It's my birthday this week and we have... no plans. Fret not though, no one is disappointed or angry and certainly no one is sulking. Husband and I are starting to face this phenomenon where every year or birthday is starting to just look like any other day. We don't know what to get each other anymore.
I remember the first year we started dating, it was awesome. I have never been an artistic person but I did some research and made a little special cardboard box, full of romantic words and pictures. Husband still keeps it by his bedside today.
Another time, on my birthday, Husband (who was Boyfriend at the time) took me to the tallest skyscraper restaurant in Singapore. We had a mega full dinner and after a whole night of teasers & hints, Husband finally showed me my birthday present by the quiet breezy Singapore River (very romantic, for sure): A tattoo across his back in Chinese words (made up of a romantic phrase including my Chinese name). Yes, how full on. Always has to outdo me, the bugger.
Fast forward years down the road... and, we are at a loss.
It was Husband's birthday about 3 weeks ago (we are both March babies) and we were browsing in a little Home Decor store in the Hunter Valley. So desperate was I that I begged him to please for goodness' sake just pick something for his birthday because I just didn't know what to get him. A mug, maybe? Surely you could use that? Or a pen, maybe?
I wish this was a joke but we actually stood around for 10 minutes looking at fancy $30+ butter knives and seriously considered getting one for his birthday. You know, just something fancy like royalty so he can butter his bread in style. In the end, we left because kind old lady at the counter let us know the bloody butter knife was not in fact a butter knife but some fancy cheese knife.We also got distracted confiding in her about our terrible birthday dilemma only to be told "Wait til you are my age, my dears".
We have run out of ideas and surprises. Or maybe we just aren't trying hard enough.
We are at the point where we prefer to just bluntly point out what we want or agree that a cake & card is fine. Sure, this takes away any element of surprise but then again, better to actually get what we want than the obligatory Mixed Martial Arts T-Shirts or Bath & Body Gift Packs!
Where are you at? Do you still put in the effort successfully or are you quite in a rut like my husband and I?
Linking up with Essentially Jess for IBOT!
