When my boyfriend and I first started dating, we were over the top in showing our affection for each other through gifts. He would often leave roses on my car on his way to school, or we would bring each other lunch during the day. Our first Christmas together he went all out and we had only been dating for one month. Our next Christmas together followed suit, he went all out AGAIN, just look at the picture he posted of me:

No doubt, we love spoiling each other but after that Christmas, we took a minute to reflect. What was the point of all these gifts? To show off to others? To prove something to each other? It turns out we were trying to prove something to each other and other people, not only is our relationship strong, it's doing everything right: we were flashing our relationship around. But we weren't really cherishing each other or our relationship for its real value, the little moments. We were also draining our bank accounts trying to prove that our relationship was amazing to others when we already knew that ourselves.

From then on we decided no more gifts for birthdays, anniversaries, Valentine's Day, or Christmas, instead, we would enjoy dinners often together, go out more and experience new things. We also decided to spend the collective money we would spend on these commercial holidays on a trip during the year to spend with each other. Now, we've spent weekends in Chicago, Canada, and Las Vegas and we've been able to enjoy these trips without worrying about how much it was costing us while at the same time making amazing memories.

Trip to Chicago, Illinois Morgan Shaffer

Trip to Toronto, CanadaMorgan Shaffer

Trip to Las Vegas, NevedaMorgan Shaffer

This is a decision you and your significant other need to make together but don't let the commercialization of Christmas force you into feeling like you need to prove something to both your significant other and your friends. Christmas is expensive, anniversaries are expensive and they really should be all about the love you have for your significant other, and you can't buy love. Don't throw away all your money into a gift that is somehow symbolic for love. Make memories and spend time with one another.

Gifts can't, and never will, buy love.