Write an article based on this "Determine if your honoree will react well to a surprise. Grab a friend to help. Pick the day and time. Invite guests."
Not all people react well to something unexpected. so before planning a surprise party consider how your guest of honor will react. If you are unsure, talk to their close friends or family members to feel out the party idea before proceeding. Also consider whether they enjoy parties or like being the center of attention. Lastly, avoid planning a surprise party for someone who likes to be in charge of hosting their own event.  Rule out meticulous people who prefer to know details about an event before attending. Avoid throwing surprise parties for people who get really excited about birthdays. In your attempt to surprise them, they may think you have forgotten to plan anything and become upset.  Consider whether the guest has health issues that may result in a negative physical reaction to the shock. A trusted confidant is one who will assist you in planning the party and ensuring the element of surprise. They can help to make sure the honoree arrives at the right place at the right time. If you live with the guest of honor, your co-conspirator can help with RSVPs and their house can be used for planning purposes so you do not get caught with evidence. Choose someone close to the guest of honor and someone that you can trust to keep a secret. The most important thing to consider when picking a day and time is the guest of honor’s availability. You will have to secretly find out if they are available on the day and time that you have chosen. You can also choose a date before or after the honoree’s actual birthday, to avoid arousing suspicion.  Make sure your honoree is kept busy for a few hours to ensure the element of surprise. A short errand might not give you enough time, in which case you will have to speed up or rush the process. To ensure a seamless surprise, make sure to organize the party around the honoree's routine. You will be able to retain the element of surprise by organizing the party around the guest’s typical schedule. Consider the number of people you would like to invite and then consider with whom the guest of honor would really enjoy celebrating their special day. When contacting guests, phone calls or private Facebook invites work best. This way, information cannot be forwarded to friends who have not been invited, and it cannot be accidentally read by the guest of honor.