Hey all! I hope everyone is having a lovely Sunday so far! Just wanted to share that I have concocted a birthday present for my SO that I am SO excited about and he is going to get it TOMORROW! Here's the scoop...
TL/DR Version:
I can't be with J on his birthday tomorrow, so I threw him a card shower. He will get the stuff after work tomorrow!
Long Version:
My SO is a wonderful human who doesn't care about stuff very much at all - he cares about loving other people and being with his friends and helping people be better. He doesn't like a huge fuss for his birthday, so a huge surprise partynor a super expensive gift wouldn't be to his liking. He is a-ok with observing his birthday though. He enjoys great food, fine cigars, and fine bourbon or really good beer a lot and has a cigar club he participated which has many very cool friends. His primary love languages are quality time and words if affirmation.
I am a firm believer in celebrating birthdays in some ways - always have been, but even more so since my husband died in 2009. My thought is you never when you aren't going to get your next birthday, so try to enjoy celebrating every one - whether it's with a huge party or just drinks after work with your favorite colleague.
Since I'm so far away and J isn't materialistic at all, I was at a loss for what to do for him. I had already sent him a box of his very favorite cigars a few months ago to celebrate him opening his side business, so I wanted to do something different. About a month ago, while driving home from work, I struck upon a great idea! I decided that since his friends and family are his favorite thing ever, I would get him a box of love from them. How does one do that? Well, you throw a birthday card shower!
I made an event on Facebook and invited every friend and family member I could the of that I'm connected with to send cards to my home in time to arrive a few days before his birthday, so I could package them up nicely and send back to SC. I also contacted one of his best friends, who he happens to work with, for help. Between the two of us, we got about 22-25 cards and letters for him, and some of the people sent little gifts too! People who sent things in include:
1) His 86 year old mother - who I had to explain things to a couple times because she didn't really understand what was what. She wrote a proper letter which I think is great.
2) His very best friend, who wrote a letter in invisible ink because he is a dork like that. J will love it.
3) my very best friend, who hasn't met him yet but will in a few weeks
4) a bunch of people from work, including his boss and the lead pastor (he works at a big church). This was really important to me, because he often feels unappreciated at work since people tend to be too busy to say thank you.
5) the manager of his favorite sushi restaurants, who he is friends with and I have met too. She sent along a birthday card, gift card, and stuff to make authentic ramen at home (his favorite food.)
So far, I am 99% sure that this is going to be a big surprise for him. I have set his expectation that I am just going to take him out to whatever dinner he wants when we go on a short vacation in August, so I don't think he's expecting a gift now. His work buddy that is in cahoots with me just invited him to go to the cigar bar after work Monday (his actual bday) so that is his birthday observation. I've made a big deal out of the fact that I have to work all day and teach a class in the evening so it will be late before I can contact him.
Anyway. I'm excited and I know he is going to love it. I might be winning the girlfriend olympics with this one.
What sorts of cool things have you done to celebrate your SO from afar?
TL/DR Version:
I can't be with J on his birthday tomorrow, so I threw him a card shower. He will get the stuff after work tomorrow!
Long Version:
My SO is a wonderful human who doesn't care about stuff very much at all - he cares about loving other people and being with his friends and helping people be better. He doesn't like a huge fuss for his birthday, so a huge surprise partynor a super expensive gift wouldn't be to his liking. He is a-ok with observing his birthday though. He enjoys great food, fine cigars, and fine bourbon or really good beer a lot and has a cigar club he participated which has many very cool friends. His primary love languages are quality time and words if affirmation.
I am a firm believer in celebrating birthdays in some ways - always have been, but even more so since my husband died in 2009. My thought is you never when you aren't going to get your next birthday, so try to enjoy celebrating every one - whether it's with a huge party or just drinks after work with your favorite colleague.
Since I'm so far away and J isn't materialistic at all, I was at a loss for what to do for him. I had already sent him a box of his very favorite cigars a few months ago to celebrate him opening his side business, so I wanted to do something different. About a month ago, while driving home from work, I struck upon a great idea! I decided that since his friends and family are his favorite thing ever, I would get him a box of love from them. How does one do that? Well, you throw a birthday card shower!
I made an event on Facebook and invited every friend and family member I could the of that I'm connected with to send cards to my home in time to arrive a few days before his birthday, so I could package them up nicely and send back to SC. I also contacted one of his best friends, who he happens to work with, for help. Between the two of us, we got about 22-25 cards and letters for him, and some of the people sent little gifts too! People who sent things in include:
1) His 86 year old mother - who I had to explain things to a couple times because she didn't really understand what was what. She wrote a proper letter which I think is great.
2) His very best friend, who wrote a letter in invisible ink because he is a dork like that. J will love it.
3) my very best friend, who hasn't met him yet but will in a few weeks
4) a bunch of people from work, including his boss and the lead pastor (he works at a big church). This was really important to me, because he often feels unappreciated at work since people tend to be too busy to say thank you.
5) the manager of his favorite sushi restaurants, who he is friends with and I have met too. She sent along a birthday card, gift card, and stuff to make authentic ramen at home (his favorite food.)
So far, I am 99% sure that this is going to be a big surprise for him. I have set his expectation that I am just going to take him out to whatever dinner he wants when we go on a short vacation in August, so I don't think he's expecting a gift now. His work buddy that is in cahoots with me just invited him to go to the cigar bar after work Monday (his actual bday) so that is his birthday observation. I've made a big deal out of the fact that I have to work all day and teach a class in the evening so it will be late before I can contact him.
Anyway. I'm excited and I know he is going to love it. I might be winning the girlfriend olympics with this one.
What sorts of cool things have you done to celebrate your SO from afar?
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