Surprise birthday parties let the guest of honor know just how special she is. The built-up suspense and the total lack of expectation allow a flood of excitement and exhilaration at the moment the party is unveiled. If your guest of honor deserves a party she won’t forget, host a surprise party.
Birthday Girl or Boy
Surprise parties aren’t for everyone. Some people can become overwhelmed by a sudden surprise. Others may have great expectations for their birthday celebrations. Surprise birthdays can cause great stress for these people. Make sure your guest of honor is old enough and laid back enough to enjoy a surprise party.
Invitations
Before sending out invitations, carefully plan each step of the party. Decide what time the guest of honor will arrive. Invite guests to arrive at the party 10 to 15 minutes early. If guests can’t come early, ask them to come a few minutes late. Guests that arrive at the same time as the birthday girl will tip her off to the surprise. In the invitation, clearly explain where guests should park so their cars won’t be obvious when the guest of honor arrives.
Troubling Guests
The biggest concern with planning a surprise party is the inability to keep the party a surprise. Guests, even well-meaning ones, may be the spoilers of your surprise. Don’t send out your invitations too early. That gives guests a longer time to let the word out. If there are any particularly loose-lipped guests, you may choose to let them know about the party at the last minute.
Elements of Surprise
The party itself doesn’t have to be the only surprise of the event. If there is a special guest from out of town who will be attending the party, don’t tell the guest of honor. Let him walk into the room, see his group of friends and family and suddenly discover the special guest. If you are planning a monumental gift, unveil it at a special time during the party. Leave enough time between the initial surprise and the gift to give your guest of honor a chance to take it all in.
Covert Planning
If your guest of honor is a family member or close friend, you may need a staging area for the food, decorations and gifts. This may be a trusted friend or family member. Ask her to bring these items to the party location at the agreed time.
Photo Credit
- big present image by Lars Christensen from Fotolia.com
