1. Send your mother-in-law flowers on your spouse’s birthday.
Regardless of the relationship you have with your mother-in-law, she will always be your spouse’s mom. She will always be the one who held them when they were sad, ran them around to school and activities, made them dinner, and kept them safe. For that, you can be grateful. Showing appreciation for her and her sacrifice is a great way to tell your spouse “Happy Birthday.”
2. Message your sweetheart frequently throughout the day
In the age of technology, it is so easy to stay connected. Send your spouse text messages every hour, email old pictures of the two of you together, and post on his or her Facebook timeline. Share memories, inside jokes, and the reasons you are glad you are together.
3. Kidnap Him/Her
Plan a getaway for the two of you without his or her knowing! Plan ahead and arrange the schedule with his/her boss. Schedule a babysitter/pet sitter if necessary, and take the opportunity to get away for the day (or better yet–for the whole weekend!). Fly to NYC and catch dinner and a Broadway show. Leave the night before and head up to the ski slopes early the next morning for a full day of skiing. Fly in to see a favorite sports team play or a favorite band perform.
If staying closer to home is more your style, make it a stay-cation. Drive to a neighboring city and see what it has to offer. Google your city for fun attractions and be a tourist for a day. Or just take it slow by visiting new restaurants and going to that movie you have both been wanting to see.
4. Take the Day Off
Make it a tradition to always take your spouse’s birthday off from work. Spend the day together doing things that “real life” often makes us too busy for. Go hiking, plan a picnic, or stay in bed until noon. Indulge your spouse by doing things with them that you would otherwise not choose to do. Go shopping, watch a sporting event, or simply rent a movie they have wanted to see but you haven’t! When all is said and done, you may look back on these day-off birthdays as some of the most memorable days in your relationship.
5. Give Your Spouse the Day Off
After allowing her to sleep in, arrange for her to spend the day at the spa and lunch with friends. Or get a big breakfast ready and then set up some time for your husband to golf, paintball, or take in a sporting event with his friends.
During your honey’s day off, rally the troops and have the kids thoroughly clean the house–or hire a maid service to come in. Arrange dinner and babysitting, too, so that the whole day is one of relaxing.
6. Favorite Foods
Establish the tradition of making your spouse’s favorite meals throughout the day, or going out to eat at their favorite restaurants. Breakfast in bed is a fun way to start the day. Take lunch or his favorite treat in for his co-workers. Dress dinner as up or down as needed to match her favorite cuisine.
7. Celebrate Half-Birthdays
Surprise your spouse by celebrating his or her half birthday instead! With birthdays, there is an expectation of remembering and celebrating, but with half-birthdays, everything you do will feel like a special surprise. If your spouse’s birthday falls near another holiday or occasion–like Christmas or a child’s birthday–it is likely that their day often feels a little overshadowed. Celebrating their half-birthday allows more time and focus, so you can make it all about them.
Bonus Idea: Attend a Marriage Retreat
All relationships take significant work, yet most of us don’t receive any training on how to be married except what we saw from our parents. (And in most cases, that’s more a liability than an asset!) Show your spouse how much your marriage means to you by getting away alone together for Intensive Marriage Therapy. Learn how to communicate better, resolve conflict, and improve your sex life.
