I think a birthday gift is always a nice gesture, regardless of how long you've been dating. You are friends at the very least, right? We all give gifts to friends.
You just have to be careful what you give him; the gift should match the length of the relationship. I worked with a guy who went on two dates with a woman and bought her a brand new BMW. I'm not kidding. The gift backfired: she found it weird and creepy and stopped dating him soon after. Oops. And yes, she gave the car back.
So, don't go buying your boy a plasma TV after one date, okay? Over-gifting freaks people out and makes them feel like you are already more invested in the relationship--financially and emotionally--than they are. Likewise, giving him a $5 book off the counter at Barnes & Noble after you've been dating a year is also inappropriate.
There's no set rule, but generally speaking, casual relationship = casual gift. More serious relationship = more serious/personal gift.
My birthday is in September, btw. Just an FYI.
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