You are here:About>Style>Entertaining> General Party Planning> Throw a Surprise Party
About.comEntertaining
Newsletters & RSSEmail to a friendSubmit to Digg

How To Throw a Surprise Party

From Donna Pilato,
Your Guide to Entertaining.
FREE Newsletter. Sign Up Now!
Take the right steps to ensure your guest of honor will be surprised.
Difficulty: Easy
Time Required: 1 hour

Here's How:

  1. Select date for party after secretly discovering whether guest of honor will be available that day.
  2. Enlist the help of an assistant to create a fake activity for your honoree to attend with him or her.
  3. Extend invitations to all guests and make very clear that party will be a surprise, whether it's a verbal, email, or formal written invitation.
  4. Let all guests who may have contact with honoree know the planned strategy for tricking guest of honor.
  5. Invite all guests to arrive 30 minutes before guest of honor.
  6. Tell guests to park out of sight, unless guest of honor believes he or she will be attending someone else's party.
  7. If possible, suggest any guests having contact with honoree casually mention they will be attending to some fictitious activity that day.
  8. Hold your breath and hope no one slips with the surprise.

Tips:

  1. Be sure that your assistant in the deception is good at keeping a secret and keeping a straight face.
  2. If guests are not capable of hiding the secret, encourage them to avoid honoree during the weeks leading up to party.
Makeover Your Home

Cut Out the ClutterCleaning with the KidsRemodeling Your HomeSpring Lawn CareGardening Made Easy

 All Topics | Email Article | | |
Advertising Info | News & Events | Work at About | SiteMap | Reprints | HelpOur Story | Be a Guide
User Agreement | Ethics Policy | Patent Info. | Privacy Policy©2008 About, Inc., A part of The New York Times Company. All rights reserved.