Hey guys. its my girlfriends birthday next week and am out of gift ideas. i wanna buy her a spa retreat for a day or something along those lines. ill really appreciate any ideas!
shes not into tech stuff (phones, tv etc) otherwise my life would b so much easier! :)
Shes got heaps of perfumes, do you guys reckon its still a good idea to give her another one>?
thanks
Girlfriend's birthday
erroorfree on 07/05/2013 - 12:57
Comments
NOoooooooooooo!!!!
Overpriced and restricts choice..Give cash if anything!
Give cash if anything!
That would be the worst option.
RB is overpriced but their suggestions are good. Afternoon tea at the Windsor, while expensive is great. My lady loved it and admittedly I did enjoy it as well. Technically speaking though, it might not count as a gift but rather the part of taking her out to eat.
Spa retreats can be super exxie - how much were you wanting to spend?
Ok…that was pretty awesome..but seriously erroorfree, we need some more info, and no I wouldn't go another perfume.
lol.good idea :p
i had my birthday only last week. she did so much and now stressing out. i got expensive sneakers,home made brownies, perfume, shirt from zara, a night at the hotel room and then drinks at night!! thats easily over $500.
redballoon is good but i cant really find anything of interest there. ill probably give her shoes and a dress but girls are always so picky with these sorta stuff
oh boy, that's hard to compete with…pretty sure she's after a proposal…
I do like the Afternoon tea idea, along with a gift - is she into jewellery? Perhaps something engraved?hahaah
yah jewellery for sure. any ideas of something reasonable?.i went to michael hill ..thats very expensive though
I don't know your location, but to really surprise her…. the Golden Door Spa Elysia at the Hunter Valley and also in Qld. It's very pricey though they did offer one night stays, just not sure what their current terms are. They currently have some Mother's Day specials on vouchers.
If it's jewellery, try Swarovski at Peter's of Kensington, use the Swarovski website to choose and if Peter's don't have it they can order it in. Give her a card or a jewellery box and tell her the gift is so special it had to be ordered in, I doubt she will mind waiting, but give her something small - chocolates and flowers while she waits. For a variation on flowers, Swarovski has some crystal flowers. If its lingerie, Simone Perele at Birkenhead Point, or Harbourtown in Qld. I think they are also available in Vic. They are a discount outlet and sell the same products that DJs currently have plus older lines more discounted. If you are in Sydney, Celebration Cakes at Canterbury (see their website) makes gorgeous cakes (their mud cake is delicious) and they are also expensive, but really special. Oh and Oroton has great bags and wallets, scarves, umbrellas at their DFO outlets for about 60% off, most ladies think they are great as gifts, especially when a bag may have originally been priced at over $400.
it sounds very much like you are in the "shiny stage"
If you don't normally cook, and she knows it make a birthday cake. Try not to make it look too ugly but even if it does you should still get brownie points.
Does she like chick flicks and you don't? Make up a "movie night in"
And there is always a picnic.
I think the main thing is to make a decent effort, rather than spending lots of $ especially if you are broke.
Can you sing? Serenading her might be an option.
And depending if she works, and who with look at something that involves her work. Nothing too tacky, but nothing is nicer than having other ladies notice how thoughtful your boyfriend is.
Oh and unless she LOOVES soft toys, my advice is to avoid them.
All excellent points. Listen to Natt! :)
I agree. Although it does depend on personal preferences - I personally prefer my other half to give me thoughtful gifts rather than expensive ones. Seeing what she has spent on your birthday though, I think you still have to spend a decent amount of $$ on her birthday. Girls remember things and they definitely would compare your pressies to hers!
I agree, Natt hit the nail on the head.
Depends on the individual but you could put together a different combo from what you said.
Find a good masseuse/massage company that will come to your home.
You can be cooking while she gets the massage and maybe you can pop in to give her kisses from time to time, while she gets the massage.
If you aren't cooking, you could maybe get a nice dish delivered or even get a group in to do the cooking and washing (if your total budget is $500 I think that's still doable)Have some shows available she might like to watch.
Alternatively, nice night at a hotel, with a delicious meal, shows to watch depending how the night works out and maybe a spa treatment for her (and you can keep her company through it chatting and more) or even a spa/massage treatment for you both. I think some hotels have actual spas and you could get a treatment in the hotel spa as another alternative to having one in the room.
But I can't help you too much on which places are good for that all, around $500, as I haven't done that around here in a long time.
Other ideas to picnic are bringing a hamper to the room of cold cuts, olives, cheeses, other finger food, wine and champagne. They can be great for snacking on before, during and after a spa/massage treatment. (Maybe not so much during a massage treatment).
If you go the massage, remember plenty of water :)
Was that last bit a penis joke, i cant tell.
yeah dude, buy something like a bush retreat with fireplace/spa for winter. doesn't have to be booked, just make up a voucher in Word. buy a pampering package e.g. massage and a bunch of nice smelling shower soaps etc from the body shop. jewellery always wins but you'll overpay here in aus. could always get a $50 necklace with a loveheart.
write a real nice card. i did that for valentine's day and it got me sooo many brownie points
would be funny if ms erroorfree stumbles across this thread.
ever tried making a photobook? they take heaps of effort, but chicks dig them.
or do you guys snowboard/ski? try http://www.ourdeal.com.au/deal/the-station-a-perisher-proper… usually ski lift tickets are $100 bucks a day.
Surprise interstate/international trip! All the suggestions above are awesome, combine them with a flight and you're sweet! See if you can score a bargain to Sydney here? http://www.ozbargain.com.au/node/102125
Swarovski… girls love this stuff… just dropped a few hundred there a couple days ago on a necklace, earings and bracelet. Added bonus - free Swarovski mirror with any $200 purchase. Broke up my purchase over 2 transactions to get 2 :)
is there a link? or have to go to a shopping centre?
I noticed today that they sell Swarovski at Costco at what looked like pretty decent prices.
For example, this was just under $100 instead of $160.
Maybe you should try and match her brownies by making something of your own!
But for jewellery - if she's not into super expensive stuff, maybe some Pandora? Tiffany & Co. has some stuff for under $500 (but that's if you're willing to spend that much).I'm a 20 year old male with Asian friends LOL - the suggestion above could be rubbish.
yah pandora! ..probably will go and have a look there. jewellery is a good idea. i think ill just have to hot a shopping centre
hey thanks for ur time. ill porbably go for jewellery and shoes. any good ideas for where to buy nice shoes from?
Not sure what brands/style of shoes your gf likes to wear but you generally can't go wrong with Wittner, Tony Bianco or Zu; these stores/brands don't use the synthetic leather/pu stuff in their shoes. You could try Myers or David Jones as well.
Try 9 West - at DFO outlets for cheaper ones or Sandler DFO for cheaper versions.
Buy a voucher for Shoes of Prey. They're bespoke shoes. Ie. she can design them herself. A friend bought one for his g/f, was well received.
(I'd follow it up with something personal as well. What about giving her a (proper) massage? Do some study before hand?)
ETA I also like the idea of high tea… And what about a movie in Gold Class, to see something she likes that you don't?
haha diamonds! geez
Go out for furburger.
She put heaps of effort into hers … you should at least try
Cook for her
Buy her a necklace or something … does not even need to be heaps expensive .. my gf likes lovisa (sic) stuff there is cheap
Ohh and you can NEVER fail with a brand name handbag, I often get DKNY/Oroton etc brand bags for 50% off - say around 250-300.umm i thought about cooking. but i dont think thats a good idea!
Cook for her?
I cook for mine every night and sex her up every other one. (-;
Never bought a present in over 20 years, perfumes, lingerie, jewelry, flowers, none of means anything to her compared to a good relationship and a laugh.
I have to vote for the effort factor - you are already half way there in actually thinking ahead for doing something for her.
Just think of the simple things that women want.
** Without wanting to give too many of the trade secrets away **
Sangreia in the park along side hand made gotmet sangas..
Buy an okay bottle of merlot (or two depending), three apples, 2 blood oranges, other seasonal fruits, a stick of cinimon, and a touch of nutmeg. Combine all well along with a bottle of sparkling water and some lemon juice and some brown sugar… Lemonade works, but tastes artificial….
Mix according to taste or recipie.
I think the best made efforts for moving a relationship forward is knowing that the other person is willing to put time and effort into doing things for you… money is one factor, but it will be trumped with the proper execution of effort.
Best of luck.
thanks heapps!definitely making that recipe!
^^^ What he/she said
Do you have a axe wound by any chance?
Does she love chocolate? I always get this for my girlfriend.
Chocolate made into bouquets
http://www.edibleblooms.com.au/c/birthday-gifts/birthday-gif…
haha i am a chocoholic and shes not. shell probably think i bought it for myslef! hahah . and probably ill end up eating them eventually
give her good sex
:) oh good idea! how come THAT didnt cross my mind . :|
The best things in this world are free?
Wrong wrong wrong. Ac1250 trumps free :P
Do you have instagram? If so check this out for a gift idea http://www.postercandy.com.au/ I really want one so she should too! ha ha I reckon the cheesier selfie photos the better! They go in frames from IKEA.
Jewellery should be a winner too. Girls love that little blue box from Tiffany ;) You can get charms/pendants from there and just buy a nice chain from a cheaper store to make a nice necklace :)
I love Day Spa vouchers. There should be some excellent deals around at the moment for Mother's Day - try Endota?oh brilliant.thanks heaps for your help and time
If you can't think of anything whatsoever, perhaps try organise a weekend away interstate?
I think it's fine to buy your GF perfumes if you don't regularly buy her perfumes for every occasion (i.e. Christmas, birthday, anniversary, etc). If you're after affordable perfumes, try FrangranceX (shipping time is anywhere between ~1-2 weeks) or Chemist Warehouse. Take note of which ones she has — good, safe choices would be Burberry London EDP, Vera Wang Princess, Black XS, Pink Sugar (depending on her age).
You could always purchase a GHD hair straightener for half the Aust RRP price from an UK-based webstores (if she needs/wants one). Just factor in it could take between ~1-3 weeks for it to arrive. Also make sure that the store you buy it from is an approved GHD reseller (you can check from the GHD website).
Perhaps, perfume(s) + jewellery + take her out somewhere really nice + 1-night in a 5-star hotel?
oh yah. am definitely getting some jewellery now after all the suggestions you guys have given. will also be taking her out and maybe buy her pair of shoes instead of perfume. any good shoes/heels u have in mind?
Day spa voucher, Mimco anything, Peter Alexander PJ's, perfume…
Without having any background on your lady I have a few thoughts - most of these have been covered off by others.
* Lingerie. Good for both of you. BUT; you have to get it right. Right size, right style. Maybe not for new players …
* I'd stay away from perfume if she already has a bucket load.
* Pandora is a top idea. You can buy a bracelet - and then keep adding to it over time. That way, if you ever run out of ideas; you always have one in the bank.
* Day Spa at a "nice place" is always a winner. Even better, go with her and make a day out of it with lunch or dinner.
* Balloon ride. The two of you. In QLD, it is prime balloon season; not sure about Vic?day spa? any ideas where to get online from??
oh sorry just realised u r in qldthanks for ur help
day spa at grand hyatt. I help me friend organise one for his gf.
he thanked me big time
High tea is always a nice treat and you can't go wrong with jewellery (just know if she's a gold or silver person first)
Day Spa at the grand hyatt
and hot air balloon ride for the both of you.Something nice from Tiffany and a really nice dinner should do the trick!
Although Tiffany is very expensive, you pay primarily for the name in my opinion. I got my girlfriend the heart shaped pendant and necklace for $170, she was over the moon!
Not sure if you could sacrifice a bit of or all of your day spa idea, maybe get her a facial and manicure/pedicure as well as grab something from Tiffany, then dinner at some romantic restaurant should get you in the good books! :)
Also, if you go the pendant and necklace, get something engraved on the blank side for extra points! ;)
High Tea at Windsor Hotel or Langham
Jewelry from Tiffany or Georg Jensen
How about a show, eg Empire Spiegelworld
http://premier.ticketek.com.au/shows/show.aspx?sh=EMPIREPX#.…
if youre in melbourne, go to Hot Springs in Mornington Peninsula
good idea, but go on a weekday. Otherwise children, children everywhere.
oh ok.thanks for the tip
Go and feed Giraffes at Werribee Zoo. I did it with my girlfriend for her bday and she loved it.
http://www.zoo.org.au/werribee/wild-encounters/tall-order-gi…
Really cool idea.
It's good to know there's a lot of romantic people who care about their significant other. This made me smile. Some amazing ideas I have taken note of if I ever get a gf.
erroorfree, good luck! Let us know what you end up doing =D
thanks mate!
The ultimate birthday present: a wedding ring??
I jest, for more gift ideas you can also check out the gift subreddit
http://www.reddit.com/r/Gifts/
Some great ideas here. I also like the idea of Tiffany/Pandora, Day Spa, High Tea…if she's a movie/show girl maybe tickets to gold class cinema or the theatre (I'm getting excited about The Great Gatsby, but not out til the end of the month; maybe there will be an advanced screening (there are girl's night out screenings in Sydney 27 May)). Or tickets to the new Monet's Garden exhibition at National Gallery (opens 10 May). Or perhaps go on a picnic with gourmet food (admittedly the weather may not co-operate. Good luck :-)
To all the fellas out there with ladies to impress
It's easy to do just follow these steps1, cut a hole in a box
2, put your junk in that box
3, make her open the box
And that's the way you do itScarily catchy tune! :)
Alternative to cooking:
- cold cuts from the deli/Colonial/Leo's other
- savoury finger foods, olives (possibly stuffed), dolmades, etc, cheeses, biscuits
- sweet finger foods (grapes, berries, strawberries)
- winesWorks well in a hotel for a nice evening in
Save your money, I'll take her out for you…
You win the interwebs today.
he means that he is offering to assasinate her for free.
Take her out to Vue Du Monde? That's where I'm taking my Mrs for her 30th.
Expensive I know, but maybe around the same amount of money that she spent for your b'day (not that it matters that it has to be around the same amount)
Bonus is that you also get to go as well (well you'd hope so!)
The best present you can give, is one that you can also enjoy? ;)
Give her a bunch of roses, and a genuine smile and you are good to go.
What about tickets to a concert or a show she would like?
Give her a Swiss army knife with engraving.
And a deposit receipt for a cemetery plot o.O
My wife tells me chocolate's give her a headache, so I always buy chocolate's for her birthday, give her something useful like a battery drill, set of screwdrivers or spanners something you both can use after all relationships are about sharing.
battery drill, set of screwdrivers or spanners
What would she get you in return? Toaster, kitchen knife and apron :)
just have sex. stop these mind games.
How was the birthday in the end?
Also for anyone who may come back to this page for gift ideas in the future, found this funny and great gift for a gf/wife.http://www.amazon.com/Carat-Gold-Diamond-Ring-Coffee/dp/B002…
Nb: Use with caution. She may laugh or hurt you real bad :P
I am not sure if that comes with the box though? The novelty is in trolling your gf/wife with the ring, and then getting bashed up :P
Cheers for putting up the cheaper alternative.
yeah, comes with box. I like the idea.
just being a typical ozbargainer and looking for it cheaper.
just like if some had written "just had to have my dog put down..cost $130" and someone would write "cheaper here - link"
Go to RedBalloon
http://www.redballoon.com.au/gifts-for-her/girlfriend
And pick one out that you think she likes.