"I don't want anything."

Word of advice, guys: Take this sentence seriously and you will be in trouble this Christmas:

"I don't want anything."

Your girlfriend utters the line and you breathe a sigh of relief. Phew. One less set of gifts to buy during crunch time.

Too bad she's lying.

No, she told me she has everything she needs, you say.

I'm sure she said that. In fact, I've pulled out the same line.

We say it partially for altruistic purposes. We fear you'll spend too much money on us, that you'll throw away your life savings while shopping under an aggressive jewelry saleswoman's powers of persuasion.

But yes, sometimes there is a selfish motive as well. We want to see how you fare without a specified gift list. We want the romantic aspect of Christmas, the kind that comes with getting the gift of your dreams when you've asked for nothing.

Because, you know, all men are mind-readers.

So resist taking the easy way out when your significant other says, "I don't want anything."

You don't have to perform some grand gesture, but one wrapped gift would be nice.

Trust me, she'll agree -- especially when she's the only one who's empty-handed on Christmas morning.

(For more seasonal tips, check out the Ledger's Holiday Survival Guide blog here.)