If your partner, husband, or boyfriend has a birthday coming up and you want to plan something more romantic and intimate at home, this article is for you!
It covers everything from personalized gifts to thoughtful acts of service – Plus a few fun extra surprises!
You can combine any of these ideas into one event or do them separately depending on your budget and time constraints. Whatever you choose, remember that this day should be about having fun together, and showing how much you care about him!
A memory jar is a special jar that you fill with memories that you and your partner have shared. This can be anything from your first date to the last fight. The idea of a memory jar is that you create a physical representation of all the most important memories in your relationship. It’s something he will be able to treasure for years to come.
To start, pick out a large glass jar (ideally one that has some sentimental value).Then grab some strips of paper and write down all those little moments in time when you felt truly happy together: the first time he told you he loved you; the day he proposed; etcetera…
Make his Favorite Dish for a Romantic Birthday Dinner
One of the easiest ways to show that you love your man and want to celebrate his birthday is by making him a delicious dinner. You know his favorite food, and you know what will make him happy.
Organize a Little Surprise Birthday Party with Just Family and Close Friends
Organize a surprise birthday party with just family and close friends.
There are so many reasons why this is not just a great way to show your partner how much you love him, but also a wonderful opportunity for everyone to spend time together. First of all, he’ll be surprised by the fact that you have organized something special for him. And secondly, he will feel loved and appreciated by his friends and family members!
You can plan it around his favorite activities or hobbies. If he likes playing video games maybe organize an evening where they play together. Or if football is his thing, make a reservation at a restaurant where there are TVs broadcasting football matches. If he likes painting maybe get some canvases and paints ready. You get the idea.
Plan a Movie Date at Home
For this plan, you’ll need to get some of his favorite snacks and favorite flicks. Just cuddle, snuggle, and enjoy each other’s company!
Organize a Picnic in your Backyard or in the Park Nearby
Nothing says ‘romance’ like eating together in a beautiful place! Plan the menu beforehand and find a nice soft picnic blanket. Get a portable basket and take some food from home: sandwiches, fruit slices, chips and dips, etc. Also take drinks (water or juice).
Make a Couples Birthday Slideshow
Slideshows are a great way to capture memories and bring them to life. You can make one yourself or use an online service such as Animoto, which is a website that creates personalized videos out of your photos and music. If you want to do it yourself, you can use Movie Maker for Windows or iMovie for Macs (or other programs). Using your photos from the past year, add some video clips and music into the slideshow. If you’re feeling extra creative, add captions or transitions!
Once it’s finished, put it on flash drive so that he can share or watch it again later!
Give his Car a Little Decoration
You can do this by hanging streamers, banners, balloons, and a “Happy Birthday” sign on the car.
Clean up for Him
Who doesn’t appreciate some help with their chore load? A few weeks before his birthday, ask him if he has any chores around the house that need doing. Before the big day, secretly complete the whole list.
If you want to be extra cute, send him a little checklist of all the things you got done, and invite him to totally relax for the rest of the day!
Stretch and Snuggle
A great way for couples to connect is to relax and snuggle together. You can watch a movie, listen to music, or just spend some distraction-free quality time together.
Having a romantic backdrop is a major plus. Sit in front of the fireplace. Light candles around the house highlighting your favorite memories. All in all, just make sure that the lights are off and there are no distractions!
Surprise gift!
If you know that he’s been eyeing something in a store, or on a website, this is the perfect opportunity to buy it for him. There is nothing better than landing the perfect gift on your birthday!
I love gifts. Any time I find myself in a social situation where I know there’ll be a present or two and some small talk, I’m ecstatic. When I discovered experience gifts, it was like hitting my first little white ball down the fairway. Who doesn’t like experiences? Everyone does!
And who loves Experience gifts but is very hard to shop for? My husband.
Whether it’s a helicopter flying lesson, private ninja lessons, or a culinary tour of the city, experience gifts are better than anything you could buy in a store.
Here’s a comprehensive list of the 22 Best Experience Gifts for your Husband, broken down into the following interest categories. You’re welcome for saving you hours of internet research 🙂
What are the Best Experience Gifts for Your Husband?
There is a secret part of every man that wants to prove that he can beat the wilderness. To show that he has mastered nature and lived to tell the tale.
1) Wilderness Workshops
If your husband is more of the class-environment learning type, consider gifting a workshop. These all-inclusive classes will teach him essential wilderness skills with focus on true sustainability for both nature and humans.
Trip leader, author, and Discovery Channel Star: Mykel Hawke.
Any experience that promises to teach “the basics of survival” and also includes the instruction “Do NOT bring food” is bound to offer a true nitty-gritty, off-the-grid survival experience.
Taught by US military retired Special Operations veterans, this weekend is designed for the truly daring and adventure-minded individual.
Assuming your husband comes back alive, he will likely be 20 lbs lighter and have ‘graduated’ in essential skills such as finding & preparing food/water, building a fire, constructing a shelter, basic first aid, and land navigation.
Cost is around $1,000 and lasts from Friday evening to Monday morning.
An ideal experience gift for the local or stay-at-home wilderness adventurist who is less inclined to completely live off the land, but enjoys a good afternoon in nature.
In the Wilderness Survival Class, REI promises to bulwark participants “10 Outdoor Essential” survival skills. These include navigation tools, headlamps, sun protection, first aid kit, knife use, fire making, shelter, extra food, extra water, and extra clothes.
The class is ~4 hours, costs between $90 – $120, and has a 4.7 star rating.
NERDY
4) Star Trek: Inspiring Culture and Technology by the Smithsonian (Online Class)
The mission is yours. Especially if your hubby is a major Trekkie.
This online course teaches learners the impact of Star Trek on the history of television, science fiction, and modern space exploration.
Best of all, there are 3 sections of the class. If the gift is a hit, you will have your next 2 gifts for him already ‘beamed’ up.
The class is 7 weeks (1-2 hours/week) and can be purchased for $40 or audited for free.
If you and your partner are Star Wars fans looking for a fun and immersive date, these 12 Star Wars-themed date ideas will transport you and your partner to a galaxy far, far away! Create a memorable and fun experience together that celebrates sci-fi fun and your shared love for the franchise. May the Force be with you!
LEARNING
6) Learn to Fly an Airplane or Helicopter
Flying by helicopter is an incredible way to travel – there’s nothing like flying around in an aircraft that only weighs 1/20th as much as an airplane does!
Learning to fly a helicopter is a rad bucket list item that many men secretly want to experience. Although becoming an expert requires a lot of time and investment, its relatively easy to learn the basics and take to the air with a registered instructor!
Is your man the type to drink a beer while he works on DIY projects around the house? Why not combine them and give him the opportunity to DIY his Booze?
This kit comes with recipes and instructions on how to make many types of flavored spirits based on 12 types of botanicals (included in the kit!).
It costs ~$60 and ships though Amazon Prime!
PHYSICAL FITNESS
8) Extreme Competitive Event: Spartan or Tough Mudder
Compete in an extreme physical athletic event like a spartan or tough mudder.
If your husband is an adventurous and athletic person, this is a great way to create memories with him. You can sign up together and compete in one of these races together. It’s sure to be a fun time!
9) UFC Gym Training
The UFC, or Ultimate Fighting Championship, is the largest mixed martial arts organization in the world. It has been on the rise since its inception in 1993 and has over 400 events per year.
If your husband is a fan of fighting sports, he would love to take a UFC fighting class. You can find them all over the country. Some of the best known places to take these classes include:
The Ultimate Training Center in Las Vegas, Nevada
The American Top Team Academy in Coconut Creek, Florida
Your husband will love learning how to become a ninja! These lessons are fun and exciting, and will make him feel like a kid again! The best part is that you don’t even need any prior experience with martial arts or weapons training in order to take these classes. Just sign him up, and watch as he masters all of the different moves.
PARENTING
11) Daddy Daughter or Son Date
Sometimes, dads just want to spend time with their children, so why not go on a daddy daughter or daddy son date? When you go out together, it gives you the chance to talk about each other’s day and enjoy each other’s company.
It could be something as simple as going out for dinner, or it could be something more elaborate such as taking him out to a baseball game or concert. The important thing is that the two of you are having fun together while spending quality time together.
Father’s Ed is a series of videos that teach dads how to be better parents and prepare for arrival of a newborn baby.
The videos are short, sweet, and easy to digest. They’re also surprisingly informative. Covering topics like how to change a diaper and how to burp your baby — two things that can be pretty intimidating for new dads (and moms!). There is also an entire section on picking out baby clothes and accessories — everything from onesies to strollers.
STYLE & CULTURE
13) Charm Classes
If your husband is shy or awkward around other people, charm is a skill that will allow him to improve relationships with family members, co-workers, and even strangers. It gives the ability to have a magnetic personality. It might seem like an unusual gift, but its actually one of the best gifts to give your husband!
14) Live Popular Movie Concerts – Live Film with Symphony
Harry Potter. Gladiator. Jurassic Park. Thought you had seen the movie? Think again.
Most city or state symphonies will offer a few concerts each season where they accompany a popular film with live movie soundtrack music. Yes, the whole movie.
The audio is incredible, the fans are enthusiastic (costumes are fairly common, to say the least), and the ambiance is dramatically stunning. A truly memorable experience.
Tickets can range between $40 – $150 dollars depending on the film, location, and quality of orchestra.
With a max speed limit of 200 MPH, this experience gift will not slow your husband down. Feel the thrill of driving one of the fastest cars on the planet!
Driving training, a personal professional instructor, and racing completion certificate are included in the package.
Prices start at $299 and increase based on the number of laps and type of car chosen.
16) Private Museum Tour for Two w/Dinner
Experience the magic of a private museum tour for two with a private guide. You don’t have to be an art connoisseur to enjoy these tours! Your guide will be there to explain everything and answer any questions that may come up during your tour. Plus, you can explore as much or as little as you’d like since there’s no time limit on this experience.
This is an amazing gift idea for any couple looking for something unique to do together!
17) Culinary Tour of Your City
If your husband is a foodie or loves cooking, then this is the perfect gift for him. You can take him on a culinary tour around your city and learn about each restaurant’s history and cuisine style from the chefs themselves! This is such a fun way to spend time together and it’s something that he will remember forever!
If your husband is a foodie, then indulge his hobby with an online culinary class. You can pick a class that focuses on a specific cuisine or just something fun like chocolate.
If you know his favorite kind of food or drink, then you can get him something that goes along with it such as appetizers, bread making, or alcoholic beverage crafting.
SPORTS
19) Tickets for his Dream Team
If your husband is dedicated to a specific sports team, getickets to his favorite team’s game is an easy win! Take the experience to a whole new level by adding an autographed jersey or other special memorabilia from his favorite team to the gift.
20) Peripheral Popular Sports Activities
If your husband is a sports fan, there are plenty of unique experiences he’s likely watched on TV that would be better enjoyed in-person. A few examples include, attending a League’s Draft, watching the Super Bowl Victory Parade, or visiting a specific sport’s hall of fame.
21) Specialized or Infrequent Sporting Events
If you live in a small town and there aren’t many opportunities to attend Specialized or Infrequent Sporting Event like Wimbledon, Indy 500, masters final day, L’Alpe d’Huez in the Tour de France. Why not gift some tickets for his birthday?
One part athleticism, one part creativity, and a pinch of insanity. If you’ve never been to a Red Bull Extreme sporting event you are definitely missing out on quality entertainment.
Over the years, the Red Bull team has created a category of their own: Extreme versions of Extreme sports. Think of it as a few steps more extreme than the xGames.
A few noteworthy events over the years include, obstacle course speed skating, stylized ski jump landing in a pool of icy water, airplane switching trick-skydiving, and DIY winter snow skate boarding.
You have to see it to believe it. And you have to be there to see it.
