Romantic Birthday Ideas Part 4

Birthday Cards

A birthday wouldn't be complete without a birthday card. If you want to give that special someone a card that will be appreciated and remembered, create one of your own. You will have fun doing it and feel good about presenting it. Here are a few ideas for making your own birthday cards:

• Decorate the front of your card with a baby picture of your partner. You can include an amusing caption under the picture, or write something funny coming from the baby's mouth, maybe your partner's favorite saying or expression.
• Make a card using some of the different ideas presented in this chapter. For example, to decorate the card, use pictures of your partner's favorite things, as well as pictures of appropri ate birthstones and/or flowers. If you have written a love song or poem for your partner, it can serve as the card's inside message. Of course, a simple sentiment from your heart can have just as much impact.
• Create a fun card by including such things as pop-up figures or cutout windows that open to uncover birthday messages.
• Construct a giant card in the shape of your sweetheart's age. On the card, write a list of things your partner has accom plished in his or her life, or a list of reasons why your partner should be happy.
• On the cover of your card, draw a cartoon-like character that represents your partner. Have the character in the middle of a favorite activity or deeply involved in a bad habit. Add some funny comments.

Other Distinctive Gifts

If none of the gifts mentioned so far has tickled your fancy, you may want to check out the following list of gift possibilities:

• Imported craft items.
• Tickets for a cultural event.
• A music box.
• A movie poster.
• Silk bed sheets.
• A piece of jewelry.
• Handmade clothing.
• A piece of artwork.
• A kite (specialty stores often have unique varieties).
• A stained glass item.
• A candle and/or candleholder.
• A wall hanging.
• A picnic basket filled with favorite treats.
• Lingerie or silk boxer shorts.
• Fragrant sachets or netted packets of potpourri. J A book of romantic poems.
• A new pet.

The Day That You Were Born

This idea requires you to take a step back to the year your partner was born, and plan a thematic presentation around that year. Begin by dressing in the style that was the rage of the day. In the fifties, it was poodle skirts, rolled-up blue jeans, and saddle shoes; the sixties brought bell bottoms, fringed vests, love beads, and body paint; and the seventies saw the rise of platform shoes and leisure suits. Continue the theme by gathering as much memorabilia from that decade as possible. You can make a tape of some popular songs from that time and play the tape throughout the day. If your partner was a child of the fifties, you might choose to spend the evening in a fifties-style restaurant or club. You can either purchase or make a birthday present that incorporates this theme. Here are a few ideas:

• A poster of important events of the year or decade.
• A poster of clothing styles, cars, hair styles, and other things common to that time.
• A copy of a newspaper (or the front page of one) that was printed on your partner's actual birthday. This can be obtained through a library.
• A copy of a magazine that was issued near the time of your partner's birth.
• A poster of the Academy Award-winning movie of that year.
• A poster of statistics from the year your partner was born. Include such information as the cost of gas and other items; the number one song; the population of the country, state, city, or town; Academy Award winners; political leaders; famous headlines; and championship teams.
• A bottle of wine from the year of your partner's birth can signify that few things age quite as well as your partner.

A Traditional Favorite

One of the longest standing birthday traditions in gift- giving history is that of giving flowers. How about a crea tive twist on this highly romantic gesture? For example:

• Plan a theme gift around your partner's favorite flower. Begin the day by serving her breakfast in bed. On the breakfast tray, have a bud vase with one or two of her favorite flowers. Later on, have her find a solitary flower in her car (or under the windshield wiper), and another bloom in her purse or brief case. Arrange to meet for dinner at her favorite restaurant. When she arrives, greet her with a full bouquet of these flowers. As a final surprise, have her bedroom decorated with a liberal display of these blooms.
• Drape a bracelet, necklace, or other piece of jewelry over a fragrant bouquet of her favorite flowers.
• Tie up a bouquet of your partner's favorite flowers with a fancy ribbon. Attach a gift of jewelry to the ribbon.

Romance and song have always gone hand in hand. An impassioned love song always seems to nudge a sentimen tal heart. Try to write and/or perform an original birthday song. If you are experiencing writer's block, try personalizing a song that already exists. If you want to take this idea one step further, record your love song. Some amusement parks, music studios, and music stores have recording booths specifically for such amateur recordings. This novel expression can be enjoyed and appreciated for years to come.

A Personal Messenger

Have you ever witnessed a coworker receive a singing telegram, a balloon-o-gram, or another type of "o-gram"?

This type of fun-filled idea can mean even more to your partner if you are the one who shows up in full costume to deliver the birthday cheer. Simply walk into your partner's workplace laden with helium balloons, cards, and gifts. While holding your lover's hands and looking into his or her eyes, sing "Happy Birthday." At the song's end, give your partner a big birthday kiss.

A Tribute to Life

One sure way to amuse your sweetheart is to put yourself on television. Make a video in which you play host to a This is Your Life television show. The "life" you toast (or roast, if your mate has a good sense of humor) is, of course, the birthday celebrity's.

In the video, interview your partner's friends and relatives; have them tell funny stories of your mate as a child or a teenager. Ask your partner's parents to relate baby stories of an appropriate nature. Film some snapshots of your lover as a baby, child, and teenager to fill in transitions between inter views. Find past grade school and high school teachers and ask them revealing questions about your partner's school habits and grades. Try to interview your partner's former bosses or coworkers (especially from funny or unusual part-time jobs your partner may have held during high school or college days). Move on to current stories about your mate as seen through the eyes of family and friends. If you have children, put them on film; ask them things about mommy or daddy. For the final interview, set up the video camera and film yourself. Give your own favorite anecdote about your partner and, of course, verbalize why you love this good sport. End the tape with family and friends singing "Happy Birthday."

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