# When to give the wife her bday gift

**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-to-give-the-wife-her-bday-gift/722528
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion
**Created:** [June 14, 2015, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-to-give-the-wife-her-bday-gift/722528 "2015-06-14T19:53:47Z")
**Posts on this page:** 6
**Page:** 1

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### Author: ![kwc27](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ccd318/32.png) [@kwc27](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kwc27)
#### Post date: [June 14, 2015, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-to-give-the-wife-her-bday-gift/722528/1 "2015-06-14T19:53:47Z")

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Wife’s birthday is (I think…) Thursday. I have her present hidden in the house. She works from 9 to 5. She gets up around 7. She also teaches kid’s 4H dog obedient classes on Thursday nights so she might not be home until 9 PM but she is thinking of not doing it this week.

I work from 6 to 6 and have a longer commute, so I’ll be up at 430 and out the door shortly after 5 and home around 630 PM

Now, say she skips dog class, when should I give her her gift?

Should I leave it in her chair in the living room and get her day off to a good start or make her wait until we see each other in the evening?

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### Author: ![jimbuff314](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c57346/32.png) [@jimbuff314](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jimbuff314)
#### Post date: [June 14, 2015, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-to-give-the-wife-her-bday-gift/722528/2 "2015-06-14T20:03:21Z")

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For myself, I always like the “stumble across” type of scenario. Pleasant surprises are pretty cool. I’d leave it on her chair.

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### Author: ![zweisamkeit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zweisamkeit/32/4360_2.png) [@zweisamkeit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zweisamkeit)
#### Post date: [June 14, 2015, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-to-give-the-wife-her-bday-gift/722528/3 "2015-06-14T20:18:14Z")

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Why not just ask her? I’m guessing you guys regularly give each other birthday presents, so it shouldn’t be a big shock or anything.

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### Author: ![Tim\_R.Mortiss](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tim_r.mortiss/32/142_2.png) [@Tim\_R.Mortiss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_R.Mortiss)
#### Post date: [June 14, 2015, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-to-give-the-wife-her-bday-gift/722528/4 "2015-06-14T20:24:36Z")

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Yeah, I’d ask her a few days in advance. Let her schedule it in to both of your satisfaction.

If fact, my general rule with women is, let them pick. Then you don’t have to worry about them being pissed at you for making the wrong decision.

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### Author: ![kwc27](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ccd318/32.png) [@kwc27](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kwc27)
#### Post date: [June 14, 2015, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-to-give-the-wife-her-bday-gift/722528/5 "2015-06-14T22:05:34Z")

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Thanks for the input.

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### Author: ![amaguri](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/49beb7/32.png) [@amaguri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amaguri)
#### Post date: [June 16, 2015, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-to-give-the-wife-her-bday-gift/722528/6 "2015-06-16T17:34:06Z")

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I think \*\*jimbuff314 \*\*is right, she will appreciate the surprise. Although I understand where the other posters are coming from, I think asking her for a preference makes the whole thing a little tacky.