Some "surprise" ideas to celebrate a special occassion

Here are some " surprise " ideas to celebrate a special occassion - it could be a birthday , a valentines day, a wedding anniversary or a father/mother's day ...I have actually helped translate some of these ideas into reality for some people , a few of them are new ideas that could be done to show somebody special , how much they mean to you - even if you are not there with them in the same city/ country right now.In some cases , because of the fact that you spend all your time close to your loved one, you might not have the time to carry out your" surprise " without being found out! Either way, either a cousin / friend /"experiential gifting " service provider / event manager could help you plan and carry out a truly unique and memorable surprise .

The ideas are categorised by occassion and relationship:

For the "Love of your life!"

For Her :

1. Courtship:

a. A card a day with flowers / chocolates / trinkets - each day a special gift (from simple to truly breathtaking). You can personalise everything - right from the gift wrapper to the note with your handwriting. This can be for a week , 10 days or even a month..leading upto a special day - like the anniversary of the day you first met , the anniversary of your first date, or even your 10'th wedding anniversary , a valentines day

b. An eyeball grabbing surprise , like a giant balloon delivered to her house with flowers and chocolates and a special note from you.

c. Personalised ideas for setting up a date with your girlfriend/ fiancee / wife. Right from a special hand delivered invitation , to planning the setting , the flowers , a candlelight dinner / wine tasting session /a whole theatre hall just for you .A guitarist to serenade her , a carriage drive along a waterfront , a romantic boat ride, a chauffer driven limo are some other ideas that can make the occassion truly memorable.

d. A treasure hunt for her to find you / your surprise - all over the city / her neighbourhood /or even her house !

2. A Birthday:

1. Specially designed cake with flowers and a gift hand delivered with a hand writted note

2. Personalised gifting options like :

a.A personal pampering kit with her name printed on it , skin care products , perfume etc

b.A "makeover" experience with a good makeup artist , hair stylist and wardrobe consultant.

c.A rejuvenation package at a spa

3. Quirky or fun gifts that hold special meaning for both of you- like a calendar/photoframe etc with your memorabilia printed/ framed on it- like tickets to a play that you went to together , a trinket of hers that you have, a card that she gave you , a letter from her etc.

4. A scrapbook of your memories together - photos, memorabilia etc

3. Wedding Anniversary

a. A "surprise " party for your wife- invite everyone that she would want there to share her very special day and dazzle her with your thoughtfulness by planning every detail , like the flowers, to the cake , the gift , her outfit , the music , the entertainment.

b. A romantic getaway to a place that she'd always wanted to visit just for the two of you.

c.A "no cooking " day for her- be the chef or hire one , get help to clean up so that she does'nt have to lift a finger the whole day.

For Him:

1. A "surprise" dinner where you take him out to his favourite restaurant / cook for him

2. A personalised hamper with a few toys he'd love to own : could be a cell phone, a swiss army knife, a carpentry set for the enthusiast , "the" camera he's been eyeing for sometime

3. A day at a spa

4. A "surprise " party at a sports bar , where all his buddies are invited to catch the action on big screen TV , with the beer flowing freely to celebrate his birthday .

5.A dancing class membershiip for the two of you .

Some ideas for kids :

1. New Borns:

If your friends / children /siblings have just had babies , here's some ideas to make the occassion memorable for them:

a. Gift them a foot print or a hand print cast in metal and plated with gold/ silver

b. Personalised crib sets , sheets , cradle covers , cushions etc for the nursery

c. Infant gear also makes for good gifts- personalised strollers , baby cots , car seats , high chair , bath tub etc

d. A toy chest packed with toys for the special baby.

e. Homecooked meals for the family in the first couple of weeks would really be useful.

2. Bigger kids :

For a birthday :

a. A surprise birthday party never fails. Do ensure that the theme is something the child would like

b. A room makeover - theme based , or with just a few accents according to theme. Send a cake with balloons and chocolates and a certificate for a room makeover according to the theme of his/ her choice

c. A special outing to the zoo , a game zone , a picnic , a nature walk etc would also be memorable

d. Gift a few classes at a local hobby center for a hobby enthusiast

For parents :

For the people who made our childhood special and gave us the best of everything in this world , even small thoughtful gestures , hold a lot of meaning . Here are some ideas to make a special occassion or even any day memorable for them.

1. Fly them to wherever you are / or for a special trip to a place that they've wanted to visit , with the itenary planned out to suit their tastes and age .

2. A conference call with all your siblings , cousins , and everyone's kids to wish them on a special day!

3. CD's with compilations of their favourite music.

4. Tickets to concerts , plays that they would enjoy

5. A scrapbook with your memorabilia that they would cherish

6. A scrapbook with stuff from their grandkids - reflecting their interests , hobbies , with quirky photos and personal notes from them , their friends names ( that would be a big hit!) and photos etc

There are so many more ideas ..and so many more ways to make somebody special feel cherished and loved ..these are just a few ideas ---do write in with any new ideas and your comments. Mail me at creative.events.india@gmail.com .