Don’t Let Your Surprise Party Follow Murphy’s Law

Have you ever been to a surprise party that didn’t come off as expected? For weeks the host or hostess sneaks around trying to put their plan together without the guest of honor getting wise. And then, somewhere along the line, someone with a big mouth lets the cat out of the bag and the surprise is spoiled. The best-laid plans of man has run into Murphy’s Law – whatever can go wrong, will!    
How can you plan a surprise party that doesn’t hit any snags? Here are a few tips.

• Map out a strategy first, before you start spreading the word
• Don’t go it alone. You’ll need a trusted person who can keep a secret in on the planning.
• Set a date for the party, making sure the guest of honor is going to be available. You can find that out casually without making it look suspicious. Perhaps make plans for that day with you – If it’s a birthday you are celebrating, invite her on a birthday shopping spree or him on a birthday dinner.
• Put out the word that you are planning a surprise party, and emphasize SURPRISE, but DON’T’ LET ANYONE ELSE IN ON THE DETAILS. Just tell them to put the date (afternoon or evening) aside, and you will get back to them with the time and place. Tell them you will call them with the exact place and time just before the event, but to put that date aside.
• Don’t try to pretend you don’t remember their birthday or anniversary; it will look more suspicious if you do. Everyone should just go about their business, so if they normally call the guest of honor to wish him or her a happy birthday, they should still do it. It becomes more suspicious if others try to avoid them. Tell them to talk about their birthday and offer to call them with a plan to get together to celebrate at a later date.
• Shortly before the event, send a reminder with the date and time – by text, email or phone call. Tell the guests to park out of sight of the party place, or you can have them arrive after you got the guest inside.
• Of most importance, don’t lock the guest of honor out of your lives while planning the event. If could make him or her feel confused and they may cancel plans with you prior to the big day and make other arrangements. Correspond with them frequently and remind them about your shopping spree or dinner plans so they don’t put you off or forget and make other plans.

A surprise party is all about the planning for every contingency. If you act suspicious, or differently than normal, the guest of honor will become suspicious that something is up. If they are someone who lives with you, don’t keep any of the party items at your house, that’s where a co-conspirator comes in. Also, the least you revel to your other guests the less a chance of the surprise being spoiled.