

A lot of makeup brushes are now a fashion statement as well. Unicorn horn brushes? Mermaid tail brushes? Brushes that for some reason resemble tiny hair brushes? Done and done.

Intimidated by what kind of brushes to get? Don’t be, honestly, a lot of girls don’t even know what all the different brushes are meant to be used for. I certainly don’t. Just get a pack and you’re doing great.

Romantic retreat

A great gift that you can do together is to get a little holiday. This can be anything from a spa day to a weekend in Paris. It’s a fantastic way to show your girlfriend that you care about her and that you can be just as romantic as the main character from her favourite romcom films.

Pamper days are lovely, you get massages, pedicures – the whole works. It’s a great excuse to get yourself some grooming care without worrying about looking girly because hey you’re doing this for her! Or you can sneakily plan it around a time you want to spend by yourself or your mates by booking it for her and her friends.

Weekends away can be anything from a fancy five-star hotel, to glamping in the woods, to just booking into a really sweet bed and breakfast cottage in a countryside village. With a bit of research, you can definitely find something that fits your budget.