So last night my boyfriend and I went out for a Christmas dinner and a movie. We split the costs between us. I thought it was the perfect night. We then proceeded to his house and exchanged gifts. After unwrapping our presents we realized that we got each other watches!

Now, I had gotten him a watch after remembering a conversation I had with him about him missing his old watch. I spent FOREVER looking for the right one for him. I wanted it to be just perfect. I even wrapped it with a home-made gift wrap of pictures of movies we watched together at the beginning of our relationship leading up to our first kiss. I put so much time and effort trying to make it flawless.

His present came in a pre-made gift bag with a tiny sitck-on ribbon on it. He had mentioned before that he just saw it (the gift) and figured that I would like it. I had expected a necklace from him because I had overheard his conversation with a friend on the phone with him saying "I got her this really beautiful locket". But instead of a locket I was given a small watch. And because I had spent FOREVER shopping for his watch, I had seen that watch in the store and know his gift is barely even half the price of what I had gotten him.

A part of me says I'm just being a spoiled brat and I should get over it. But I can't help but feel that I got the short end of the stick here. I guess I'm just a little disappointed that I went through so much for his gift whereas he just bought his and shoved it into a gift bag.

What can I do to rid myself of my negativity? I don't want to tell him or else he might think I'm being ungrateful.

Your right, you're a spoiled brat, and need to get over yourself, and your right again, don't tell any one else that's how you feel, as it would seem ungrateful.

Whatever happened to it's the thought that counts??

I'm going to agree with Talaniman.

It's the thought that counts. Not the money or the actual gift. You don't know what he was thinking when he got it for you. Perhaps he thought about how beautiful it would look on you?

I agree with Tal, it's the thought that counts. Females put more into looking for gifts for their spouse or boyfriend. Some men aren't just into it. It doesn't mean he doesn't care about you. Think of other things that you admire about him. You can't put a price on a relationship, and base it on what he spends for a gift..

Guys don't really as a rule go all out the way most women do.

All the guys are going to attack that statement. Not all men.

I don't mean to paint with such a broad brush but generally guys are kind of clueless in the gift department.

I would not say anything at all as he will never feel any desire or confidence to buy you a gift in the future.

You can rid yourself of these feelings by understanding that he did the best he could and by my calender Christmas is not here yet,maybe he has something else in store for you.

Maybe he spent forever as well looking for something for you and the cost is really insignificant here.

Accept the gift in the spirit of love that it was given and not the value... Happy Holidays!

Don't stress about it. He got you something, that's all that really matters. And he saw it, purchased it, and thought about you the whole time, wow, I wish I still had that...

This is why Christmas is looked upon as such an exploited holiday. It is all about what people get. It is overloaded with materialistic people such as yourself.

Be thankful you spent time with someone you care for very deeply and be thankful you have someone in your life who tries to make you happy. This holiday is about being around those that love us and being grateful for what we have, not for what we think we might get as a gift.

This is the first year in five I haven't spent with my girlfriend (now ex) and I would gladly just love to hold her right now and I couldn't care less about a gift. Be glad you have someone, as it could always be worse.

I think your just upset because you didn't get the locklet you heard him talking about to his friend. That's why it's not good to go by what you hear especially when you over hear things.

Accept what you got.

Im thinking this is pretty much what happened. You spent a great amount of time/money/resources on making a great gift and in the meantime got caught up in your own antics and expected a great awesome gift with homemade wrap and the whole 9 yards. Could he have done better? Yes he could have but at least he did try some guys in relationships do much worse.

So I think to remedy yourself you have to realize WHY the hell did you spend so much time making the gift as perfect as you could? The answer is simple it's because you love your boyfriend right? So it should be about the reaction you got from him. Remember you had an almost perfect night! Don't let this small detail ruin it for you, just forget about it and keep being that wonderful girlfriend and give your guy some clues next time as to what you want because honestly we can be quite clueless sometimes.

Just remember you gave him a great gift because you care deeply about him. One day if he feels the same he will return the favor in one way shape or form.