When you start a relationship or new family, birthday parties are fun. However, they can become repetitive and boring over the years. Most people look forward to their birthdays. They know it is coming. They expect their loved ones to do something about it, even if it is just buying gifts. How then do you plan the perfect surprise birthday party?
1. Conduct thorough investigations
Planning a surprise turns you into a detective. If you know anything about detectives, you know that they are clever and sneaky. They ask thorough questions without giving clues or revealing their identity. You have to adapt their strategy and investigate the person’s plans way before the date.
Write all the details you need like their schedule for the day, their wish list for birthday gifts, their dream birthday party or celebration, and closest friends. You need to know their favorite colors and hobbies or interests beyond their work or career to pick the perfect theme. In short, you need to know everything about the person that will make the birthday party special.
2. Recruit accomplices
You can plan a surprise birthday party alone but accomplices make it easier and fun. For instance, the person may suspect your sneaky plans when you start asking too many questions. His or her closest friends and family can give you some details. In addition, the accomplices will help you distract the person while you carry out your plans.
If you are planning a party for a spouse or partner, any change in your usual schedule on his or her birthday will create suspicion. Your recruits can create a convincing alibi for your sneaky moves. Most people buy into the excuse that you have to do something for a friend before the planned event. A team can also help you in getting all the details of the party right, such as service providers, sending invites, and transportation for guests.
3. Get the perfect venue
We have known surprise parties that take place at the person’s home or a friend’s home. Go for it if it works for you. In fact, some people give up any hope of a party when they have to go home after work. You can ignore the birthday or give excuses why you cannot hold any party on that day until the person comes home to a surprise. That is the perfect day to act all moody to eliminate suspicion.
Alternatively, you can hold the party in a new location or the person’s dream venue. You play the detective to discover the perfect venue. However, do not worry too much about the venue if it meets the basics like good food, parking for quests, ambiance, and space for your kind of celebration. Picking the right venue can simplify your plans and add fun activities to the party.
4. Plan an extraordinary party
You cannot go through the trouble of organizing a surprise party only for the person to attend another ordinary party. Get all the details right. Consider the timing, food, decorations, birthday gifts and gift cards, theme, and transportation. Make it easy for guests to get to the venue and go home after the party.
Think about activities for kids if the person or guests have kids. You cannot be sloppy when planning such a party. Give the person a different experience that aligns with their dreams or bucket list. Invite people that the person has not seen in a long time. Buy extraordinary gifts that the person cannot think of or predict. If you are reading this, then you are on the right track to creating a different experience.
5. Be creative with the date
Many surprise birthday parties fail because people plan with a specific day in mind. The person expects sneaky plans on their special day. You can still pull it off but if you do it on a different date, you get away with so much. For instance, you can do it a week or a few days before or after the actual birthday. The person is relaxed on such days.
Sometimes it helps to do a small party on the day as you plan for a major event later. It all depends on your budget and the person’s schedule. Some people plan a number of surprises on their birthday month. For instance, you can give random gifts on random days throughout the month. The person does not know what to expect until the month ends.
6. Remind every guest of the plan
If you are careless with this part, a guest will ruin every plan with just a text or call. As you send the invitations, emphasize that the party is a surprise. Give them an alternative person to contact for directions or anything that concerns the party. If you receive too many calls in one day, the person will know that something is going on and ask questions.
Plan a special way to introduce the surprise party. The traditional way of walking into a room or venue and the guests shouting ‘surprise’ still works. An alternative is to have the person arrive at the venue before the guests and each of them arrive within five or ten minutes. If you have always done it the traditional way, maybe you need to try something else.
7. Have fun!
We know that the surprise birthday party is not for you but you need to enjoy it. Do not be too distracted by the plans that you forget to enjoy the fun. For most people, a party is fun if the guests have a good time. Sneak in some fun games for everybody and participate. Games take some pressure off the main guest and give him or her time to take it all in and celebrate their day.
If you have a birthday coming up, go all out this time to make another person’s day special. It always comes back to you. We can help you with picking gifts for him or her to make the day memorable.