Birthday registry ideas that aren't boring

Adult birthday registries are still a slightly new idea. Done right, they can be the most thoughtful part of the year. Done badly, they read as a wishlist of stuff. The difference is in what you list.

List experiences, not things

A tasting menu, a class, a weekend away, a massage. People will remember the gift they bought you because it created a memory, not because it filled a shelf.

Add one big goal

A trip, a course, a piece of equipment for the hobby you keep promising yourself. Friends like contributing to something specific.

Keep the list short

Five to eight items is plenty. A long list reads as greedy; a tight list reads as considered.