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Girlfriend's graduation gift, how to break the news that its late?

dontwalkhand

dontwalkhand

macrumors 604
Original poster
Jul 5, 2007
6,578
3,251
Phoenix, AZ
My lovely Cassandra is graduating college tomorrow, but unfortunately due to my own financial crisis, I had to wait until my client's check arrived to be able to order her, her special gift to commemorate her graduation. I had it engraved, and it now has a shipping date of June 5th, 2012.

I was honest, and told her what had happened, but didn't tell her what the gift was. Should I at least tell her what it is tomorrow, or just let it come on June 5th, and surprise her with what it is?

As an interim solution, I am going to go for the traditional flowers :).

I already bought her a PowerMac G5 as a graduation present, but that was 3 weeks ago, and her real graduation present is going to be this, but June 5th delivery date :(.

It is late, it is Friday 1:48AM Arizona time, so if this post sounds like its coming from a 16 year old, this is why. :apple:...I'm 22.

For those wondering, that is me, and my beautiful Cassandra in that picture on my Avatar here in MacRumors.
 
Same thing happened for my girlfriend's Christmas present this time. It was shipping from Canada and took a lot longer than it should have due to complications with the seller.

I just bought her a nice card and left a little note telling her her present would be here soon. She didn't mind at all!
 
You could build up the suspense to her really well. Give her a note in a congratulations card which says "A Surprise is coming your way soon" etc. In a place where you know she'll look, leave another note that says "11 days".

Each day leave her a note reminding her how many days, but don't tell her whats on the way. Try to leave the notes in different places where you know she'll look. This will build up the suspense but keep her surprised by them because they keep moving around. Places like the bathroom mirror at her place, another on her fridge? A post-it note stuck to her purse/handbag, sneak one in her lunch bag. By the end of it the suspense will be so much she won't bare it, and she'll be so grateful for the thought you put into it.

Failing that simply explain to her that the shipping screwed up.
 
Well, it sounds like you've already broken the news to her that it's going to arrive late so the "bad/hard" part is already done.

I wouldn't tell her what it is unless she really pressed you to know what it is. Let it be a surprise.

Don't worry about it too much, it's not like your neglected to get her something or forgot.
 
Keep it simple...
 

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Get a nice card and write nice stuff inside and print a picture of the gift w/ it's tracking & delivery date inside. Tell her that engraving it was what caused it to get late, but you really wanted her to have it engraved or something...
 
Print out an image of the object. Cut the image into puzzle pieces. Strategically give her a number of pieces every day until the item arrives.

or

Print out the letters that spell the items name. Give her the pieces a la a jumble or some other type of word game. See if she can order the letters correctly. (or do it with letter fridge magnets, magazine letters a la a ransom note, etc...)
 
Just say it's late. I had to do the same for a friend's B-day present a few years ago. I restored an old clock that belonged to her parents who both died. Some parts for it arrived later than I thought. She had no idea I was doing that. Once she got it, she was very happy.
 
leekohler said:
Just say it's late. I had to do the same for a friend's B-day present a few years ago. I restored an old clock that belonged to her parents who both died. Some parts for it arrived later than I thought. She had no idea I was doing that. Once she got it, she was very happy.
Click to expand...

You old middle-aged, soft-hearted, antiquer you. :cool:
 
You nearly made me spew with the amount of times you refer to your girlfriend in flattering terms. Does she read this forum and you are trying to get brownie points or something?
 
If she doesn't know what it is, don't spoil the surprise by hinting ... let her open it and be totally surprised. However, mark the occasion with a really nice card and the flowers. She'll keep the card since it marked the graduation... The present she'll use and appreciate. Having it engraved makes it OK to be late. We're guys, so it's just understood that sometimes we don't plan far enough in advance. Though I get that there were other factors as well in your case.

Luck.
 
There are people who'd get upset because something unimportant was genuinely late?
 
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