Whether you’ve been together a few months or a few decades, element of surprise in a relationship is always powerful.
So to keep things interesting and exciting between you and your significant other, take the initiative to surprise your spouse.
Anybody can do dinner and a movie, but to truly wow the one you love, you have to think outside the box.
With that in mind, below are three fun ideas for catching your husband or wife off-guard with unexpected affection. With a little strategic planning and foresight, you can give your partner a treat he or she never sees coming!
1. Plan a Scavenger Hunt
Instead of being home like usual when your significant other comes back from work, leave an obvious, easy-to-spot note on the refrigerator or counter that says you have something special planned for the evening. Create a set of clues, maybe starting with that first note, each of which leads to the next.
You might have a new outfit waiting for your spouse in the bedroom, for example, with a clue about where to go next. Each of your clues should be placed and planned, and involve clues that take a little thought but are still easy to figure out.
For inspiration about where to send your spouse traveling, think about landmarks in your relationship — the place where you first met, the restaurant where you got engaged, the park where you picnicked last summer. Helping him or her relive precious memories will only add to the anticipation and fun.
Finally, have the hunt conclude somewhere special and romantic like an inn where you’ve booked a room for the night — or on the water, where you’re waiting with a love letter and dinner. Not only will this be a surprise to your spouse, but it also will make him or her feel loved through your planning and thoughtfulness.
2. Create a Celebration, Even When It’s Not His or Her Birthday
Think of all the fun ways people try to celebrate one another on birthdays — taking trips, buying special gifts, planning surprise dinner parties with favorite friends. Ask yourself which one of these would mean the most to your spouse, and then plan for it on a day that isn’t a birthday or holiday.
When your husband or wife comes home to a room filled with his or her closest friends and a big dinner, or you wake him or her to plans of a day filled with the things he or she likes best, you’re sure to surprise. Furthermore, the gesture will mean even more when it was so unexpected, on a random weeknight or winter Saturday evening.
3. Whisk Him or Her Away for the Weekend
Few things are more fun than coming home to packed bags, a smiling spouse and the news that you’re going away for the weekend — just the two of you. Treat your husband or wife to this kind of romantic rendezvous by keeping up with bargain sites such as Groupon or Living Social and catching a fun deal when it comes available. Think carefully about what your spouse will need to have for the weekend and make sure you can afford it, but then have fun making the getaway one your significant other will remember.
The bottom line with romantic surprises is to plan ahead and look for a surprise that will feel fun and special to the one you love. Not every husband or wife would like a getaway or a scavenger hunt, but yours might. So think about the person for whom you’re planning and what he or she enjoys. When you find a way to show your spouse you’ve been thinking about him or her, even when it is unexpected, you find a way to communicate love, respect and a stronger relationship bond.
John and Wendy who both have Masters degrees in Clinical Counseling run a crisis marriage counseling practice, Marriage Rescue Associates, that specializes in solution-oriented therapy. They offer everything from counseling to marriage retreats, which attributes to their 90% success rate.