30th Birthday, Help!

lavenderfields13

FI is turning 30 in less than a month. I have NOTHING planned. I am really not good at these things and have no idea what to do. His actual birthday is on a Friday so that's good. But I can't really surprise him with anything- it will be too obvious. 

I've asked him what he wants to do but he never really gives me any direction. Our wedding is about 2 months after his bday so he said he doesn't want to have some big party where his family is invited and they feel like they have to travel for his bday and then the wedding. His friend's 30th was a few months ago and nothing big happened for that- FI made it seem like he wanted something more. We never really do anything special for birthday so I feel like I have to since it's his 30th. I don't want to disappoint him. 

I'm just kind of lost and stressed out about this. Any ideas? We live in Boston. FI loves going to concerts but there's nothing around his birthday. 

labro

Can you invite your friends group out to a night at the bar? Or over to your place for a party? I agree you definitely need to do SOMETHING and you could even keep the friends part a surprise and just tell him you're taking him out for the night but not give him any details.

AdoptedCalm

labro said:

Can you invite your friends group out to a night at the bar? Or over to your place for a party? I agree you definitely need to do SOMETHING and you could even keep the friends part a surprise and just tell him you're taking him out for the night but not give him any details.

I am doing exactly this for SO's 35th this year. We never do anything for his birthday so I am inviting his closest friends out for dinner at a restaurant that they always talk about but that SO has never been to. I am not telling him beforehand.

Your closest friends will want to be there to celebrate all of the important events in your lives, they won't care about traveling twice.

nycgal85

My SO planned a dinner out with a group of friends (and my half-sister and cousin who both live here in the city), and then everyone came back to our apartment and he made me a cake and we just hung out.  It was really perfect, low-key but really nice. Also my birthday was right after the first big blizzard in January so we had no idea what things were going to look like that day.

My SO turns 30 in 2 months and he's been toying around with the idea of a massive kickball game/BBQ in the park. We get a permit for the space and get some grills and booze and play drunken kickball all afternoon. Must be nice to have a birthday when it [should] be warm!

eilis1228

A few ideas off the top of my head:

• Are there any museums hosting some cool after-hours events around then?
• Maybe a fun trivia night somewhere? 
• What about an experience, like indoor/outdoor skydiving?
• Local brewery or distillery tour + dinner at his favorite restaurant
• Are there any musicals or plays that you'd both like to see? Or 
• Good seats to a Red Sox game? Opening day is mid-April, right?

jenjen047

@lavenderfields13 - A fellow bostonian! Woo!! Nice to stumble across someone local on here. As for bday ideas, I love the idea @labro suggested about telling him you're taking him out somewhere and then have his friends there are a surprise. March/April is a tough time 'round these parts because the weather just plain SUCKS. I say stick with something simple like dinner/bar/bowling/laser tag/arcade, etc. And if it suits his/your style...you can always get a hilarious "naughty" cake from that bakery on Mass Ave near Newbury (name escaping me at the moment).

lavenderfields13

Thanks guys. Sorry, I left work early to get my hair done and just got home and settled.

I'm thinking maybe trying to find a cool bar we haven't been to and just invite friends out. I feel like it's supposed to be more "special" but maybe I'm just over thinking it since I get anxious when I have to plan something. 

@eilis1228 I actually got him a GC to go skydiving a couple years ago for his bday and he never went- I think he chickened out haha. I did think about a brewery or distillery tour. Just want something fun for him to do at night with his friends,

@jenjen047 I don't know anything about this bakery! I'll have to check it out. Any bars you recommend since you're in the area? I never go out anymore so I'm pretty out of touch lol. We went to Kings for bowling and drinks for my bday a couple years ago so I feel like that would be a re do. It was fun though, I might run that idea by him.

If this post is all messed up its because TK sucks and I have to post on mobile. I can't reply on chrome on my laptop and IE won't work either wtf

jenjen047

lavenderfields13 said:

@jenjen047 I don't know anything about this bakery! I'll have to check it out. Any bars you recommend since you're in the area? I never go out anymore so I'm pretty out of touch lol. We went to Kings for bowling and drinks for my bday a couple years ago so I feel like that would be a re do. It was fun though, I might run that idea by him.

I googled it...it's called Sweet N Nasty. Ugh I am embarrassed to admit that I too am somewhat out of touch. In summertime I typically stay around Fenway because there are plenty of bars and it's near my apartment, but it can be kind of depressing in the off season. OH! I don't know why I didn't think of this sooner, but is he a sports fan? Maybe tickets for a Bruins or Celtics game? Or at least hit up some bars in that area on a game night? It's always a fun atmosphere. I like Beer Works.

500days

FI turned 30 last year and I wanted to do something big for him too- like a game or maybe bowling and drinks. All of the ideas from PPs sound great though. I wish I had done more for FI, since a lot of his friends couldn't go out last minute because they have kids of their own now. I bet if you plan now, his friends will be able to do something special. 

Dignity100

Could you do something like Brew Your Own Beer (I just googled for Boston and found this one: http://www.hopstersbrew.com/ - you could see if a few of his good guy friends wanted to join).

Another idea is have like food or something sent to his work.

madamerwin

FI is turning 30 in less than a month. I have NOTHING planned. I am really not good at these things and have no idea what to do. His actual birthday is on a Friday so that's good. But I can't really surprise him with anything- it will be too obvious. 

I've asked him what he wants to do but he never really gives me any direction. Our wedding is about 2 months after his bday so he said he doesn't want to have some big party where his family is invited and they feel like they have to travel for his bday and then the wedding. His friend's 30th was a few months ago and nothing big happened for that- FI made it seem like he wanted something more. We never really do anything special for birthday so I feel like I have to since it's his 30th. I don't want to disappoint him. 

I'm just kind of lost and stressed out about this. Any ideas? We live in Boston. FI loves going to concerts but there's nothing around his birthday. 

I have nothing to add that PPs have not said already, but I am in the same situation (I think my FI's 30th birthday is the day before your fiance's, and our wedding is in June). On top of that, MY 30th is the end of April. I have no energy for birthdays this year.

eilis1228 said:

A few ideas off the top of my head:

• Are there any museums hosting some cool after-hours events around then?
• Maybe a fun trivia night somewhere? 
• What about an experience, like indoor/outdoor skydiving?
• Local brewery or distillery tour + dinner at his favorite restaurant
• Are there any musicals or plays that you'd both like to see? Or 
• Good seats to a Red Sox game? Opening day is mid-April, right?

These are great suggestions! I am going to have to steal one...

lavenderfields13

tfmrserwin said:

FI is turning 30 in less than a month. I have NOTHING planned. I am really not good at these things and have no idea what to do. His actual birthday is on a Friday so that's good. But I can't really surprise him with anything- it will be too obvious. 

I've asked him what he wants to do but he never really gives me any direction. Our wedding is about 2 months after his bday so he said he doesn't want to have some big party where his family is invited and they feel like they have to travel for his bday and then the wedding. His friend's 30th was a few months ago and nothing big happened for that- FI made it seem like he wanted something more. We never really do anything special for birthday so I feel like I have to since it's his 30th. I don't want to disappoint him. 

I'm just kind of lost and stressed out about this. Any ideas? We live in Boston. FI loves going to concerts but there's nothing around his birthday. 

I have nothing to add that PPs have not said already, but I am in the same situation (I think my FI's 30th birthday is the day before your fiance's, and our wedding is in June). On top of that, MY 30th is the end of April. I have no energy for birthdays this year.

eilis1228 said:

A few ideas off the top of my head:

• Are there any museums hosting some cool after-hours events around then?
• Maybe a fun trivia night somewhere? 
• What about an experience, like indoor/outdoor skydiving?
• Local brewery or distillery tour + dinner at his favorite restaurant
• Are there any musicals or plays that you'd both like to see? Or 
• Good seats to a Red Sox game? Opening day is mid-April, right?

These are great suggestions! I am going to have to steal one...

I'm actually online right now trying to figure something out! I'm super stressed out about it. I've been searching for bars and I want somewhere that has dancing too, so everyone's not just standing at a bar all night (I hate that) but it seems like everywhere has either a really young crowd or older crowd and there's nothing to do. I don't want to go to the same old places everyone always goes. Maybe I should just focus on doing something special for just us/him in addition to going to the bar so there's not so much pressure for the bar/night life to be amazing.

I hate birthdays.