Anniversaries are important. It’s that one day a year where we remind ourselves and our wives why choosing to spend the rest of our lives together was the best decision we ever made. Despite that undeniable truth, this special day can become a little too predictable and routine. It doesn’t mean we stopped caring, it’s just easy to let the stress from the office and busy schedules turn an anniversary into another date on the calendar where we have to do something. Don’t let that happen. Find creative ways to say I love you.
Part of the problem is that we men get the idea that buying a nice gift with some flowers and chocolates is all we need to do. We have to remember that women want romance. They want to feel loved and see the work we put into making them feel that way. The necklace you bought her may have the effort from a week’s salary with bonus, but as we all know, that effort only counts if our wives see us make it.
Gifts and flowers are nice, but what women really want, is an amazing and wonderful experience that they will cherish forever. Even if you bring home a brand new Lexus, just like the one she has always wanted, you’ll need to do more than have it dropped off in the driveway. You’d hit the road, and make some memories.
1. The Adrenaline Rush
Not every anniversary has to be a quiet evening out. Break the routine and do something exciting. No matter where you live or what time of year you got married, there is always an adventure just waiting to happen.
Surprise her with a day of zip lining or rock climbing, or maybe skiing if you were married in a snowy time of year. If the two of you are adrenaline junkies, go for bungee jumping or skydiving. Basically, pick anything that gets the blood pumping. Even taking a day trip to walk a nature trail at a nice state or national park can be a good choice.
2. Memorable Dinner Plans
Eating at a fancy restaurant is a common way to celebrate an anniversary. This might even be a great choice, if this is the first year that the two of you as a couple can finally afford doing it, after struggling through the first couple of years. For many, though, it’s part and parcel of a boring anniversary as usual. So make this dinner mean something.
Is there a place like an old ice cream shop or restaurant that your wife loved to go to when she was younger? It’s those little things she mentions in passing while you talk. She may not even remember saying it. Take her there as a surprise. Not only will it show her that you really do listen, but also how much you value what she says.
If something so grandiose isn’t either of your styles, go for the fun factor. Dress up in formal evening wear or cosplay even, and hit a hole in the wall diner. Even a simple picnic in the park can be a lifelong memory if done right.
3. Road Trip
Grab your gal and hit the road. Every couple has someplace they’ve always wanted to visit or have something on their bucket list that is within driving distance. It could be anything from visiting a winery, going to a Bed & Breakfast, or taking a night on a town that isn’t the one you live in. There doesn’t even have to be a specific plan or destination in mind, the two of you might just want to point to a random direction, say “That way,” and discover what’s out there.
Remember, a good road trip is different than driving with your wife to work or going on random errands. All those usual and dangerous boring bits of daily life and general stress is left at home. It’s a time to talk and connect while having a little bit of adventure.
4. The Wild Card
Every once in a while, fate deals us guys a royal flush of an opportunity that can make an anniversary the most memorable one in her life. Don’t pass it up. What is this opportunity exactly? It can be anything. Maybe your wife’s favorite band or singer has a concert scheduled on your anniversary, a new movie from the fandom she’s crazy about may be opening up, or a traveling museum exhibit with something she’s always dreamed of seeing in real life might be stopping in your town. It’s not something that happens every anniversary, so when it does, you better grab it.
I hate clichés, but there’s a reason the old saying, “Happy wife, happy life,” has survived the test of time. Not only that, your wife is important—she deserves at least one day out of the year where you show just how much she means to you.