Birthdays are usually special for most people, and there is no better time to make a colleague feel special than on this day. Some places of work have a normal routine of celebrating the big day. They get a cake, call people together, and sing the happy birthday song; however, when the same thing is repeated year after year, it becomes a cliche.
The best way to get a colleague to look forward to celebrating their special day with people they spend most of their time with is to add an element of surprise. The celebrant shouldn’t see what is coming, which makes it more fun.
In this blog post, you will learn nine interesting ways to surprise a colleague on their birthday. Let’s dig in!
1. Decorate Their Office Space Without Them Knowing
One of the best ways to take a co-worker by surprise during their special day is to decorate their office without them knowing. You’ll love seeing the look of shock and delight on their face when they see it.
And when we talk about decoration, we are not limiting it to just putting a couple of balloons here and there. Since it is a special day for someone, other things should be considered, like their favorite colors, flowers, art, cards, and more.
2. Bring More Than a Cake
No birthday celebration is complete without a cake. The cake is the crown of every birthday, and everyone wants it on their special day. Hence, special consideration and attention should be given when you want to give this sweet surprise to your co-worker.
To stun the person and make the celebration more exciting, use their favorite colors and write-ups on the cake. Personalize the cake to show that you didn’t just walk into a store and pick up any available dessert. Rather, prove that special thoughts were given before the cake was presented.
3. Get Other Co-Workers Involved
To take the surprise to another level, you must sign up some other co-workers who can keep a secret. Aside from the fact that others can help with the preparation process, it also makes the celebration feel more special, knowing that others are in on it.
There is this pleasant feeling you get when almost all your associates are singing the happy birthday song harmoniously for you or several co-workers dropping gifts on your table.
4. Personally Handwrite a Note
For you to be interested in wanting to astonish a co-worker on their special day, there must be a reason. Using a pen and paper to write down those reasons can make the celebrant’s feel special.
It is still okay to buy already written cards or use one written by an artist. But since we are talking about something interesting and surprising, writing the card yourself or making a note yourself would be something that your co-worker will not see coming.
You don’t need to use big words or have fine writing. Just speak from your heart, and you will leave your co-worker with a memory that will last for a long time.
5. Make a Donation
In the workplace, different people go through difficult times, and we may have little to do about it other than just comfort them. In some cases, the challenge may be finance-related.
Suppose you have a co-worker going through a hard time financially, either because one family member is sick and cannot afford the expensive hospital bills or because they cannot afford a car to bring them to the office or any other pressing financial need.
In that case, the next birthday will be your opportunity to stun them. You may not be that financially buoyant yourself, but with other colleagues, you can help out.
6. Give them Tickets
Sometimes, it is not just about the office celebration; you can take it outside the corporate walls. If your associate loves a particular music band, musician, or sports club, sponsoring them to events where they can watch something they like is a sure way to shock them.
So, when thinking of something interesting, think outside the office.
7. Organise a Surprise Party
All work and no play, they say, makes Jack a dull boy. After almost one year of working hard, a party can be a good way to unwind. It can be in the office or outside the office and may not cost a lot.
Throwing a party for a celebrant without them seeing it coming is a great wonder. You can act all normal during the day, but at the end of working hours, you can activate the party mode by taking the person to an unexpected place.
If you know where your co-worker lives, you may surprise them at their house. If you, however, don’t know their address, find it on Nuwber, a people search website that provides access to information about U.S. citizens.
8. Support Their Hobbies
Different people have different things they do when they are not working, and supporting the activities of your colleagues outside work is a great way to amaze them.
The first step will be to know their hobbies and then find a way to support them. If you are financially capable, you can buy them the things they need to enjoy what they like doing.
Let’s say the celebrant loves fishing. You can get them a fishing line, hook, or rod. If you cannot afford to get those, you can propose to take them on a fishing trip on their birthday. You may not know how to fish, but you can help them hook the bait or cheer them when they catch a fish.
9. Take Them Out
Depending on your pocket, there are lots of things you can do when you take your colleague out on their special day. It can be a simple meal in one of their favorite eating spots, just the two of you, or you can go with other associates.
You can also take them to special places they have not been before, like the beach, zoo, parks, scuba diving, picnic, etc. The choice of the place you will take them to should depend on how much you are willing to spend and what they find interesting.
Parting Thoughts
Doing something interesting and surprising for a colleague on their birthday is a noble thing. You can stun that person in the office or take the astonishment outside if you have time.
You can start by decorating the person’s office, bringing a cake, getting colleagues to help you with the surprise, or handing the person a personalized handwritten note.
You can also help by financially donating to the person’s need, sponsoring the person to an event outside the office, or throwing a surprise birthday party in any convenient place. If those are not surprising enough, you can support their hobbies or take them to special places.
