surprise!

Who doesn't love surprises?!

Ok, not everyone (including one half of this muse team. One would imagine that if a boyfriend surprisingly showed up in a girl’s city, 902 miles away from his own city, knowing that engagement was imminent, said girl would be happily surprised. Not so my friends, not so – can’t catch a lady off her guard!)

But if you are aware that your man enjoys a little suspense and a surprise now and again, consider surprising him this Valentine's Day!

We don't recommend surprising him with an engagement that you propose - these Muses are a little more old-fashioned than that.

The Party Guy
Does your guy love a crowd? Arrange for a bunch of his friends to meet up with him at a bar - a social function that he gets to enjoy without having to go through all the phone calls and e-mails. It will show that you're secure enough in your relationship with him to not demand all of his time.

Adventure-Seeker - without an agenda
Trips are always fun, too. Maybe it's a trip that the two of you already plan to make - but you can surprise him by preparing the details of the trip ahead of time so he doesn't need to worry about calling for reservations, purchasing tickets or navigating the way on his iPhone. Google Maps has a nifty little trip planner tool (props to you if you can learn to use it without watching the tutorial) that can help you find your way.

We like this idea for the girl who is a planner but is dating a spontaneous guy. You could plan for MONTHS in advance but if you don’t let on until the day of, it will be the perfect surprise to him.

FOOD!
Dinner - the Muses are here to fully endorse that the way to a man's heart is through his stomach. Prepare his favorite meal for him and have it ready by the time he gets home. Or surprise him with dinner at his favorite restaurant - on your tab, of course.

Act of love
This may fall under acts of service - which we'll come back to later. But if you know your beau appreciates you helping him out with something small - in this household, it would be taking out the trash/recycling and cleaning the kitchen stove the "right" way - then do it for him! Don't make a big deal about it. Try not to draw his attention to it. But chances are, if it's something important to him he'll notice and be thankful for it (and maybe he'll reward you with a surprise! Like an extra date night! OK, we're not endorsing doing something so you can get something out of it - that wouldn't be a true act of service. But it's fun to fantasize that your man would be so enraptured by your act of love that he would reciprocate with pearls. Or something.)

There are lots of ways to do little surprises too. These are much easier (and cheaper) to do...and are good on many other days besides Valentine’s Day:

Leave a love note in his sock drawer or briefcase.

Buy his favorite candy bar and leave it in the cup holder in his car.

Check out these fab hidden message collar stays. Totally practical, totally fun!

Surprise him at work with lunch (best if you know his schedule and are in cahoots with his assistant). Or order lunch to be sent to him via Take Out Taxi.

People that are loved through surprises thrive on that feeling that they are thought of and cared for when it’s not prescribed. So go ahead. Break out of your anal-retentive calenderized life and do something spontaneous! Don’t give any hints either. Hints so easily ruin surprises....you have our permission to lie a little in this case.