When you’ve connected with someone on a romantic level, it’s difficult to move into the friendship territory, even if you want to remain in contact after a break up. You often have conflicting feelings and probably over-analyze the things that he does now that you are “just friends”.
So when an ex boyfriend offers you a gift, there’s little doubt that you can start to feel confused about what it means and whether or not you should take it.
The first thing to consider is why he’s giving you a present. If the present is coming to you on your birthday, or another holiday such as Christmas, then he may just be giving you the present to be nice, out of a sense of obligation, or possibly because “that’s just what friends do”. If the presents seem to be for no reason at all, then it could be a sign that he still has romantic feelings for you and wants to get back together.
The type of present that he gives you can also tell you a lot. Something personal or meaningful can be a sign that he still cares, while a gag gift or something that didn’t require much thought could show a sense of obligation.
Nevertheless, the important thing to think about is how you feel about receiving gifts from an ex boyfriend. Is it making you uncomfortable? Then ask him to not give you any more gifts. Is it making you want to get back together with him? Then you may want to express these feelings and see what he is thinking. Does it just feel normal to give presents? Then don’t over-think things and just go with the flow.
Of course, if you have a new guy, then this is a whole new can of worms. A new boyfriend may feel threatened when your ex boyfriend gives you presents, even if it’s innocent. If this is the case, discuss the situation with both the new boyfriend and the ex. It’s easy to work out a compromise.
The good news is that if an ex boyfriend is giving you presents, there’s a good chance that he still has feelings for you. If you want to get back together, then now may be a good time to say so.