Shopping for a gift for that special man in your life can be tough, but it doesn’t have to be. I enjoy shopping for my boyfriend, Alex, more than I like shopping for myself. Alex makes me feel special every day, so it’s important for me to make sure he has the best birthday! I always hate my own birthday. So much excitement is built up for one day, and it usually doesn’t live up to all of my expectations. That’s why I feel it’s crucial to make sure no one else feels that disappointment. So, I vetoed the birthDAY and made his a birth WEEKEND! You can never spend too much time celebrating the birth of the love of your life- am I right?
Alex’s birthday was on Friday, so I started the celebration Thursday evening by taking him out to his favorite restaurant. Later, 12 am to be exact, he was in bed waiting for me to go get water when I surprised him with a lit up birthday cake. After eating our lives away, I gave him his first round of gifts. These are what I like to call the “Gag Gifts”. See below for what Alex opened up at 12 am, and click the image to shop:
Reminder: It’s your birthday!- I always go with the generic birthday goodies. Since your giving him this present as soon as his birthday starts, he can wear and use these items all day to show off the fact that he’s the birthday boy. Especially if your man loves attention as much as mine does. I thought this pin would be perfect for when we went out with his friends to celebrate, and maybe get him a couple of free drinks ;P
Make him feel LUSHcious- I introduced Lush to Alex and it’s something we love doing together to relax. Birthdays are a time to have fun and party, but also an opportunity to finally take a break and treat yourself. Since this is something we love to do together, I thought it would be a great idea to get Alex his favorite bath bombs. Lush makes pre-wrapped gift sets with different options for your choosing! Some may say this is feminine- but what man wouldn’t love taking a bath with their girl?
Make his birthday wishes come true- 2 chains said it first…. this gift is pretty self-explanatory, but you should spend the night of his birthday celebrating! ;P
Put a smile on his face- Fun fact about Alex: his favorite soundtrack is Tarzan and he once tried to seduce me with a Phil Collins song that we later found out he wrote about his brother dying, so obviously, I had to get him this. I know the chances of him putting the cd on in his car is slim, but it made him laugh and he appreciated the thought that went into it. It’s always good to play on the inside jokes you two have with each other because no one else can get him that gift.
Let him be the boss- FOR THE DAY!- Everyone who knows Alex knows his ultimate goal is to be his own boss. I saw this and knew that this was made for him. In real life, we are partners, but his desk can still read that he’s the boss- I don’t mind. If you see something that is personal to your man, get it! He’ll appreciate the thought and it will solidify how well you really know him.
Build-a-LIFE! How could I not?! Creating a build-a-bear for ANYONE special in your life is a thoughtful gift because you can customize it yourself. I made Alex’s bear super personal to reflect our time together, and all of the stuff he enjoys. First of all, you can name the bear. I call Alex, “Bubba”, so our new baby’s name is “Bubba Bear”. You can add a heartbeat, which obviously I did, and a noise or “voice”. Alex has horrible reflux and burps all the time so when I saw they had a burping option, I knew he’d get a kick out of it. Bubba bear has reflux, just like his daddy! Finally, I got him a couple of outfits that represent things Alex loves. I went with a Mets uniform, Giants sweatshirt, and Disney outfit, along with a “Happy Birthday” cupcake and Groot mini-bear, since he loves Guardians of the Galaxy. Now, whenever we make a memory together, we can get a new outfit for Bubba bear. (Alex thinks this present was more for me than for him- he might be right)
Have a sweet birthday- Friday morning, I woke him up with a red velvet Magnolia cupcake, since I know it’s his favorite.
Time for Birthday Shots- Friday evening, I met Alex, his mother, and her boyfriend at MSG and we went to the Knicks game. Alex loves sports and courtside is his best side. I always recommend activities as presents. Doing something for his birthday is a chance to make new memories that will last him the rest of his lifetime! She shoots, she scored!
But actually, BIRTHDAY SHOTS!- After the game, we went out with all of his friends to LPR- a chance to give his birthday pin to use. This is the night that you repay your man for all of those nights he paid for your drinks, and treat him right! Drinks on me, baby!
Now, The Real Deal
After a fun night out, Alex came home to all of the presents I got him laid out on his bed. Time for the good stuff. See below for what Alex opened up on his birthday, and click the image to shop:
More Flags, More Fun!- Like I said before, having tangible presents are great, but Alex definitely appreciates activities more. The best week of our lives was spent at Disney World, so I got us season passes to Six Flags great adventures, since I know how much he loves amusement parks. Not only would we be able to use this all year long, but I surprised him by letting him know we were going the next day. I’m always a little bummed when my birthday ends, so I thought it would be nice if he had something to look forward to the next day.
IPIC YOU!- Alex loves Star Wars. Me, not so much! But this day is about him, so a selfless gift was definitely getting him IPIC tickets to the opening night of Star Wars. IPic is the movie theatre in Soho with reclining seats, and you’re served dinner as you’re watching the movie. Food, Star Wars and I are his favorite things, so this present was definitely out of this world!
Another great option for your man is at home entertainment. Going to the movies is fun, but it can get expensive. Opt to make him dinner at home while he watches his favorite movie on his at home entertainment system! To learn more about this, check out the below article now!
#TheConcreteBond- Alex and I share a lot together, including our business. Not only is he my life partner, but he’s also my business partner. For his birthday, I surprised him with his very own The Concrete Blonde gear, including business cards and a personalized hat.
Winter Came- Although I personally don’t get the Game of Thrones hype, I’ll support my man who does. Every time we go to the mall, Alex wants to buy one of these and I always talk him out of it. So even though he turned 24, I’ll allow him to act like he’s 5… your welcome baby!
Passport to Fun- Alex and I love to travel together, so a passport holder was in order. Even though I would have loved to fill it with a trip, I am still a #blondeonabudget. I filled it up with Sodoku puzzles since the two of us love playing and want to race each other.
The Necessities- Even though it might sound like a lame gift, getting your man something he needs and uses every day is always helpful. Alex loves his Khiels, so I thought I would save him the extra money and support his usual indulgence.
I’ve got a theory- But he’s got three! Clearly, The Concrete Blonde’s man always has to look up to par, and Alex is really good at it. His favorite brand is theory, but he always feels guilty about splurging on himself. My parents and I both got him some clothing from the store. If your man likes to look good, it’s always a good idea to get him clothing to make him feel good too.
I’m Watching You- I love a nice sentimental piece of jewelry that I can wear constantly and think of that special someone. I wear my Michele watch and David Yurman ring that my parents got me, as well as the Swarovski evil eye necklace that Alex’s mother got me every day. Not only do I love them, but I love being able to share with someone why it’s so special to me when I get a compliment on them. Alex has a Daniel Wellington watch that he received from an event I brought him to and wears it every day. However, since he’s in real estate and constantly glued to his phone, I got him an Apple Watch. These make great presents because it’s something he’ll get a lot of use out if, they are sold at a variety of price points, and you can customize them to suit your style by choosing difference face sizes as well as different band colors and materials.
Happy birthday! I hope this list for that special guy in your life was helpful. Everybody is different, and every guy likes different things. Some appreciate the little things, some are materialistic, some love adventures. You know your man best! I like to cover all of my bases. Some fun birthday wishes, humorous inside jokes, memories to last a lifetime, and some things he can have and cherish forever. I hope whatever you are celebrating, you and your man have an amazing time celebrating it! Oh, and don’t forget the card! Writing a special message for your love that you can read years later and see how much you’ve changed and grew together is priceless!
For Alex-
HAPPY BIRTHDAY to my best friend in the entire universe! There is no one else in this world I’d rather be with. You are my sunshine, my only sunshine. Thank you for being my biggest supporter, always making me laugh until I cry, being there through the good and bad, making me a better person, showing me what true love is, acting like you’re 5-year-olds with me, loving Disney as much as I do, being the Roger to my Rachel, and just being my best friend and soulmate. Hope you have the best birthday, and even better year because you deserve nothing less. Can’t wait to see what your future has in store and being right there by your side through it all. I love you, baby! #theconcretebond
