The Anatomy of a Surprise Party

In addition to having a creative side, I am fond of putting together puzzles and crafting things in general. Likewise, I have a tendency to throw myself into various elaborate projects. So, naturally, when I realized that Andy's birthday was coming up, the idea of putting together a special surprise was irresistible.

When I had settled on the basic idea for a surprise party, I gradually started pulling things together: approaching friends, figuring out a good party date (May 4), and doing my best to secure Andy for the party without giving up the game. Matt and Chrissie provided invaluable assistance in figuring out the logistics and streamlining the party plans when things became a little convoluted.

Of course, I wanted to add my special touch to the surprise party. So, before the party even started, I set the tone by putting together a scavenger hunt, complete with rhyming clues and even a couple of fakeouts. I worked on an introductory collage and poem, found a bunch of postcards, figured appropriate hiding places for the clues, and wrote little poems (including a sonnet and a poem in terza rima) to serve as clues.

I had asked Andy to come to my apartment at 8:30, so we could go to a "show" nearby. In preparation for his arrival, I had placed all the clues, put together a dummy gift, and set up the snacks, drinks, and cake in my bedroom. When Andy texted me (right on schedule) to let me know he had parked, the guests hid in my room and I readied myself for the surprise.

I told Andy that I had a small present for him to open before we headed out, and directed him to a gift bag on the coffee table, stationed in front of the television.

Inside the bag, I had hidden a remote control with a note telling Andy to turn on the TV. Because I had set up the HDMI cable on my television, the screen displayed a collage of pictures with Andy, and with the two of us. Jazzy tunes played in the background, adding a bit of fun (and helping to obscure any noises coming from the bedroom)

Superimposed on top of the collage was a short poem explaining that I had a present for Andy, but that he would need to go on a scavenger hunt to find it. I further set forth the location of the first clue. At that time, the scavenger hunt was on!

I hid a total of ten clues in various corners of my apartment; some were tucked away in books or DVD cases, others were hidden in cabinets, and one was even submerged in a water pitcher (technically, that was only a half-clue, as the other half was hidden in a glass).

At two points during the search, Andy found a smaller present. However, those two presents both contained clues of their own, indicating that the search was not yet done.

Finally, the scavenger hunt came to an end, when the final clue indicated that Andy's present was hidden in the bedroom. But, of course, the present was the only thing in there. Andy was truly surprised, and delighted, to discover that he had walked right into a surprise party!

After things had settled down, the cake, pizza and snacks were set out in the main room, and a few extra guests arrived. The stage was set for a fun and lively party!

With something like a surprise party, it is hard to maintain control, and there are plenty of variables which threaten to sabotage the whole thing, or at least make it difficult to determine whether the party will be a success. So, it was wonderful to watch all of the elements come together, and to see how excited Andy was by the entire production.

I'm truly grateful to everyone who came over, and really helped to make the party memorable. Thank you so much!