20 Fun Ways to Surprise Your Husband

Few things make my husband feel more special than a well thought out surprise.  

I’m not sure why a gift is better when it comes as a surprise rather than something expected, but over the years I’ve discovered the response is definitely different.

If I’m passing the local frozen yogurt shop and call to see if he wants something to go, he’ll always say yes and will be incredibly grateful to receive it.

But if I stop by the frozen yogurt shop without telling him, and then surprise him later in the evening (right about the time his sweet tooth kicks in), then presto chango: I’m the greatest wife in the world!

Depending on what your hubby enjoys, you’ll want to come up with your own surprises.  But here are few ideas to get your creative juices flowing.

20 Fun Ways to Surprise Your Husband

1. Create a music video for him.  Even if you don’t have a artsy bone in your body (hand raised here), you can do this!  

Free sites like Animoto.com and Slide give you all the tools you need.  The only thing you have to do is take the time to pull together some of his favorite photos and select the right music. 

2. Give him a ‘just because’ gift.  Don’t worry, you don’t have to spend much money to come up with a creative gift he’ll love.  We’ve come up with 35 cheap, fun and unique gifts for you already.

3. King for a day.  Spend an entire day anticipating his wants.  This will blow his mind!  What is his favorite breakfast?  What would he love to see when he comes home?  If he wrote down his perfect day for you, what would be on that list?  Think about that and then do as many things on that list as possible.

4. Dedicate a song to him on the radio.  An oldie but goodie he’d never expect!  This one will require some planning (and possibly an hour of calling over and over to your local radio station) but think about how much you’ll make him blush when he hears his name over the airwaves.  Just make sure he’s listening to the radio when your dedication comes on.

5. Make a love trail.  If you’ve got little ones at home, you’ll need to get creative here so they don’t pick up the trail you attempt to leave behind.  Use rose petals, Reese’s Pieces (think E.T. phone home) or whatever he loves to lead him to a special place where the two of you can be alone. 

6. Exchange an obligation for a date.  I love this one!  Ask him to do a mundane task like picking up milk from the store.  Then surprise him at the store with tickets to a movie he’s been wanting to see (or tickets to anything) and whisk him away for a special date night he never saw coming.

7. Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner.  Throw a dinner party and invite his favorite people to come celebrate him with you – for no particular reason.  It could be your in-laws, his closest friends, colleagues or whoever he’d enjoy having dinner with and who love him enough to celebrate him (even when it’s not his birthday).

8. Turn your husband gratitude list into a keepsake.  You’ve written down all the things you love about your hubby, right?  Great!  Now, take that list and turn it into a beautiful gift for him.  If you’re like me and haven’t been bit by the “creative bug” just Google the term: Free Printable and you’ll get plenty of DIY options.

9. Repair his beloved, well worn objects.  I need to do this one!  My husband has a green army jacket that’s 30 years old.  I keep threatening to throw it away but for some reason that hideous thing ranks high on his list of things to keep.  So if your hubby has something like that, this idea just might do the trick (for your sanity and his happiness). 

10. Tuck a sexy love note in his pants pocket (or anywhere you know he’ll find it).  Write a sexy note (preferably in red ink – meow..) letting him know how much you look forward to seeing him later that night.  He’ll be hot and bothered all day and breaking every traffic law to get home!

11.Lather him up and help him shave.  By careful with that razor!  But this can be loads of fun.  And if he likes a close shave, even better.  As you reach in close to make sure not to nick him, all he’ll be able to do is stare into your eyes, look at your nose, lust after you lips.  Good luck getting him to let you leave the bathroom after you’ve finished!

12. Dinner under the full moon.  Did you know there are sites that tell you when the next full moon will take place?  Pick a date and then set up dinner for two outside in the beautiful moonlight.

13. Take your hubby on a passport adventure.  This one, we usually do with friends, but you can tailor it to just you and your hubby.  Create passports.  Choose the countries you will visit.  Most of all, have fun! 

14. Plan a surprise getaway.  There’s no need to break the bank.  Sign up for local deals from sites like Living Social or Groupon and enter “travel” as something of interest to you.  Every time there is a travel deal, you’ll get an email.  You may have to delete 100 of those emails before the right one comes but give it time and you’ll find a deal you can’t refuse.

15. Try any one of these 74 simple things to brighten his day.  After a tough day or week, there’s nothing your hubby needs more than a little sunshine.

16. Fall in love with his hobby.  Well, maybe not fall in love forever…a day is good.  Is there something he loves to do that you use your “hall pass” for every time he mentions it?  This time, just go with it!  Take up his hobby for a day and show interest in something he loves.  Who knows, you might figure out exactly why he loves it so much.

17. Touch but don’t taste. Men love to be touched but don’t always want it to lead to sex.  I know that goes against popular beliefs but there are times when he just wants to be held.  Stroke him.  Hold him.  And if he wants to go a little further, by all means…

18. Surprise him with lunch at his job.  Sync up your lunch time with your hubby’s and make him (or pick up) his favorite lunch and take it to his office.  If you’re not able to stay to enjoy it with him, leave it with a sweet note that makes him smile from ear to ear.

19. Get a little flirty.  There are so many ways to get flirty with your husband and one of my favorite bloggers, Sheila Wray Gregoire, gives us six ways here.

20. Spice things up.  In the bedroom and outside of it, here are 5 great ways to spice up your marriage.

QUESTION: What fun ways have you surprised your husband in the past?

Until tomorrow…make it a great day!

JOIN THE 1,000,000 MEMBER CHALLENGE: If you haven’t already done it, what are you waiting for? Join the club! It takes only a few seconds and, of course, is free.

THE BOOK: It’s been described as, “Like Eat, Pray, Love but not down on marriage.” Make sure to check out the Happy Wives Club book.  I had the great honor of traveling to 12 countries on 6 continents, interviewing couples happily married 25 years or more, with 1 mission only: to find out what makes marriages happy…and keeps them that way.  It’s a marriage book like none other.