Subtle Ways To Ask for a Work Address When Planning a Surprise

When a special day falls on a workday, it can seem a lot more difficult to celebrate with your loved one. It’s much harder to spend the day with the special Mom, partner, or other loved one in your life when they’re stuck at the office from nine to five. That added challenge doesn’t mean that you can’t celebrate a special occasion regardless, though. Putting together a surprise for your special someone to enjoy at work is the first step to a celebration that can’t be thwarted by the workday. Pair it with plans for after work or the weekend, and make the most of a situation that might not be ideal.

To arrange for such a surprise, though, you’ll need to know just where your loved one works. If an in-person surprise is possible, you’ll need to know where you’re going and, if you’re sending a gift like a bouquet, you’ll need an address for sending the surprise. Whether it’s flowers for Mother’s Day delivery or showing up to take your significant other out to lunch for your anniversary, subtly figuring out the recipient’s work address is key to surprising them with a great gift at the office.

Ask for directions.

In some cases, you can ask for directions to your loved one’s workplace, or an address to input in your GPS, without raising their suspicions. Maybe they’ll need a ride to the office while their car is in the shop, or perhaps you’re able to save the day by dropping off a forgotten lunchbox or file. Assuming the mailing address is the same as the company’s physical address, you’ll be able to use that information to arrange for whatever delivery options you’re looking into. Or, if you’re offering a “Happy Mother’s Day!” or another in-person greeting, you’ll know just where you’re going when the special day arrives—or at least your GPS will.

Talk to a boss or colleague.

Often, work friends become friends in more social settings as well. If that’s the case for your loved one, seek out one of those work friends to get the address you’ll need for a flower delivery or other surprise. You may run the risk of your informant accidentally spilling the beans, but you won’t need to be as subtle when it comes to asking them directly for the information you need.

Sneak a peek.

If your partner, parent, or other special someone lives with you, or you’re often in their home, you may be able to look at a business card, form, or another document from their workplace that supplies the company’s mailing address. Snap a photo or scribble down the address and be sure to replace any papers once you’re finished, lest your surprise’s recipient notice. Then you can craft the perfect message to send alongside the perfect bouquet of sunflowers, tulips, hydrangeas, or carnations and give all of this important information to your florist to arrange for on-time delivery for the occasion.

Avoid an address altogether.

For some surprises, you might be able to work around your need for their work address. If you know you’ll be home on this special day, you can have many deliveries sent to you—if not, certain gift boxes will be innocuous arriving at your workspace. A surprise like a bouquet may be a bit more obvious, but you can still pull off a surprise. Visit your local florist in person or arrange for the flower delivery to come to your home while you wait. When the recipient of your perfect gift comes home (or you arrive to surprise them if they live elsewhere), you’ll be waiting with a flower bouquet, gift set, or another surprise to bring a smile to their face.

When it falls on a workday, special occasions like Mother’s Day, anniversaries, or birthdays might look a little different than you imagine. Regardless, you can surprise your loved one with the perfect gift, be it a mixed bouquet or any other great gift.