Your boyfriend’s birthday is coming up! You want to do something special and surprising. Sure, the cake is nice. I haven’t met a man yet who would turn down cake. But, you want something very special that will make you stand out as the best girlfriend any man could ask for. Well, that’s exactly right and will depend on the individual boyfriend.
You can start with a process of elimination to figure out what to do. You will have to figure out what’s in your budget. Remember that for this to really be a present for him, he can’t pay for any of it, so the budgeting is all on you. Whatever he doesn’t like, you can cross off the list. No charcuterie for the vegetarian, no clowns for the coulrophobia, and no botanical garden trips for the hay fever sufferer.
Don’t fall into stereotypes! Some guys don’t like cars or sports very much. And even the guy who likes sports might only like when his team is playing. Some guys who do like cars only like a certain brand. (Seriously, Chevy guys and Ford guys can come to blows over this.)
Don’t worry if he likes things like toys and video games. It doesn’t necessarily mean he’s childish, though he probably has a sense of fun. (In fact, there are toys and video games specifically made for adult collectors.)
If you’re still stumped, keep reading. Here are a few ideas to get you started.
A List of Things to Do for Your Boyfriend’s Birthday
There are lots of things you can do for your boyfriend’s birthday. Just use a lot of imagination and a little common sense. Don’t, for example, do anything involving graffiti, theft, or manslaughter. As with anything else you do with your boyfriend, keep it safe and sane.
1. Handmade Items
Only do this if you actually have some talent for it! If you can knit or crochet, he might like a scarf or sweater. If you can embroider, the old monogrammed handkerchief makes a nice gift. If he’s into jewelry and you’re into making it, he might like something made by you. If you’re good at cooking, he is sure to love any food you prepare for him. If you can sew and would like to make something for him, keep his style and taste in mind.
2. Something Very Personal
If he comes from a military family, you might give him a flag on behalf of the President of the United States. He would love a flag case for it. (Triangle shaped and generally available in most arts and crafts stores.) If he has a favorite picture of the two of you that he uses as a screensaver, print it out and have it professionally framed. If he has any family heirlooms, he might like them polished or restored. Be VERY careful with this. Better yet, call a professional.
3. Something He Can Use With an Already Cherished Possession
Because it’s his birthday and not Christmas, you won’t run into a problem as in “The Gift of the Magi” by O. Henry. If he can’t get enough of his vintage car, he might like some new hubcaps. Make sure they’ll fit his car! A guy who loves gaming might like a new controller. The train aficionado might like another miniature to put in the tabletop world his trains travel through.
4. A Charitable Donation
If there’s a cause he firmly believes in, perhaps he’d like a donation made in his name. Some charities will send an e-card or small gift to thank you for your donation. Some have online gift catalogs to choose from.
5. Something Sexy
No girl’s boyfriend will turn this down. You could try the old trick of a path of rose petals toward the bedroom or Post-It notes in the style of the old Burma Shave signs. You could also have him follow a strand of red yarn to his present, to find the other end wrapped around you. You can have champagne on ice and a few snacks in case he gets a bit peckish afterward. If he’s into food play, you can have honey, whipped cream, and/or chocolate nearby. You might want to have a few wet naps nearby to clean up afterward.
FAQ’s
How can I make my boyfriend feel special on his birthday?
First of all, think about him and what he likes. Some men are homebodies, some like an adventure. If you go for a movie night, does he like horror, sci-fi, comedy, or German expressionism? They say the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach. It is true! But specifically, you should find out what kind of food your man likes/can have. (You don’t want to spend his birthday in the ER because of anaphylactic shock or a diabetic coma.)
If you’re not much of a cook, there’s no shame in buying him food he’d like. A lot of men love pizza. Get one with all his favorite toppings. If you just can’t stand what he likes on a pizza, most good pizza places will do the pie half-and-half. Don’t let jalapeños get in the way of a good relationship! Professionally made cakes often come with decorations that can be kept as souvenirs. Dinner for two at a good restaurant can make a lovely birthday date.
What is the best birthday surprise for boyfriend?
You can start by surprising him with breakfast in bed. Think about what he’d like for breakfast first. Pancakes, French toast, or waffles? Does he like his eggs scrambled, sunny side up, or not at all? Does he care for a little fruit on the side? Some guys love grapefruit juice, some hate it. Maybe he just can’t function without coffee. Will Herschel’s parents be upset if some shiksa feeds bacon to their little boychick? Winston might want the “full English,” which includes mushrooms, beans, and tomatoes with tea, of course.
After you eat, you can surprise him with an adventure he’d enjoy. Hot air balloons, bungee jumping, and amusement parks are fun, assuming he’s not acrophobic. If he likes the water and the weather is co-operating, try snorkeling or rent a yacht. Some men like music concerts, some would prefer a sporting event and some would love to go to an anime or comic book convention. It’s best to pick something you both enjoy, but on his birthday, what he’d like should come first.
How can I surprise my boyfriend on his birthday without spending money?
O. Henry wrote a story called The Gift of the Magi about a poor woman who sold her hair to buy her husband a watch chain only to find he sold his watch to buy decorative combs for her. Like the couple in the story, you can accept that love is the best gift, but you can still have fun without shaving your head. Do you have food in the house? If not, you have bigger problems than a birthday surprise. Just cooking a meal would be nice enough. Learn how to use herbs and spices correctly and even ramen noodles can taste delicious.
If you’d like to do something extra special, but you’re short on money, what personal talent do you have? You can write a poem for him. If you write prose better, you can write fanfic in his favorite fandom. He might appreciate a painting, drawing, or other artwork. If you sing or play an instrument, you could perform for him. Mixtapes are a bit ’80s, but there are modern equivalents. You could call the local radio station and request a special song. And, of course, there’s always the handmade gift certificate. Be prepared to honor that certificate, though. If all else fails, there’s always sex.
What can I gift my boyfriend on his birthday?
You can’t go wrong with a gift card. Go to a restaurant he enjoys or a store he frequents and ask about gift cards. They may have them in denominations or you can put however much you like on the card. Many of them come with neat envelopes or tiny boxes you can put it in. For a little fun extra, you can present the card in the arms of a stuffed toy. These are often gifts for women, but if he’s fond of a certain animal or a team mascot, he’d appreciate it anyway.
If you’d prefer something very special, a personalized watch or wallet is always nice. If you’ve been together a while, you could arrange to have a professional couple portrait done. Get a nice frame for it. Some people think stationery is uninspired, but a good pen and personalized writing paper might mean something to a man who often uses such things. Just pay attention to what he’d be interested in and go that way.
How to surprise your boyfriend on his birthday during lockdown
OK, the worst has happened. Not enough people got vaccinated, Afghanistan dropped the bomb, the zombies walk the earth, Kris Jenner was given her own sitcom, whatever. It’s his birthday, and you can’t leave the house. Well, assuming the whole world hasn’t completely gone to hell, there’s always online shopping. This will mean planning a few weeks ahead since it will take a while for the order to get to you.
You can still make a cake or a nice meal, assuming panic buying didn’t wipe everything out or rationing worked in your favor. (You had to rabbit punch Karen to get that cake mix, but it was worth it!) Even in the best lockdown situation, it’s going to be just the two of you. Let him choose what you watch on YouTube, Netflix, Hulu, or whatever it is you watch. Have snacks ready. Popcorn is good, but switch it up with pretzels and candy.
How to surprise your boyfriend on his birthday online
There’s a lockdown and you’re an old-fashioned couple who doesn’t live together. Or maybe you are temporarily separated due to work, military, or study-related travel. There’s always the online birthday card. Or you can record yourself doing a personal birthday greeting. Keep it PG as his work buddies might come across it. Skype is a good way to keep in touch. If he’s a gamer, you can play an online game together.
If he’s gone fairly long term, you might want to put together a care package for him. Include a little cake in the care package if it’s getting to him on or around his birthday. If he’s off someplace where even small creature comforts are a luxury, he might appreciate seemingly simple things like toilet paper or clean socks. If you can bake, he’d probably love homemade cookies. Wrap them up in waxed paper so that they don’t crumble too much in transit.
How to surprise your boyfriend on his birthday in lockdown
He can’t be with his friends and family, but you can get them together on a group video call. You can’t go out to eat, but you can order something delivered and pay online or over the phone with a credit card. These days, even the nice places deliver. Some bakeries and grocery stores will even deliver birthday cakes. You may even find some ice cream parlors that will deliver treats. In this case, call one that’s fairly close to his place so it’s not half-melted by the time it gets to him.
Remember, we live in a modern era where communication shouldn’t be a problem. Texting and phone calls always work. You can send him an e-mail with the pictures attached. But, perhaps you just want something more tangible. You can leave messages outside where your boyfriend is sure to see them in the form of homemade posters or chalk messages on the pavement.
How to surprise your boyfriend on his birthday in long distance relationship
You can send him a video message. Don’t forget to sing “Happy Birthday”! Even if you’re not a great singer, your boyfriend will love hearing you sing this little ditty. If you are a more accomplished singer or musician, maybe you can perform something a little more elaborate for him. You can even write the song if you have talent. If he likes to hear singing, but you don’t have much talent for it, you can always hire a singing telegram to wish him a happy birthday. Some of these companies feature favorite licensed characters.
If you have memories you want to preserve together, you can make a scrapbook. You can do an old-fashioned physical one or a virtual one with digital images. Get his family and friends to contribute as well. Gift baskets are always nice. You can’t go wrong with favorite snacks, but throw in something like a book or DVD he’s sure to like. You can put one together for him or you can buy one online and have it delivered.
How to make my boyfriend feel special on his birthday during lockdown
He might be a little bummed if he can’t go to his favorite restaurant on his birthday. So bring the restaurant to him. Put a tablecloth and candles on the table. See if his favorite restaurant is on Door Dash, Grub Hub, or another app. Even the nice places can be found on these apps. Some of these places will even throw in the free bread and butter with their deliveries. (You may have to nuke the bread a few seconds to get that “hot out of the oven” feel.) Be warned, some of the places that deliver will try to screw you over on drinks, so just break out the crystal and pour your own. And have as much to drink of whatever you want! You don’t have to drive anywhere.
After dinner, you can find a good movie to stream. You can watch it together snuggling in the living room while having dessert. After that, you can take it to the bedroom and ask if he has a fantasy he’s always wanted to act out. You may be able to negotiate something. He’s sure to end today with a smile!
Romantic surprises for your boyfriend on his birthday
With a fairly new boyfriend, you can use something as general as a bath or shaving set. Cologne is a lovely gift for both of you. Once you get to know him, you can get something that’s tailored more to his taste. You can do a scavenger hunt for him. Give him a note to give him clues about where his first gift is. Leave lots of small gifts you know he’d like hidden in different places along with a note giving a clue where the next gift is.
Ideas for small gifts can be his favorite snacks, aftershave, a small bottle of his favorite liquor, cufflinks, a pen (a good one, not one of that cheap ten for one dollar ones), or small toys from his fandom. Make each gift progressively better than the last. Save the best for last. That, of course, is you, wearing a gift ribbon and little else. The next to last gift can be a high-end thing he’d really like such as tickets to an event, a watch, or a genuine leather product.
How to make your boyfriend feel special on his birthday
Whether you are alone or with a group of friends, you can make your boyfriend feel special by making a toast to him. Something as sweet and simple as “Here’s to many more birthdays together” will do the trick. There are many other sweet things you can say to a guy on his birthday like “I am so lucky to have you.” or “I love you, and you deserve the best.” Even if he’s not much into celebrating birthdays, everyone wants to hear nice things said about them. A kind word can go a long way.
You can also write short notes and leave them where he can find them. Put a little Post-It note on the mirror that says “Happy Birthday, Sweetheart!” or a little letter in his lunch box or briefcase that tells him you’re thinking of him and have something nice (keep vague on the details) prepared for when he gets home. Perfume is optional. Yes, you can do the new-fanged texting, but there’s just something nice about a tangible note. Using magnetic letters is also whimsical.
How to surprise my boyfriend on his birthday
The first thing a lot of guys do in the morning is to check their phones, even on their birthdays. Send him a video message the night before so that he’ll be pleasantly surprised in the morning. Sending flowers to the workplace is more of a gesture for the girlfriend thing, but he might like an edible arrangement or gift basket. It would give him something to snack on during the day.
If he’s got the sense of humor for it, the old room full of balloons trick might do it. Get some that are heart-shaped or say “Happy Birthday” on them. Regular air or helium will do but be prepared for the squeaky voices if a few of them break in such close quarters. If he’s not much for balloons, a few scented candles may be enough to get him in a festive mood. Don’t forget the snacks!
Conclusion
Everyone likes to feel special on their birthday. What exactly special means varies from one person to the next. If you are attentive to your boyfriend, you will soon figure out what things he likes and will make him feel special. While material gifts are nice, the real gift is spending some time with a special woman who wants him to feel just as special.
Surprises are a nice way to let someone know you care about him and think of him enough to do things that he’d like. Sometimes, you do have to be straightforward and ask a guy what exactly he wants, but once in a while, it’s nice to just surprise him.
