Goodbye Gifts

[Rosalynn]

Hey guys. I just said goodbye to my SO and I won't see him again until Christmas. I'm feeling pretty down which I'm sure you can relate to.

When we're separated, I usually try to do something thoughtful before he or I leave. One time I hid about 30 Post-It notes with messages on them in his apartment while he was sleeping (and made sure he didn't find any of them in the morning :P) before we went to the airport to drop me off. He's actually still finding them (it's been at least 8 months). I've also hid some of his favorite foods in his suitcase and made him a playing card flip book of 52 things I love about him. I know when we say goodbye it's not nearly as hard for him as it is for me, but I still like doing little things like this for him.

I couldn't think of anything for this goodbye so I'm going to start thinking early so I can come up with a really good one for Christmas. He will be at my place so it would have to be suitcase related or even related to his place back home. I hope you guys know what I'm talking about. If you have any ideas about a super thoughtful surprise for him, let me know please!

Rosalynn

[rixue]

I hid about 30 Post-It notes with messages on them in his apartment while he was sleeping

Haha I am planning on doing this when I am at his house in two weeks! He is a light sleeper so it might be tricky...

Since you are thinking of a suitcase related gift: You could buy him a t-shirt or stuffed animal and have your scent or perfume on it. That we he will always have a reminder of you Or you could give him a picture in a frame of the both of you that you took on his visit (in December), that we he can physically take that memory back with him. Might be tricky getting it printed though and having him not know about it!

I do like the suitcase related gift idea! I will have to try and do something like that with my SO when he comes out next time!

[Katrina]

You'll either love this or hate it but I "upgrade" my SO's socks and underwear before we part. Its the sort of thing I would do if we lived together and for sure he's going to think about me as he gets dressed every morning for weeks after we go back to our own sides of the pond

[Zephii]

Katrina, that's a great idea. I wish I'd thought of it!

[Moon]

If he has enough room in his suitcase, how about a tin of homemade cookies or brownies (if you bake)? I always bake for my guy before I leave him, he absolutely loves it. Not sure of your ages, but if he lives alone, he probably doesn't get that kind of treatment much

[Rosalynn]

Thanks guys!

@Rixue I was lucky my SO is a heavy sleeper. I hid one on the inside of the lamp by his bed and I had to lean over him without my contacts in and I was terrified he was watching me but I couldn't tell because of my lack of vision. I like the t-shirt idea. I might be able to do something with that.

@Katrina, I love the sock idea! He might not appreciate it because he thinks his socks are fine. But they could definitely use an upgrade. I might include some undies in there too because all of his are military issued and they are quite.. ugly.

@Moon, baked goods would be wonderful. He does live alone and never gets them except when I'm there. The only thing is trying to get them in there so they survive a plane ride... hmm

[Sanney4709]

I love the post it note idea! I am so gonna do that next time I visit my SO. (: My SO collects shot glasses so I usually slip one of those in his suit case that I got from a place we went to such as an amusement park or something.

[Rosalynn]

I figured out something to send to him! He forgot his webcam when he left here the other day so I had to mail it to him. And this summer I'm working with chimpanzees learning about their welfare needs in captivity. An enrichment puzzle we like to give the chimps is a food puzzle. We make food hard to get at by wrapping it up in things. So I decided to make my SO some human enrichment. I took an empty roll of toilet paper and painted it and stuffed some candy and chocolate in there along with a note and shredded paper. Then I wrapped it in string. It's now in the post with his webcam

[princessmeg1328]

I usually just write him a letter before he or I leave. It's just a thing I thought of to let him know how much I loved getting to spend that time with him. He always looks forward to getting them. I know it's not really a "gift," but he likes it.

P.S. Don't forget that baked goods can go in his carry-on too. I know that makes it harder if you're trying to surprise him, but anything you make will be safer.