What's the budget? - You might agree on one for Christmas but when it's birthday time, there is no negotiation. You have to come up with a reasonable amount all on your own. You don't want to offend but you also need to eat that month- where's the happy medium?!
Relationships on Female First
What to buy them? - Whether they're a hint dropper or not, when it comes to the crunch, all ideas you had have now gone out the window. You now have to try and ask them what they want without it seeming too obvious while wishing you had made a list on your phone as and when.
When to celebrate- If their birthday lands on a week day- do you have a restrained celebration sans alcohol on their actual birthday or wait until the weekend when the booze can flow freely? Or both? Decisions, decisions….
Do they want a small celebration or a party? Do they say they want a small do but secretly want you to invite the world and his wife to your house as a surprise? Or do they really want to be alone? Who knows.
What cake? Do you make it yourself and risk cocking it up? Do you buy it from the local supermarket and admit defeat in the kitchen? Or do you spend half your budget on getting one specially made? You're going to eat it either way but the delivery is everything.
How many candles? If they're racking up the years, do you put the right number of candles on the cake so it looks more impressive as you turn out the lights or do you go for a few to prevent birthday tears over the reality of being old?
Can you afford it? The closer you get to their birthday without any ideas, the less time you have to save. Will they ask you for something extravagant at the last minute, leaving them disappointed because you can't afford it? Or do you apply for a credit card to fund their gift and worry about it later?
Will they like your gift? If they are a good gift giver, you feel bad if one year you get it wrong. This year could be the year. Will this mean that they get more excited over everyone else's gifts and not yours? Will you get a reputation for being the least thoughtful partner of all your friends and family? Will the gift end up in the back of a cupboard only to later be put in the charity bag?
Do you wake them up?- On the morning of their birthday- do you wake them up to give them gifts and breakfast in bed or let them lie in? They hate mornings so there is a very fine line between this going well and them flinging toast at your face.
The card- Do you go soppy? Funny? Or cute? Does the card reflect your relationship in any way? Does it have words that they would relate to? Animals that you have owned? Or do the little people on the front look like you both doing your favourite things? If not does it just look like you plucked the first card with boyfriend/husband on you could find? You hope not.