husband's birthday in a box!

The hardest part about being in a long distance relationship isn't that we miss out on daily dinners or morning kisses goodbye. It's missing out on the special occasions…that's what I hate most. Yesterday was my husband's birthday and I couldn't be there to celebrate him. And while I am thankful that I will get a chance to see him this weekend, there is nothing like being celebrated on your actual day. So I sent Tom this "birthday in a box" filled with a few small gifts and treats. 

This was such a fun gift to put together, I will definitely be repeating this idea for other family members and friends. And Tom opened the box with me via FaceTime so I still got to see all of his reactions to the gifts. 

all packed up and ready to go!

what's inside? 
Obviously what you put inside of your box is completely catered to the person you're making it for. You could add small gifts, decorations, and sweet treats. I did a little of everything. Here's what I included in Tom's box. 

gifts 

a very special pair of socks: Tom already owned these J Crew herringbone socks, but after a year or so, they started developing holes and had to be tossed out. It was a sad day as they were his favorites, so I tracked down another pair. 
blueprint to battlestar: You should have seen me and the sales girl in barnes & noble trying to figure out what this book is all about. I still don't understand it fully, but for a guy whose into anything involving star wars, star trek, battlestar gallactica, any weird sci-fi crap, this is a fun book. Husband approves. 
pocket-monkey: the best all-in-one guy gadget that fits right inside your wallet 
candles: Because Tom burns candles almost as much as I do, I picked up these very manly ones in the scents "bourbon" and "birch". I told him that since these are birthday candles, he should make a wish every single time he blows them out. 
scarf: Can't have too many of these when you live in Boston!
jeans: This one was simple as he was in desperate need of a few good pairs. 


treats 
I have a feeling there will be lots of indulging with birthday dinners and sweets when I see Tom this weekend, so I attempted to send some healthy treats along to have for now. 

k-cups: When you're a grad student, there never seems to be enough coffee around.  
blueberry protein bar: He eats lots of blueberries and protein, so what's not to like?
peanut butter cups: Since these are organic, that means they're healthy right? 
honeycomb: This is a personal favorite of Tom's that is kind hard of to find. When I spotted this at a farmer's market in Spain last month, I knew I had to bring some back to the states for the husband. Interested to see how he likes it compared to the local honeycomb we've tired. 
root beer candies: Had to include some sort of candy for Tom's sweet tooth and picked these because they're so unique. 

This idea was a win win. Not only did Husband get gifts to open on his actual birthday, but now I have less stuff to lug with me on the plane ride to Boston this weekend :) Husband will be getting even more presents this weekend, but hopefully, these small gifts will tide him over until then. 

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