Husband appreciation day is looming on the calendar and you wonder how you can show your admiration, respect, and love to your man. After all, he’s the guy who saw your worth that was more than skin deep. He is the man who said ‘yes’ to honor and cherish you. He’s the one who fills your car up with gas and takes out the trash. He’s the one who ignored all the mean things you said as you birthed his children and brags how you broke one of his knuckles during contractions. He is the guy who goes on a midnight run to the store for ice cream, pacifiers, and three-pronged folders for you and the kids. He’s the man who works forty hours a week or more to give you the life he wants you to have.
He’s the man who begs to take you out on a Friday night and show you off in the passenger seat of his freshly shinned truck. He’s the guy at church who goes to the altar because he knows he is riddled with flaws, but he wants to be a better man. He is the man who has slain dragons and unhinged heaven’s gates on your behalf. He’s the guy who wreaks his plans just to take you to the beach in the middle of a workweek even though you live in the middle of Nebraska. He’s the man who makes you feel like a real woman in between the sheets because it’s about the both of you and not sex.
He’s the man who speaks the truth. Even in his silence, his selfless actions are full of love, justice, and mercy. He is the one you call ‘husband.’ He does so much, and you see it even when the world doesn’t. You see his heart, his character, and the warrior that is always just underneath the surface.
In a world where women say they are first, you see a man who doesn’t fit the mold of the men they are rallying against. And you wonder how to appreciate him. Especially now that you discovered there is an actual day to celebrate men like him.
What Is Husband Appreciation Day?
Husband Appreciation Day is observed on the third Saturday in April. This year the date is April 17, 2021. The day is dedicated to the hard-working husband. For as long as there have been wives, there have been husbands.
From the earliest recordings of marriage, husbands have been established as the protectors and providers for their wives and family. It’s not surprising several cultures felt it was a man’s role to be his wife’s spiritual and physical proctor. Cultural shifts over the last four decades have changed how men are seen. It is also changed how we view the roles of both men and women in marriage.
Many marriages seek equality expecting men to take on more domesticated roles which is positive when it comes to helping out around the house and parenting kids. But some of the cultural shifts have been so extreme, men are afraid to even open a door or assist a woman in any way because it could be seen or taken as toxic masculinity. In our culture where one version of femininity has become the obligation moral norm, all men are clustered in the bracket of toxic masculinity. Now more than ever, we need to show appreciation for our husbands. We need to set the example of respecting and lifting up men and raising up men to be like our husbands.
What Does the Bible Say about Husbands?
The clearest picture of a husband in the Bible is presented in Ephesians 5:15-33. The Apostle Paul begins by instructing women to recognize her man as the kind of leader that Jesus is to His church. Two sentences later Paul turns to the husband and instructs him to care for his wife in the same way Jesus loves the church as His bride. In other words, God expects Christian husbands to love their wives sacrificially, fully, and unconditionally.
God further instructs husbands in Mark 10:8 is that the husband and wife will become one, so what the husband has belongs to his wife and vice versa. Their relationship is based on true love, a God reflecting, God-given relationship, and sacrifice. Let’s look at a few more scriptures:
They are the head of the home and their wife’s protector: 1 Corinthians 11:13 says, “But I want you to understand that the head of every man is Christ, the head of a wife is her husband, and the head of Christ is God.”
They are called to be understanding of how we were created to complement them: They are to promote their wife’s spiritual wellbeing above their own. They anticipate what they can do for her: 1 Peter 3:7 says, “Likewise, husbands, live with your wives in an understanding way, showing honor to the woman as the weaker vessel, since they are heirs with you of the grace of life, so that your prayers may not be hindered.”
They are called to love their wives as much as their own bodies: Ephesians 5:28-31 “In the same way husbands should love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ does the church, because we are members of his body. Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.”
They are the leaders of their home: 1 Timothy 3:1-5 “Here is a trustworthy saying: Whoever aspires to be an overseer desires a noble task. Now the overseer is to be above reproach, faithful to his wife, temperate, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, not given to drunkenness, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money. He must manage his own family well and see that his children obey him, and he must do so in a manner worthy of full respect. (If anyone does not know how to manage his own family, how can he take care of God’s church?).”
The modern world has created a lot of confusion regarding the roles of a husband and wife. Thankfully, we have a compass that points us in the right direction that defines our roles. Men bear a heavy burden when they choose to take a wife. We can be their cheerleaders and encouragers to remind them of the warrior man God created in the first place.
13 Fun Ways and Ideas to Celebrate and Appreciate Our Husbands on this Day
Let’s look at 13 fun ideas to celebrate our husbands.
Give him a ‘just because’ gift.
Don’t worry, you don’t have to spend much money to come up with a creative gift he’ll love. Some ideas might be a new exercise tracker and watch, a gift card to his favorite sports or fishing store, or a plush and cozy floor-length bathrobe.
Dedicate a song.
Call into his favorite radio station and dedicate a song to him. Be sure it’s one he likes!
Make a love trail.
Leave a trail of clothes and rose petals. Leave a note by the front door or from the kitchen. If you’ve got little ones at home, you’ll need to get creative here, so they don’t pick up the trail you attempt to leave behind.
Turn your husband gratitude list into a keepsake.
Find a way to turn your list into a keepsake. There are plenty of websites where you can turn the list into framed art or even a mini-book.
Tuck a sexy love note into his pants.
Write a sexy note in his favorite color of lipstick and let him know you’re looking forward to seeing him naked that afternoon.
Send a sexy text.
If you know your husband keeps his phone on lockdown from prying eyes like kids and coworkers, send a sexy text and tell him that you can’t wait for him to be home alone with you.
Lather him up and help him shave.
Men love this one. It’s a nice break for them to get a good, clean shave while relaxing.
Go hunting, hiking, or fishing with him.
Whatever his hobby may be, find a way to surprise him and participate, even if you have to Google how to put bait on a hook first.
Throw a dinner party.
If your man is a social butterfly, invite his favorite friends over for steaks and beverages. He will love being the king of the grill and enjoy the company.
Plan a surprise getaway.
This one will definitely take some planning and budgeting. It can be a hiking trip, a day getaway, or a weekend.
Surprise him with lunch on the job.
If your man is like mine, he doesn’t eat much for breakfast but by lunch, he’s missing you and hungry. And we all know food is the perfect way to a man’s heart. Bring him his favorites.
Exchange an errand for a date.
This is my favorite! I send my hubby on a trip to the store and then I surprise him in the store with tickets to a concert or something along those lines. I love seeing his eyes light up.
Tell him how much you admire his success.
This is vital to a man’s heart and mind. Tell him in creative ways how much you respect him and admire how hard he works.
You can also find seven more ways to build up your husband here and more practical ways to show your admiration here.
Photo credit: ©iStock/Getty Images Plus/Prostock-Studio
Heather Riggleman is a believer, wife, mom, author, social media consultant, and full-time writer. She lives in Minden, Nebraska with her kids, high school sweetheart, and three cats who are her entourage around the homestead. She is a former award-winning journalist with over 2,000 articles published. She is full of grace and grit, raw honesty, and truly believes tacos can solve just about any situation. You can find her on GodUpdates, iBelieve, Crosswalk, Hello Darling, Focus On The Family, and in Brio Magazine. Connect with her at www.HeatherRiggleman.com or on Facebook.