- Blog
- Bios
- Boards
- Classifieds
- DIY
- Gallery
- Vendor Reviews
- Shop Weddingbee
Weddingbee boards
I wouldn't have expected anything, since holding up expectations only leads to disappointment. Besides, your evening sounds like it was incredible, and that memory is pretty damn awesome.
Nope, that sounds like an event gift. We've become event gift over tangible gift people too, it's a lot of fun for both the giver and the receiver. If it helps, yesterday was my husband's birthday and I treated him to a formal fancy dinner as well, instead of following up with a sauna, I gifted him a voucher for a flight lesson so I am on board with your gift!
Nope.
I prefer to be "gifted" an experience like the one you describe. Memories last a lot longer and are ultimately more satisfying than objects.
Wow, what a wonderful night! We give gifts in a very similar way... they're usually not material things anymore, but time together or a night to be spoiled in ways like dinner out, an activity we love, etc. One year he made me a cake, which I really appreciated since I am the "birthday cake baker" in the family.
Would never expect anything else, maybe she was wondering if he'd possibly gotten you a ring?
Dinner is usually expected, but the spa counts as the "gift." I think dinner and spa is a great birthday present, especially from a guy. They tend to not value nice dinners and spas as much as us girls do!
My FI and I are actually very low-key when it comes to gift-giving. We are not struggling to pay bills, but we know extravagant presents aren't what's important. Plus, we'd rather spend the money for a house, our honeymoon, and the wedding!
That sounds like a great gift to me! Maybe it's just because we're poor college students, but the most I *expect* from FI on any holiday or birthday is a thoughtful note in a card or on some stationery. Anything else is awesome, but I really couldn't care less, as long as I got something meaningful from him.
No. I would have considered the evening to be a great gift and experience. You got to spend an incredible night with him that you normally don't do or get to do. That would make it an amazing birthday.
I think that sounds like a great bday present! My SO had a similar day planned for mine and I LOVED it! Not better present than a day of surprises spent with your loved one.
We love to give "experiences" as presents. I took him and some friends tailgating and to a football for his bday last year (I did buy the grill and his mom the tickets, and my mom the booze and food).
I think this all just depends on the couple as well as the individual. FI and I tend to be very extravagant gift givers so yes, personally I would have expected a tangible gift in addition to the dinner and sauna. However, I really really REALLY love to receive tangible gifts, (it's one of my languages of love), no matter how small so to me a birthday present is not as special unless I can wear it or use it later on and think about the occasion when I received it. On the other hand, I don't think there is anything wrong with activity gifts if that is what the couple/individual values and prefers.
I'm used to dinner-and-a-gift. The spa part would be the gift in my mind. I made him his favorite foods (and made hot apple cider for him), plus gave him a giant stuffed tiger. Considering that NONE of his family even bothered to call, he was glad someone did something. (My mom sent him a gift card for a dinner out. She felt she had to justify such an impersonal gift.)
I expect my guy to hang out with my dad and grandpa for an afternoon while my mom, grandma, and I go do girly stuff. I expect him to nice to them at dinner. I expect him to go out with us on my actual birthday. I would hope he gives me some form of gift, be it flowers, a book I already own, something relating to a mutual interest (I can always hope) or jewelry (he was asking whether I like black pearls, which is the ONLY reason I'd think that.)
My Birthday is pretty close to Hanukkah and Christmas so I get one big present usually and dinner out since I celebrate Hanukkah and he celebrates Christmas.
We're dinner and a gift folks as well - If my husband thought ahead enough to plan a spa date as well??? Extra awesome points and it DEFINITELY counts as a gift (plus, the flowers!)
I value experiences more than a gift, and I also tend to get a little cranky when he spends too much on me for holidays because we have other stuff to be spending money on. One of my absolute favorite "gifts" he got me was my first birthday with him when he took me horseback riding, to my favorite (not expensive) restaurant, and bought me a cheesecake as my birthday cake (even though he doesn't like it!). It meant so much to me because I had mentioned to him before that I really value the thought and experiences more than just expensive stuff, and it felt like he was really willing to go outside his comfort zone to make me happy.
Now, I would say usually if we JUST do dinner he'll get me a gift. But if it was dinner + spa that says gift to me.
Honestly, I would love it if Jim gave me an evening like that. Last year he took me out for a nice dinner, but this year he didn't. Of course, his last day of work fell on my birthday, so he was a little preoccupied.
I think your birthday sounds perfect.
That sounds like a perfect birthday gift! I think the most important part of a gift is the amount of thought and time went into it, and he definitely spent tons of both on yours! A trip to the spa is definitely a gift. Normally someone would give you a gift card to the spa as a gift, he just went above and beyond and had planned it all out to use that night. Even better :)
I would definitely be thrilled if my FI came up with something like that for my bday!
FI and I typically spend about twenty on dinner (Applebees 2 for $20 rocks my world) plus about thirty for a present. We try to put more thought than money into gifts due to student loans, etc. Dinner and the spa sounds like a fantastic gift!
As an update, my guy asked if it was OK to get me kitchen stuff for my birthday. Not from him, no. Would I get mad? No. But I wouldn't be particularly pleased either.
...whatever he feels like giving?
Isn't that the point? Why have expectations, unless you tell flat out what you want you're typically going be let down.
Let things play out and see what happens, if nothing, it's just another day -if something, great...can't wait to spend that time with SO and see what is received or what happens!
after a night like that? i'd be surprised if he did decide to give me a gift! i would have taken the night out as my gift, as it sounds pretty fantastic!
My husband and I usually get each other pretty amazing gifts for our birthday's. I love birthday's so much and always make a big deal about them. My birthday is next weekend and DH got me a pair of nude Loubies :) If course I have to look at them for a week until I can wear them but I am soooo excited!
That sounds amazing! I would pick a night like that over any wrapped gift! I do not ever expect anything from FI and would be happy with a home made card. My birthday was two weeks ago and he bought "the back up plan" blue ray to watch and we got mexican take out. I LOVE those nights! I would have been happy with just that, but he took me to make a pandora charm bracelet the next day as a surprise. I think the experiences, big or small, make the best and most memorable gifts :)
That is awesome!! We are dinner and gift people and in this case (like others have said) the spa would be the gift!! This year DH took me to a nice dinner and got me a record player and I took him to his favorite restaurant and got him a Kodak video camera. We didnt spend too much but there have been years where we will just do dinner at home and a gift. It is such a personal thing you cannot compare this to other couples!
Not at all! You got flowers, a lovely dinner, a romantic spa time, AND time with your boyfriend! What could be a better gift than that?!
You must log in to post.
| Visit our sister sites | eHarmony Online Dating |
eHarmony Advice Dating Advice |
Project Wedding Wedding Songs |
JustMommies Pregnancy Calendar |
Create the honeymoon of your dreams.
| User | Posts Today |
|---|---|
| Lyndzo | 26 |
| beargoose | 21 |
| his chippymunk | 20 |
| Ms. Salamander | 18 |
| LammChop | 17 |
| fivemonthsnotice | 17 |
| kat2014 | 15 |
| mypinkshoes | 15 |
| aussiebee | 15 |
| pengoala | 14 |
| User | Posts Today |
|---|---|
| BellaDee | 8 |
| couawilou | 3 |
| leeshabee | 3 |
| allihappy | 2 |
| bookworm88 | 2 |
| KatyElle | 2 |
| ticatica | 2 |
| MissPumpkinPie | 2 |
| les105 | 2 |
| MissBMarie1428 | 2 |
My birthday was yesterday, and my boyfriend surprised me with a wonderful evening. When he got off work, he came home with a bouquet of my favorite flowers, and instructed me to change into a dress because he had made reservations for dinner. We're usually a "diners-drive ins-and-dives" kind of couple, so a night in a more upscale restaurant is a bit of a treat. We ended up going somewhere I had been dying to try and ate a beautiful, several course meal, all with delicious wine pairings. After dinner, we floated around downtown, ending our walk at a spa, where the boyfriend said we had a hot tub/sauna room waiting for us. Very relaxing, very thoughtful. All in all, a wonderful birthday.
Today while running errands, I ran into someone I used to work with and she asked me what I did for my birthday. After I filled her in on the previous night, she smiled and said, "That sounds really nice. Did he get you a gift?"
I was stumped. I thought I had just explained the evening that my boyfriend had gifted me with. I guess I didn't find it necessary that he would also give me something tangible to unwrap, considering that dinner was quite costly, and he's currently saving for an engagement ring. I truly had a wonderful time and value time spent with him more than I would say, a pair of earrings. But it got me thinking...
Would you ladies have expected a gift in addition to dinner and the spa date? What are your holidays usually like as far as gift giving/general effort goes?