Does anyone else avoid gifting a lot the first year?

[greenwood]

I hardly gift villagers the first year, because talking to them regularly (in order to see as much dialogue as I can at different levels) gains enough points on its own. I'm already at 6 hearts+ with everyone by Spring of the following year without gifting much. Also, the slower progression seems to make the heart-events flow more naturally. (Though you should try to see Sam's 3-heart event before it's missed year 1 summer, and see Alex's 2-heart event year 1 summer.)

Birthday gifts give too many points, so I don't even bother with birthdays until the second year. This feels more natural anyway, because you "know" the villagers better by then. I feel like giving villagers a bunch of loved gifts all the time makes them seem shallow, as if they are all easily won over by gifts from a stranger, or as if they all prioritize gift-giving as their love language.

I've done this on both my playthroughs, and it works pretty well. Maybe give a gift or two to some key villagers that you want to get something from early. My first gift is a Leek for George to fulfill one of the first tasks, and it's also revealed to you early by Evelyn that he loves them. Then I think I gave a Horseradish to Caroline and Spring Onion to Linus (It's spring after all, and these are cheap :p), and a Joja Cola to Sam (one that I found fishing :p), so I don't miss his summer year 1 heart event, stuff like that.

However I do start gifting Clint a few loved stones (Amethyst, Topaz, Ruby, etc.) early on in order to not miss his 6-heart event later. Funny enough I am good friends with him before anyone else despite his unpopularity. (He still makes me cringe when he says "Congratulations" during Emily's 8-heart event).

 

[MogBeoulve]

Oh, absolutely! I don't consume food to replenish energy, only health, so the first year is spent running around town to say hello to everyone once I've used up most of the energy bar (and picking up forage, but why not do both at once).

I have always been very keen on not missing Sam's three heart cutscene, with the unfortunate side effect of not seeing the two heart one until fall. It's very awkward this way. I need to remember to barge into his house more often.

 

[greenwood]

Oh, absolutely! I don't consume food to replenish energy, only health, so the first year is spent running around town to say hello to everyone once I've used up most of the energy bar (and picking up forage, but why not do both at once).

I have always been very keen on not missing Sam's three heart cutscene, with the unfortunate side effect of not seeing the two heart one until fall. It's very awkward this way. I need to remember to barge into his house more often.

Same here. I don't try to fill my energy unless it's an end-of-the-day emergency to get a certain thing done. The rest of the time, before or after working, is spent socializing and foraging.

In my recent playthrough the Stardrop Tea item just collects in a chest :p They are way OP, and I consider them useful for players who are speed running or something.

 

[WorstDecorator]

oh no, very much the opposite, I start knocking out max friendship as soon as possible, even to the detriment of spending my money on more worthwhile farm investments (yes I've cost myself a few days of having a coop because I splurged on a birthday coconut for Haley from the traveling cart instead. c'est la vie). Getting gift wool from Emily or a Nautilus Shell from Demetrius to complete a bundle way ahead of schedule is a worthwhile gamble in my opinion (even Clint might give you that gold bar for the boiler room ahead of schedule; so he's a worthwhile early friend to make as well).

Besides, the sooner a given villager is maxed out the sooner I can stop worrying about them and narrow my focus.

Once I researched that it was not only possible but very feasible to get a Year 1 Flower Dance partner it became a perpetual personal challenge goal to do so.

 

[Terdin]

I tend to avoid gifting for most of the first year, but might remember 3-4 birthdays. I admit to also being a bit lazy about doing requests, only doing them if it isn't too much work.

However, once I complete the bulletin board of the community center, I start working on maxing out people, especially those that I have to go out of my way to talk to, like the Wizard, the Dwarf, or Sandy. I don't want the two hearts gained there go to waste. Those that have maxed out hearts I refer to as my "can be ignored" list, even if I do talk to them if I meet them.

 

[greenwood]

I tend to avoid gifting for most of the first year, but might remember 3-4 birthdays. I admit to also being a bit lazy about doing requests, only doing them if it isn't too much work.

However, once I complete the bulletin board of the community center, I start working on maxing out people, especially those that I have to go out of my way to talk to, like the Wizard, the Dwarf, or Sandy. I don't want the two hearts gained there go to waste. Those that have maxed out hearts I refer to as my "can be ignored" list, even if I do talk to them if I meet them.

You bring up a good point about the villager requests. I do tend to do almost all of them, skipping a few that are too inconvenient, so I guess that boosts friendship quite a bit without gifting. On this playthrough all my requests are from non-bachelor/ettes, so I was more friends with everyone besides them first.

 

[BeenASon]

I only gift leeks to George and my boy Harvey coffee since I'm gay for him. Gifting and smooching up is definitely a Y2 thing lll. At least if your like me and greedy. You won't catch my arse buying beer for Pam while I have 2k on the pockets. (My guy or gal @Confused is also greedy and stingy like me.)

 

[greenwood]

I only gift leeks to George and my boy Harvey coffee since I'm gay for him. Gifting and smooching up is definitely a Y2 thing lll. At least if your like me and greedy. You won't catch my arse buying beer for Pam while I have 2k on the pockets. (My guy or gal @Confused is also greedy and stingy like me.)

I finally gifted a beer I made myself to Pam before she drove me to the desert XD

 

[BeenASon]

I finally gifted a beer I made myself to Pam before she drove me to the desert XD

That's like crossing the road without holding your mum's hand. Pantera makes me wana do that.

 

[Cuddlebug]

I gift villagers only occasionally, until I have my own calendar at the Farmhouse. Before that I often forget about their birthday, doing more help requests, if possible, and talk to them. Feels more natural to me, too, as someone said before here...

 

[BeenASon]

I gift villagers only occasionally, until I have my own calendar at the Farmhouse. Before that I often forget about their birthday, doing more help requests, if possible, and talk to them. Feels more natural to me, too, as someone said before here...

I know there birthday but I just don't bother. Like you won't catch my greedy arse giving Pam a parsnip I can sell. Or a strawberry for Demetrius.

 

[Yvi]

I like gifting people things, even early on, I'm just
forgetful! I forget to get something they would like, I forget to bring it with me when I know I'm going to see them. I remember people's birthdays the next day! So I inadvertently don't level them up until much later.

Exception being Linus, whom I see frequently on my way to the mines, and who likes the forageables I pick up on my way to the mines. Plus he's one of my favorites, so it works out great!! I'll be best friends with him and everybody else on 2-3 hearts. Haley and Shane will still be mad at me, but Linus is spouting philosophic. It's great <3

 

[Confused]

I only gift leeks to George and my boy Harvey coffee since I'm gay for him. Gifting and smooching up is definitely a Y2 thing lll. At least if your like me and greedy. You won't catch my arse buying beer for Pam while I have 2k on the pockets. (My guy or gal @Confused is also greedy and stingy like me.)

I befriend Pam for one thing, and it's those sweet, sweet occasional batteries before I unlock the crafting recipe for the lightning rod. I strategize my friendship like a true Stardew player-

 

[Lew Zealand]

So I play Stardew like a Gifting Sim with some farming and junk on the side. Year 1 is all gifting and planning for gifts because it doesn't take Energy and only a little planning time. And of course Caroline is the first target, uh I mean we're super BFFs and not only because she has the recipe for

Tea Saplings which sell for 250g and are easy to make. The biggest annoyance is backpack gift space but that's a perpetual annoyance so a few extra gifts doesn't change things much. Plus those Tea Saplings pay for extra backpack space in no time at all!

So I can carry more gifts.

 

[JunimoPikmin]

I usually just gift linus a foragable before I head to the mines lol
(Linus is my second favorite npc, I’m straight but I want to marry him so bad)

 

[WorstDecorator]

i think it's a fair argument that gifting Linus (or even Leah) is the best use of a gold spring onion, especially if it's the only one you've got left and is otherwise clogging your reduced inventory space in that first spring.

 

[BeenASon]

i think it's a fair argument that gifting Linus (or even Leah) is the best use of a gold spring onion, especially if it's the only one you've got left and is otherwise clogging your reduced inventory space in that first spring.

I don't gift Leah at all tbh but Linus is definitely easy to find so gifting him is good. Your gonna spend a lot of time in the mines anyways so gift him on the way.