It's your best friend's birthday next month and somehow she's gone 25 years without ever having a surprise party hosted for her. Obviously this needs to change. Nothing says "Happy Birthday" like a room full of familiar faces yelling at you upon your arrival, right?

To plan the perfect surprise soiree, here are some helpful tips:

Arrange time and location - Decide on a place, either someone's house or your friend's favourite hot spot, and then make sure it's available on the time and date you have planned. To add to the element of surprise, don't plan it on the exact birthday or occasion you're celebrating. 

Arrange distraction - You need a fake plan, this is the fun part. Have a night planned for you and your friend to throw her off course. Most people would tell you to keep it simple like going out for drinks or dinner, but on the other hand if you tell her well in advance that you have an extravagant evening fr her like going to a concert or taking a trip, she'll be so distracted by the onslaught of events that the surprise will be more effective. You better make sure your party's really, really good in that case.

Invite guests - Don't leave anyone out. She may be your friend that you met through one circle of people but if there are family members or pals she's grown up with who you know would like to come, find a way of extending the invitations as far out as they need to go. After all, this is her special day and she should be surrounded by everyone she loves, not just the people you know off the top of your head.

Delegate - Surprise parties are hard work. Instead of trying to get everything done yourself, meet with a few other people who are willing to lend a hand and assign tasks.

Document - In the midst of all the commotion don't forget to take lots of pictures and get someone to record the big "SURPRISE!" on video. You always want to have pictures to look back on or post to Facebook...videos to watch years down the road, or post the next day on YouTube. As a birthday gift you might even want to have videos of the planning process, the blunders along the way and the final details of the party, just for the sake of entertainment. 

Image from MorgueFile

Courtney Gilmour
		About the author:
		Courtney is a published writer, stand-up comic, and shameless Internet enthusiast. She holds a double bachelors degree in English Literature and Communication Media Studies, specializing in semiotic theory, however she doesn't get Shakespeare and has never won a game of Scrabble. Currently she lives in Toronto and works as a writer for WOMAN.CA.
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