Alright so my partner and I hit the five-month mark last weekend – kinda crazy how fast time flies, right? Honestly? Five months isn’t a massive milestone like a year, but hey, any excuse to celebrate together, I’ll take it. I really wanted to make the day special, but not stressful or super expensive. Just… meaningful little things.
My Planning Process (The Night Before)
So, Tuesday night rolled around, and I realized Friday was our five-month thing. Whoops. Needed ideas, quick. Went straight to my usual spot – the couch with my phone. Started scrolling casually, jotting down notes in my phone:
Guiding thoughts: Keep it chill. Focus on memories. Avoid fancy restaurants or big plans.
- Morning Surprise: Needed something simple to start the day right.
- Midday Activity: Wanted an experience, not stuff. Something we could talk about.
- Evening Chill: Relaxed vibe, looking back.
- The “Aww” Factor: Had to include something sentimental.
Brain felt scrambled after work, but coffee helped. Sorted the random notes into a rough plan.
The Day Of – Making it Happen
Morning (7:00 AM): Woke up first, tip-toed to the kitchen. Idea: Mini surprise.
Grabbed our favorite mugs. Brewed strong coffee (mine) and tea (theirs). Toasted some bread, slathered on Nutella – a weekend treat we love. Drizzled honey on top. Put it all on a tray with a single flower I snipped from the balcony plant (hope it forgives me!). Woke them up with “Hey… breakfast?” The sleepy smile was worth the early start.
Midday (1:00 PM): Packed a super simple picnic. Tossed chips, grapes, and store-bought sandwiches into a bag. Didn’t overcomplicate it. Drove to that viewpoint park we found once but never went back to – 20 minutes away. Spread the blanket out. Ate messy sandwiches, people-watched, pointed at clouds. Just talked about nothing and everything. Felt so normal, but special because we made the time.
The “Aww” Factor (Scatterbrained Moment): Totally forgot about a sentimental bit! While driving back home around 3 PM, panicked. Stopped at a grocery store. Ran in, grabbed a small box of strawberries and a marker. Wrote tiny messages on a few:
“5 months of your weird laugh :)”
“Remember beach day?”
“More tacos soon? ;)”
Put the box in the fridge for later. Phew. Crisis averted.
Evening (7:00 PM): Time for the “Aww.” Pulled the strawberry box out with a silly grin. Partner opened it, laughed, read the messages. Got a little quiet, touched. We sat at the counter, eating strawberries, just talking about the past five months – the stupid arguments, the funny moments, the nice surprises.
Looking Back – What Worked (And Why)
Honestly? It felt perfect. Simple things built the whole day:
- The Breakfast Tray: Took 10 minutes. Cheap. Immediate happy vibes.
- The Picnic Spot: Revisiting a forgotten place made it feel new. Cost: Gas + snacks.
- The Strawberries: Last-minute scramble saved the day! Personal, silly, edible. Won big.
- Just Talking: Sitting together after felt like the real point. Zero cost.
Didn’t need big gifts or a packed schedule. Focused on being together and acknowledging “Hey, this is nice.” Quick moments, not grand gestures. That coffee tray? That’s gonna be my go-to for small anniversaries now.
