Parties are no doubt an integral part of the average undergraduate student. While I fall in this bracket, I am the undisputed champion of putting together awesome surprise parties of whatever kind, especially birthday parties. Preparing a surprise party can be exceptionally challenging especially considering that people are different, have different tastes and preferences, and are likely to react differently to different things (Espeland and Verdick 79). For a successful surprise party, the priorities of the individual to be surprised have to be pivotal as they are the primary determinants of whether the party will be a remarkable joyful event or an annoyance triggering provocation. This essay endeavors to explain the entire process of putting together an awe-inspiring surprise party for a friend.
The first step in putting together a remarkable surprise party is to make sure the person to be surprised has absolutely no idea of the imminent plans. To successfully do this, the planner should ensure minimal contact with the individual. This is because a mere slip of the tongue could auction the hints to the person to be surprised. Secondly, the planner(s) should not speak to any of the person’s friends as they may be tempted to leak the information to them. The plan and all information relating to the plan should remain strictly within the confines of the planning group (Espeland and Verdick 87). That done, the planners should spend the time they spend with the individual to be surprised because a ‘mistake’ could happen. If it is a birthday party, the person planning it should schedule it for a day before the actual birthday.
As a matter of fact, the most important thing is to think about the actual surprise. In so doing, the individuals planning the party should foremost consider the hobbies of their friend. It makes sense that the party should revolve around such hobbies and fun activities. If they like swimming, for instance, the party should revolve around swimming. Considering the hobbies of the person to be surprised is almost a rule. It should not be broken lest somebody be held answerable the following day. The second step in thinking about the core idea of the surprise party is to consider the likes and dislikes of the person (Espeland and Verdick 109). For instance, it is a matter of common knowledge that a surprise party should maximize the likes and minimize the dislikes. Consider a person that does not drink, for instance. It beats logic to plan a surprise party full of booze. If the person likes music and dance, the planner should get a good music system and audio visual gadgets such as big screens.
After getting the hobbies and the likes sorted, get to analyze the personality of the individual to be surprised. This means that all friends in the planning circle should come together and give their views on how they understand the person. This is especially so because no one friend totally knows every bit of their comrade’s personality. Different friends know different things about the person. For this reason, they should gather the varied views. If the person is an introvert, do not invite noisy friends and especially drunks. Such are bound to irritate the person. On the contrary, if the person is an extreme extrovert the organizers of the party should consider inviting those people that are both social and sociable. This will add fun and make the person feel at ease.
Timing is another crucial factor that a person organizing the party should consider. Speaking of timing, the choice of day is of the essence. What this means is that the people organizing the event should make the event the surprise it is supposed to be. This is to say that the organizer should go for a day that the person to be surprised least expects a party. While this is the case, a weekday, probably a Tuesday midmorning or afternoon should be a perfect time. The party should be set to take place at that time because, typically, not many people would anticipate a party on a Tuesday afternoon (Espeland and Verdick 114). Along with the timing, the planners should prepare the party away from the individual’s house, probably at a friend’s. It goes without saying that the foods and drinks should be chosen with the person’s preferences in mind.
Foods and drinks are a core aspect of a surprise party. Therefore, the people preparing the party should prepare food carefully in such a manner that both the person being surprised and the guests like it. It is a matter of common knowledge that a party is even much better when the composition of guests consists of people from both sexes. A party can be dead boring if it is only dominated by either gender. For this reason, it is recommended that the inviting be done in a well calculated manner. This helps break potential monotony during the event. Espeland and Verdick think that a surprise party will always be a big success when the guests are people that the person does not expect (117). This adds a pleasant touch to the whole thing. The last step is the ultimate surprise.
Pulling the ultimate surprise must be carefully calculated. After all is set, the planners should make sure all the invited guests have arrived. After that, one person, preferably the host should call the person to be surprised. In the call, the host should not hint that there is a party, but can instead tell the person that there is something urgent, probably related to some sad news that they need to discuss. This will ensure the person hurriedly arrives. Upon arrival, the guests around, and the host should open the door and shout, “surprise! Surprise! Surprise!” if the party was a birthday, they can start singing the conventional happy birthday song, then set the party rolling. This pro3ess is a guarantee of the most awe-inspiring surprise birthday.
Works Cited
Espeland, Pamela, and Elizabeth Verdick. Making Choices and Making Friends: The Social Competencies Assets. Minneapolis, MN: Free Spirit Pub, 2006. Print
