Imagine you have a choice: your friends have a surprise party for your Birthday, or the same friends plan a party for you which is not a surprise. Which do you choose? Do you like surprises?

I don’t like surprises. I’d rather have all the fun of looking forward to the event, time to prepare and enjoy the anticipation, no matter what the event may be, than to only have the event itself.

When someone sends you flowers, as one of my friends did for my Birthday, you receive a phone call from the Florist ensuring someone is home so they can deliver them. You wait, wondering who sent the flowers. You imagine what the bouquet will be like, you anticipate opening the colorful wrapping. You have two or three hours of happy anticipation while you await the delivery. Come to think of it, this a surprise that includes some time for anticipation – perfect!

I asked my husband if he likes surprises (his Birthday was coming up – I had to know) and he surprised me by becoming philosophical. “Life is full of surprises,” he said, “You have no choice; you have to like them.” No.  I don’t. But at least I knew he’d be okay with the surprise party I was planning for him.

If you want to have a surprise party for someone, do it right! First, make sure this person likes surprises. Second, tell everyone that it is a surprise so no one will spoil it. Third, don’t have the party on the actual Birthday – have it before the date. This will minimize the chance that they will become suspicious as they might if you make a slip on the day of the party. Finally, don’t pretend to have forgotten their special day in order to increase the element of surprise. Have a decoy plan and let them know about it.

Just don’t do any of this for me.

Have you ever had a surprise party for someone? Have you been the recipient of one? Do you like surprises?

photo credit: James Russo