You thought things you were over and you thought that you both had moved on.
Then, out of nowhere, you receive a gift from your ex and it’s got your mind racing with more questions than you even know how to process.
Allow me to help you answer most of those questions, starting with the most obvious one first.
What Does It Mean When Your Ex Buys You A Gift?
It can mean a lot of things when your ex-boyfriend buys you a gift. However, it usually means that he still likes you or is interested in you.
After all, when was the last time that you bought a gift (especially if it’s expensive or thoughtful) for someone that you didn’t have any interest in? Secret Santa doesn’t count, either.
Let’s talk more about the reasons why your ex-boyfriend might be showering you with gifts.
1) Your Ex-Boyfriend Still Has Feelings For You
Most obviously, if your ex-boyfriend buys you a gift, he still has feelings for you in some way, shape, or form.
Where it gets a little tricky are the types of feelings that he has for you. After all, you wouldn’t buy a gift for someone if they weren’t on your mind, and the same thing goes with your ex.
- It could be a feeling of love.
- It could be a feeling of regret.
- It could be a feeling of nostalgia.
Hopefully, you can some context clues based upon the gift (or gifts) that he has gotten for you. If all else fails, you can just ask him yourself to avoid overthinking about how he feels for you.
2) Your Ex-Boyfriend Wants To Get Back Together
Aside from having feelings, your ex-boyfriend getting you a gift can also highly mean that he wants to get back together with you.
If your ex-boyfriend didn’t get you many gifts when you were dating, then the chances are much higher that he wants to get back together with you. After all, what better way to get your attention than getting something that you like?
Plus, getting you a gift offers a much higher impact than randomly texting or calling you, given the fact that those options don’t exactly require a lot of effort on his part.
This also happens when an ex doesn’t ask for their stuff back. They hope that by keeping their stuff around, it will help with rekindling emotions and possibly getting back together.
3) He’s Trying To Say That He Is Sorry
Your ex-boyfriend giving you a gift also might be another way to say that he is sorry; consider it a peace offering.
- Has he told you that he was sorry in person?
- Has he told you that he was sorry through texting or calling?
If he already has, then giving you a gift can certainly be seen as a last-ditch effort in order to win your attention (and ultimately your love) back. Keep in mind that if he has nothing to be sorry for, then this won’t be a reason for him getting you a gift.
4) He Wants You To Remember The Good Times
Your ex-boyfriend might give you a gift to help you remember some of the best times of your relationship.
It’s a subtle way to hopefully plant more seeds of connection into your mind, and many times, if he chooses the proper gift, can work like a charm.
This will also be pretty obvious if he gives you a gift that reminds you of a memorable moment in your past relationship. Examples of gifts that highlight special memories might include:
- A photograph of you two at a special place.
- A gift card to where you both had your first meal out.
- A DVD of the first movie that you two watched together.
If he can get a smile on your face by remembering some of the good times that you had with him, then he can consider his job well done. If that’s the case, expect a follow-up from him as that’s only the first step of winning you back.
On the other hand, there’s one more reason as to why he might be sending you a gift. It’s not as common, but it’s certainly a possibility.
5) He Wants To End The Relationship On Good Terms
Your ex-boyfriend might have gotten you a gift as he simply wants to end the relationship on good terms. In other words, you can consider it a peace offering.
We’ve talked previously about how him giving you a gift might be his way of saying that he is sorry. However, in this case, this is his way of walking away from the relationship on a good note:
- He wants to bury the hatchet.
- He doesn’t want to act like a jerk.
- He also wants to show that he can still be respectful.
Despite the problems that you might have had with him in your relationship, this is probably one of the most respectful things that your ex-boyfriend can do for you. It’s similar to an ex texting you happy birthday on your birthday.
So if this was the reason for him giving you a gift, be sure to respectfully thank him for it. He at least deserves that.
What Do You Do If You Have Expensive Gifts From Your Ex?
You have a lot of options when it comes to having expensive gifts from your ex. All in all, though, you can either keep them or get rid of them.
Depending on how much value you put on these gifts and the memories that come along with them, you’ll want to act in a specific way. Let’s take a look at the four best options for you.
1) Keep The Expensive Gifts
So you’ve got expensive gifts from your ex, and they have moved on? The first (and easiest) option is going to be to keep them.
First I want to address the elephant in the room. Keeping expensive gifts from an ex who has moved on does not make you a bad person or anything. After all, these are gifts that were for you, so there is no need to be guilty about keeping them.
I remember when an ex got me an expensive Tiffany necklace, and let’s just say that he never got that back after the breakup. Unless, of course, he wanted it for some reason (which he didn’t).
So as long as you have no problems with keeping the expensive gifts around, then that’s most likely going to be your best option. On the other hand, you have a few more options.
2) Give The Expensive Gifts Back
If you have expensive gifts from your ex, you also have the option of giving those gifts back.
There are a few reasons as to why you might want to do this:
- The gifts spark bad memories.
- You have no use for the gifts anymore.
- Your ex wants them back (which you don’t have to abide by).
Giving gifts back is also an option if you want to remember anything and everything that reminds you of your ex.
If your ex doesn’t want the expensive gifts back, there just might be someone who does.
3) Donate Or Sell Them To Someone Who Wants Them
If you don’t want the expensive gifts and your ex doesn’t either, there is always the option of donating or selling them.
Keep in mind that since the gifts are expensive, it’s going to be much easier to find someone who wants them. Whether you want to make money off of the gifts is up to you. Generally, the more expensive something is, the more you’ll probably want to sell it.
There are plenty of easy options for getting the gifts into someone else’s hands as well. A few options include:
- eBay.
- Local pawn shop.
- Facebook marketplace.
- Goodwill and thrift shops for donation.
At the end of the day, it shouldn’t be too difficult to get the gifts into the hands of someone else who wants them. But for some odd reason, if you do have trouble with the process, here’s the quick and easy solution for you.
4) Throw The Expensive Gifts Away
It hurts to say this, but sometimes you’ll just have to throw away the expensive gifts that you received from your ex.
Please keep in mind that this is something that you’ll want to do if none of the other options were available (or worked). For example:
- If the gifts are too painful to keep.
- If the gifts bring up too many bad memories.
- If you can’t find someone (or a donation spot) that wants them…
Then your last resort will have to be throwing them in the garbage bin. Sometimes that’s just the best way to try and erase the past and look forward to a much better and brighter future.
Is It Okay To Buy Your Ex A Gift? Final Words
The art of giving gifts is a nice and courteous gesture, so it is totally acceptable to buy your ex a gift. With a few exceptions, of course.
However, there are going to be some moments where you’ll want to think twice about buying a gift for your ex. A few examples include:
- You hate each other.
- The relationship ended on a really bad note.
- You promised to move on and not make contact.
- They are already dating someone else (this can cause drama).
- It’s been a very long time since the two of you broke up (it can be very weird).
Aside from those reasons, it’s not the worst idea in the world to buy a gift for your ex.
Just try not to spend too much money on the gift. You never know, it might just immediately end up in the trash.
More Reading: Is It Okay To Wish Your Ex Happy Birthday During No Contact?
