To book a surprise trip for DH

[beelover]

To show him how it feels to be on the receiving end. Long story short, I hate surprises which DH knows perfectly well but he keeps on arranging them. They are always lovely, stays in beautiful hotels mostly, but I would get far more pleasure from knowing in advance about the trip and being able to look forward to it plus packing the right sort of clothes etc. I keep asking him not to spring things on me last minute but he just isn't listening. The ironic thing is he freely admits he would hate it too if the situation was reversed and he was the surprised one. We have a big wedding anniversary next year and I am really tempted to play him at his own game and book a surprise weekend away, somewhere lovely, but not tell him where. Childish on my part?

Yes. Childish. That's about getting him back not treating him.
I understand your irritation - DH did this too for a few years. I found it very vexing even tho i did enjoy it once there. And then he stopped - and bugger me but i missed it. Careful what you wish for!

I'd just refuse to go on the next surprise. You've told him, he needs to listen.

Probably a bit silly, because won't he be planning a surprise trip for you too?

Sorry - so you'll tell him you've booked it but not divulge the details? Won't he hound you until you tell him? Or maybe he won't be bothered; men don't usually need to pack a separate wardrobe for different destinations in the same way women do.

Yes, childish

Wouldn't work if he doesn't feel the same way about them as you do (which I can't imagine he does!)

DFiance has taken me away by surprise a few times but I always know we're going 'somewhere', meaning I can look forward to it in advance, and he gives me vague enough clues for packing! I did the same for his 30th and for an anniversary gift one year.

All the above said, he should respect if you don't like surprises. It's a shame because both DFiance and I love planning surprise trips away for one another and I think we get as much out of the planning as we do when we're the ones being surprised! But he should respect it if you prefer to know in advance.