Couples who have been married a long time rarely plan romantic birthday celebrations. Gifts are given quickly and birthday dinners eaten in a rush. Some people even forget their spouse’s birthdays and their own, which is just not right. Birthdays should be filled with memorable experiences.

If you want some tips on how to make your partner’s next birthday a memorable experience, keep reading.

Clear your schedule

If you are planning to surprise your spouse on his or her birthday, make sure they don’t have any other commitments on that day. If they are busy, it is okay to pick another day. Make sure you both have enough time to avoid rushing through the celebrations.

Investigate

What is your husband’s or wife’s favorite restaurant, food, sport or movie?

To plan the perfect birthday surprise, you’ll need to have answers to these and other questions. However, don’t worry if you don’t already have all this information at your fingertips. Begin to listen more carefully to your partner’s conversations. He or she might mention a new restaurant that had excellent reviews in the paper or something else along those lines.

In addition, speak to your partner’s friends, co-workers and family members; they may know something that you don’t. Use the information that you gather to create the perfect surprise.

The perfect birthday surprise

There are many ways to surprise your spouse on their birthday. Some popular options include:

• A romantic birthday dinner

Make reservations to your partner’s favorite restaurant; get a baby sitter if needed and enjoy the best birthday dinner of your life. You can also invite some friends to join you for dinner. However, if you have already done the whole birthday dinner thing for one of their previous birthday’s, make it a little more interesting by getting a room at the hotel and ordering room service.

• Special home-cooked meal

If you are not very fond of restaurants, you can stay at home and have a home cooked meal instead. Light some candles; put on some music and have a romantic dinner. The only challenge with staying at home is that you will need to clean up after yourselves. However, you can always leave this for the next day or hire someone to do it.

• Surprise picnic

If your partner enjoys the outdoors, plan a birthday picnic. The change in scenery will create the mood for an enchanting and memorable birthday. Do not forget the essentials such as food, plates, cups, napkins, drinks, and a blanket to sit on. Also, bring a camera and take some fun photos.

When planning the surprise, you will need your friends’ help to keep your special plan a secret until the planned day. On the actual day, they can keep your partner occupied until you’re ready to surprise them with the romantic birthday plans or help in leading your spouse to the chosen venue.

Dress for the occasion

Is there a particular outfit that your wife or husband likes to see you in? Carefully choose what you are going to wear on the special day to catch your partners’ attention. For ladies, get your hair done the way he likes it and put on that outfit that he loves so much. For men, you can wear the cologne or outfit that she picked out for you.

The ultimate gift

Just like planning the perfect birthday surprise, selecting gifts for your spouse requires lots of knowledge on your partner’s likes and dislikes. Some of the more traditional birthday gifts include cards, flowers and chocolates. However, one of the best gifts you can give your partner on his or her birthday is yourself and your time. Everyone loves attention on their birthday so clear your schedule and plan to spend time with your spouse. Enjoy each other’s company and make your partner feel appreciated and loved.

For your spouse’s next birthday, go out of your way to plan something extra special to celebrate their life. Your spouse will definitely appreciate all the effort you put into planning the romantic birthday surprise.