Gift ideas! For your birthday

gift_ideasI want to send you a gift on your birthday. Just send me an email with your birth date and I will send you my love and answer one of your questions to the best of my abilities.

I got the idea of this article thinking about my own birthday.

We all have birthdays; because we all have birth dates. We may or may not celebrate it but we have a day when we were born. Most of us celebrate this day with friends or family or with both. Most of the people coming over for these celebrations bring some gifts along. Some of these gifts are well thought. Many gifts are just stuff bought hurriedly.

One should appreciate both types of gifts. Thinking that people spend their hard-earned (mostly) money to get gift for a host. You can appreciate it better when you think about the time of your own gift purchases for others. Have there been no 27th hour gift purchases in your life so far?

Have you ever thought why people gift things? Different people, different reasons; some do it — to appreciate the invite, others to impress or to just be happy — yes it is true giving makes some people happy. Then there are those who buy gifts just to avoid awkwardness of arriving without a gift. People also give gifts to tell that they are there and they care.

This is about when we buy things for others. How about getting something for your own birthday? Have you ever thought about giving yourself a gift — or you leave it to others to get you a gift of their choice. Of course you can make the tasks of your guests easy by sharing a wish-list. Still, a gift for your own birthday is not such a bad idea.

There are two reasons why you should gift yourself. First that it gets you into thinking about what makes you happy and secondly birthdays are small milestones in a person’s life. Most people will have around 70 to 100 of these in their lives. So it calls for a special celebration. You will find people who say a birthday is nothing special but just a date or one year closer to closing their final account. Choice is yours — how you want to see the glass – half full or half empty.

Those of you who think that gifting yourself makes sense (and I like to feel that this is the majority of readers); let us explore some gifting options.

Your gift, to yourself, on your birthday — You can get a gift for yourself whether your birthday is tomorrow or you have just celebrated your birthday. But what is the point of thinking of a gift one year or many months in advance. There is — because good things take time.  Just check this saying — “dig your well before you are thirsty.” This is one of my favorite sayings. So if you want to gift yourself something significant then better start now.

Depending on the time you have at your disposal, here are some ideas.

If you are celebrating your birthday tomorrow

Think in terms of feelings and not in terms of stuff. Think of a day for yourself — filled with joy, peace and calm — and also anything that you crave for everyday.

  • Take a day-off from work. It is good to be a man of action but some days are better dedicated to your own self. There are people who do not celebrate their birthday. It is ok — to each its own. But if you want to take a small break from mindless living — birthday is a great day. Start your day early or just sleep in — choice is yours.
  • De stress: If you are stressed then bring home your favorite music that you loved listening to and start your day with it. Spend part of your day at a spa for a full body massage and a relaxation retreat.  You can also check in a private spa on the eve of your birthday to kick start the celebration early.
  • Fans of cooking: If you love cooking then team-up with your life partner, friends or family and plan a dinner cooked by you. Get a professional photographer home for some special pictures.
  • Foodies: If you love eating then start the day with a relaxed brunch and plan an exotic dinner with special people in your life.

Those who have (3-6 days) to plan

  • Do the new: Give yourself a new wardrobe, a new haircut, a new pair of shoes (normally people do not gift shoes as these needs to be tried by person himself).
  • Extended Holiday: If your birthday is on a weekend good. Even if it is in the middle of the week, plan a 3-4 day outdoor trip – that either starts with or ends with your birthday.
  • Get your creative juices flowing: Write a poem on your life and record it in your own voice. Make your close friends listen to it or just get your headphones and enjoy your time with your creativity. You can also shoot a movie — with a handy cam titled — “8 hours of a special day in my life”.
  • Give yourself an organized cupboard. If you struggle to find stuff in your own cupboard then show it some love. Clean it during days before your birthday and take a photo of your organized cupboard. It will inspire you to keep it that way.

When you have (3-6 weeks) to plan

  • Gift yourself a new identity: Give yourself your own website.
  • Memories in a book: Gather all your old photographs and make a photo-book with pictures from all parts of your life so far.
  • Nostalgic Fun: If it has been many years since you came out of school then plan a meet-up with old friends going back to your school and celebrate your birthday with a dash of nostalgia.
  • New robes for your room. Organize your room and paint it new. It will be good fun to wake up in a fresh-looking room on your birthday.
  • Mind Matters: Take a ‘Vipassana’ meditation retreat.

You have more time (3-6 months+)

  • Reinvent: Get into shape, be free of one addiction, and get into a new habit like writing 500-1000 words every day or calling a client once every fortnight or making 5 calls every day to connect with new clients.
  • A new outlook and skill-set: For a stay-at-home mom this can be commitment to herself to take better care of her. Find a parallel path for yourself. Learn new skills that you wanted to learn for long — photography, creative writing — whatever it is.
  • Give yourself an organized life. Gift yourself a life that has time and place for the most important people and activities in your life — without draining life out of you.
  • More: If you are still lower down at Maslow’s hierarchy of needs — then why not attempt to attain some more money, some new clients, and more connections on your professional network.

These ideas are just indicative. Just pick the ones you like and if you have more please share.

My offer still stands —send me an email with your birthday and I will love to send you my wishes.

I am giving myself a new start on my birthday. I have already started on that path. Tell the world what gift you are giving yourself on your next birthday?

Do whatever but don’t me on Twitter.

Photo Credits

Comments

  1. Mayank

    Excellent thought. Wonderful Gift.

    It is great to have a friend like you. I wish you all the success in your life.

    Mayank

  2. aymun lashari

    hi my name is aymun and my b-days on 5th december its great of you do this!
    wish u good luck in your life as i cant wish for myself.

  3. Prerna

    Hey mohit,

    I really enjoyed your post. very well thought and nicely put in to words. Infact it is one piece of inspiration for all those who several times think that what they want to do on their B’day?(like me) or How they will spend their special day?(like me) and never come to any conclusions (like me). So for people like me who want to give their day a special and memorable touch but never do that , this writeup acts as an activator and gives lot of ideas to pamper yourself on your birthday… Am sure we all know these but have never given a realistic approach..I will definitely going to take on any one (atleast) of the listed gifting ideas on my Birthday this time.

    Takecare!! Cheers!!

    Happy Writing!!

    Prerna

  4. Pinky

    Mohit pls help me na.. My fiancee birthday is coming in two days.. I m totally confused for the gift.. Actually i wanna give him some unique, innovative and creative gift. Pls guide…. I have only 1 day left for the planning

    1. Mohit Pawar

      Cool Pinky.. let me try.
      1. Best, take him out for picnic or a hike.. Saggis love outdoors.
      2. If that doesn’t work out you can gift him 1000 places to see before you die.. you can buy an eBook
      3. Take him to a comedy show in the evening if you are in a metro.. you will have to explore if you have one happening one around. Are you in Mumbai – if yes then there is this one of 23rd – http://www.buzzintown.com/mumbai/event–bollywood-stand-comedy-night-fat-cat-kitchen-bar/id–517701.html – so you can start celebrations early.
      4. Hiking gear or a very good travel kit
      5. Good hiking/traveller’s shoes
      6. You can enroll him and yourself in a rock-climbing class and there are some around
      7. Para sailing, adventure activity like hot balloon ride
      8. Camera, binocular

      Anything related to travel/adventure will the best gift for him. Cool if it works or connect on email – https://mohitpawar.com/contact Happy to discuss!
      Cheers!
      mohit

  5. Kirti Thawani

    hey mohit

    my b’day is coming in the next month. i wanna gift myself this time. thinking of gathering up few small gifts for myself

    i gt one idea of a haircut and another of repainting my room but still thinking of some thing new. as i m an artist but still dont knw wat to gift myself..

    plz suggest me some more ideas

    regards

    1. Mohit Pawar Author comment

      Hey Kirti,

      Happy Birthday 🙂
      A little early I guess.

      Here are some ideas for you.

      #1 You can gift yourself “Steal Like an Artist” by Austin Kleon (It’s a book. Pretty powerful at that).

      #2 Or gift yourself a new skill – by learning “Hand Lettering”.
      Use Sean McCabe’s Hand Lettering starter course (It is free as of now) https://seanwes.com/learn/.

      Once you learn – gift yourself a “I Love Myself” card or even better make your vision board for life.. something like – Holstee Manifesto – https://www.holstee.com/products/holstee-manifesto-poster

      #3 Or spend your time till your birthday writing down your life plan also make a list of all that gives you happiness. On your birthday – experience 5-10 items from the list of happiness. It may be food, it may be visiting a places / restaurant / it may be time with friends or family, chilling out and doing nothing.

      Wish this be your best birthday so far 🙂

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