Besides fighting viciously through crowds and rushing for the last pair of Ugg boots, Christmas shopping has another factor that could potentially make or break your relationship: What to get for your significant other.

Now I don’t have a clear answer as to what to get that special someone for Christmas because everyone’s different, but I can tell you what not to get them. Keep in mind when shopping for your significant other, gifts should be something they want, not what you want.

Guys: I know for a fact that girlfriends pretend to be interested in sports, action movies and video games just for you, but let’s be honest, the NBA lockout didn’t exactly keep us from sleeping at night. I don’t want to generalize because I’m sure there are some girls out there that really are interested in sports, but for the rest of us, anything that is in any way related to sports, Star Wars, guns and/or violence you should probably steer away from.

Now if you were thinking something down the road of lingerie, you might want to reconsider or have something to add with it.

Yes, every guy wants to see their girlfriend in an attractive Victoria Secret’s outfit. She might not mind, but it doesn’t have much other use except for the obvious purposes. So if you do go down that route, consider adding another little something so when people ask her what the boyfriend got her for Christmas she doesn’t have to show her parents the outfit from the Victoria’s Secret catalogue.

Girls: Since boyfriends are such gentlemen, they probably won’t tell you if they think the gift you got them was atrocious. Although we appreciate their kindness, it sometimes makes it harder for us to decode. First of all, if you see a nice sweater you think your guy would look great in, don’t get it. What guy honestly wants to open up a sweater? That’s like getting a pair of socks instead of a train when you’re 6 years old. Let’s face it, sometimes boyfriends act like 6 year olds, so we have to keep them entertained. If you are still in the newlywed phase, you can probably get away with something like cologne. If not, try to branch out from the thoughtless gifts like cologne, ties or aftershave. It’s overdone and it should be something unpredictable.

Really, for both guys and girls it’s about paying attention. If you can manage to just catch the little things that naturally drop in a conversation, you’ll be able to throw something together like it’s nothing. Thankfully, we live in 2011, so if you’re still worried about the whole Christmas gift ordeal, use Facebook. Message a friend, sibling or anyone else, and they can probably clue you in on some gift ideas. Good luck all; stay away from ugly sweaters and action figures, and you should undoubtedly make it to New Years Eve.