Like an over-eager child, I anticipate the celebration of any and all birthdays. I owe this to my mother who, on each birthday, would decorate the house with the same Happy Birthday sign, balloon-print napkins and plates, a bundle of helium balloons by the fireplace, and a rectangular homemade cake with sprinkles. It was nothing extravagant, but it was a tradition. A tradition that celebrated us individually, and as a family.
Today, as I begin my own traditions with my fiancé, I look back on family birthdays growing up. The thing that stands out to me as the best birthday gift to give anyone is simply this: just be together.
But, when it comes to gifts you can hold in your hands, nothing beats gifting a meaningful present that demonstrates just how much you love someone. So, from homemade cards to message balloons and a Funfetti pancake tower, here are my suggestions for the best gifts for your husband to show him that you love him.
“Open When” Cards: One of the Best Husband Birthday Gifts
“Open when…” cards are a timeless birthday gift idea that will never go out of style because we all have good days and bad days every now and again, and these little notes help us to either celebrate them or move past them with grace and a smile. Here is how to make one of the best birthday gifts for your husband so his next birthday is an unforgettable one.
Supply List:
Crafting Directions:
To make the cards, write the phrase “open when” on the front followed by phrases like:
- …you need a laugh
- …you’re burnt out from work
- …you’re pushing hard for your dream
- …you’re nervous
- …you miss me
- …you’re really hungry
- …you need to make a tough choice
- …your favorite team lost
Tuck an index card into each envelope with a relevant memory or note of encouragement written out. It can be a happy memory or an encouraging or silly one—anything that will spark conversation or bring on the happy vibes for your husband. You can also fill the envelopes with surprises, like a gift card to his favorite restaurant for the “open when you’re really hungry” envelope or tickets to a basketball game for the “open when your favorite team lost” envelope.
35 gifts for 35 years: The Best Gifts to Spoil Your Husband
Sometimes I venture to the dollar store for last minute gift basket ideas because I’m a firm believer in the joy that opening a bounty of wrapped presents can bring—no matter how small. Even your grown husband may be likely to revert back to his childlike state of mind and squeal with glee over this fun idea.
Change the number of gifts based on your husband’s birthday (i.e. 25 gifts for 25 years, 50 gifts for 50 years etc). The gifts can be tiny, like an old photograph, or they can be homemade, like a handwritten birthday letter looking back at all that’s happened over the past year. Try wrapping up things like a mini bottle of the ketchup or hot sauce he uses on his eggs every morning or a brand new pack of his favorite pens. Scatter the gifts throughout the house and, if you’re looking to get a little crazy, you can even hide them and throw a birthday treasure hunt.
The Best Birthday Gifts for Your Husband Should Include Balloons
For my birthday this year, my mom tasked my niece with picking out the birthday balloons that always decorate the fireplace when we throw a party. She chose the biggest heart-shaped balloon she could find, surrounded with a rim of pink feathers, as the pièces de résistance.
An enormous bunch of balloons, or even a single giant one, is sure to put a smile on the birthday guest of honor’s face. To kick the idea up a notch, attach photos to the bottom of the strings. Or, tie on index cards with sweet and simple notes about why you love him like, “I love you because you make the best French press coffee I’ve ever had!” Really, you can never go wrong with balloons.
A Funfetti Birthday Breakfast Gifts Your Husband with Sweetness
Birthday dinners, like big pots of homemade pasta or salmon thrown on the barbecue, used to be our yearly tradition. But, a few years ago, my fiancé and I started to go big with the birthday breakfasts, too. He’d cut my French toast into heart shapes while I’d make a smiley face with his sunny side up eggs.
Of all the birthday breakfast possibilities, perhaps one of the most festive is a Funfetti pancake tower bar. When you stack them up—and top ‘em with whipped cream, sprinkles, and candles—they look a lot like a birthday cake (and, really, every birthday morning should start with something that resembles cake). Using a simple boxed cake mix will give these pancakes a slight cake batter taste while maintaining the fluffy pancake feel we know and love.
The Ingredients List:
- 1 ⅓ cup flour
- 1 box Funfetti cake mix
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 2 Tbls cane sugar
- ½ tsp salt
- ⅓ cup butter, melted and cooled
- 3 eggs
- 2 ½ cups whole milk
- ½ cup sprinkles (plus more to top)
- Whipped cream
- Candles
Baking Directions:
- In a big bowl, combine your flour, cake mix, baking powder, sugar, and salt. In a small bowl, mix together your butter, eggs, and milk.
- Add the ingredients together and mix until combined. Fold in sprinkles. For thinner batter, add an additional tablespoon of milk.
- When your skillet or griddle is greased and warm, ladle your batter and cook until the pancakes bubble. Flip the pancakes and, when they’re done, stack them on a plate to create your beautiful Funfetti birthday tower. Top with additional sprinkles, candles, and whipped cream if you’d like. And if you want to continue the Funfetti craze later on in the day, keep the celebration going with Funfetti ice cream cookie sandwiches, a recipe that kiddos can help make.
From a sweet and festive breakfast to thoughtful memories shared or a room full of brightly colored balloons, the art of crafting the perfect birthday celebration can change from year to year. The only thing that’s a must is to create gifts that are poignant, personal and, most of all, filled with lots of love.
One of my favorite parts about the tradition of birthdays is that every year, we get to look back and remember what we did the year before. From all of us at Elfster, we wish you a beautiful day celebrating with the one you love. Here’s to another year wiser and more grateful. May it be filled with cupcakes, sprinkles, and joyfully wrapped gifts!
For more ideas on gifts to give your guy, explore our For Him Gift Guide or start a gift exchange online with friends and family to celebrate gifting joy year round. You can also connect with the elves on our Facebook page, on Twitter @Elfster, or Instagram @Elfster.
