Suprise Party

We attended a party at a friend's house that was actually a surprise party for a guest who was told to come 30 minutes after everyone else.

Is your hubby a surprise party type of person? If he isn't I'd mix the surprise aspect and just throw a party. If he's into surprises then see about using a friend's house for all the prep work and then have everyone stop there to pick stuff up and just show up at the door with party in hand.

Do you think he would like a surprise party? I personally don't like surprises... Even good ones and I know my soon to be 16 year old daughter doesn't want a party at all. (She just wants to get together with a couple of very close friends.) She would be mortified with a surprise party.

Since he is a grown man, why not just tell him you are throwing him a birthday party.

In addition to making sure he would like a surprise party, you have to be sure that you are a great liar with a great poker face!! I planned 2 parties for my husband. One was at home that he had no idea about - but the kids and I blocked off the kitchen because he thought they were making a cake and dinner for him - the surprise was setting up the dining room (where he thought we were just having a family dinner) and having the guests show up at the door. The 2nd party was at a hotel - the surprises were the theme, decor, menu specifics and the fact that everyone was asked to bring a song parody, a limerick, an anecdote, a poem, anything about him. We had a microphone and those who wished got up and either recited their little poem or handed out song sheets and invited everyone to sing along (tunes were things like "I've Been Working on the Railroad" or other things that everyone knew). We had put together big foam boards of photos over the years, and the hotel provided easels. Some people brought something visual, like a collage of photos and mementos they had of him from when he was a kid.

But I'm a really good organizer and my husband is used to taking a back seat - he never knows what's going on and just expects me to tell him what time to be at the door to head out. I could never have gotten him out of the house to plan because he would have said, "It's my birthday and I just want to sit around and watch basketball" or something like that.

I also planned a surprise party for a friend - his wife and I conspired to do the party at my house but she planned it. I did the invitations and collected the RSVPs, and everyone had an assignment to pick up the decorations, the cake, the appetizers, and so on because she couldn't do anything at her house or even pick things up. She just paid for everything. He just thought they were coming to dinner at our house. People parked around the corner so he didn't see the cars, and they came 30 minutes after everyone else. Guests were told if they weren't here on time, they had to wait a full hour so there was no chance of them arriving around the time he did.

Try to figure out if your husband wants a surprise party, or just a party. Sometimes people say they want a surprise so they don't seem "greedy" and demanding attention or gifts! And most people like to come to a surprise party for a "big" birthday like 30, 40 or 50. Not that it's required - it can also be set up because the birthday person has never had a big party or has had a tough year or any other excuse.

If you're the type who likes to bounce things off someone or spill what happened to you today, then it's going to be very hard to keep it quiet. Even your silence will tip him off that you have something in the works! Otherwise, let him know there is a party but keep the detail secret - have it at a restaurant, an Elks lodge, a VFW post, anyplace away from your home. And don't leave menus and lists lying around! Work with a friend so you have someone to share details with besides your husband!

I love what Mom L. said.

You could also do it at a restaurant. Reserve a room. Have guests arrive
30 mins before you do.

Make sure your hubby likes surprises.

I also ask, is he a surprise party type? Some people would get offended, be embarrassed or something and then come across in the wrong manner to the guests because they were caught off guard. My husband, daughter, and myself are these types. It is not at all that we wouldn't be appreciative of the efforts put forth for us but we are not cool with surprises and being caught off guard at all.

That said, I went to a surprise party last year where the husband had planned every detail for a dinner at a high end restaurant. He had about 50 guests, cake, the works completely prearranged at his expense. They showed up at the restaurant about 30 minutes after everyone else showed up and started having cocktails. It worked out but his wife was in shock.

When I threw a surprise party for my hubby's 50th, I had friends come and set up while I took hubby out for a few hours.

I threw one for my hubby and had his boss call him in to work on his day off. Boss set him free in time to come home to the surprise.
When I threw one for my mom, I had her friends take her out for a while, supposedly to have dinner later, but then the friend "wasn't feeling well" and had to take Mom back home early...just in time for the party.
Enlist friends and family to help. Have them create tasks that your hubby needs to/wants to accompany them on.
Good luck!

I planned a surprise golf weekend with friends.
How? You tell him you are going somewhere else as a family. Then everyone else is already there. I even let him drive part of the way,and when we got to a certain point, made him switch because he thought we were near our destination, and we weren't.

Make plans with him for that time, but just don't tell him what the "real" plans are.
And yes, make sure he likes surprises. I am not a big surprise person myself, but my husband had hinted that he wanted a surprise. Go figure.