When you’ve connected with someone on a romantic level, it’s hard to move into friendship territory, even if you want to stay in touch after a breakup. You often have mixed feelings and probably over-analyze the things he does now that you’re “just friends.”
So when an ex-boyfriend offers you a gift, there is no doubt that you can start feeling confused about what it means and whether or not you should accept it.
The first thing to consider is why he is giving you a gift. If the gift comes to you on your birthday or another holiday like Christmas, he may just be giving it to you out of kindness, out of a sense of obligation, or possibly because “that’s what friends do.” If the gifts seem to have no reason, then it could be a sign that he still has romantic feelings for you and wants to get back together.
The type of gift he gives you can also tell you a lot. Something personal or meaningful can be a sign that you still care, while a joke gift or something that didn’t require much attention could show a sense of obligation.
However, the important thing to think about is how you feel about receiving gifts from an ex boyfriend. Does it make you feel uncomfortable? Then ask him not to give you any more gifts. Does it make you want to get back together with him? Then you may want to express these feelings and see what you are thinking. Does it feel normal to give gifts? So don’t overthink things and just go with the flow.
Of course, if you’ve got a new guy, then this is a whole new can of worms. A new boyfriend can feel threatened when your ex boyfriend gives you gifts, even if they are innocent. If this is the case, discuss the situation with both the new boyfriend and the ex. Compromise is easy.
The good news is that if an ex boyfriend is giving you gifts, chances are good that he still has feelings for you. If you want to get back together, now might be a good time to say so.
