How to Throw a Surprise Party

Birthday parties are fun, but surprise birthday parties are even better. There's nothing like watching your loved one's face as she opens the door and everyone yells "Surprise!" To make it all go off without a hitch, follow these tips.
1. Date: Choose a date near the birthday, or even on the birthday. It helps if you tell the surprisee that the party is for someone else, or for another reason altogether.
2. Guests: When you send invitations, you must be explicit that the party is a surprise. Too many parties have been ruined through guests blabbing to the surprisee about their excitement, and asking what they want for their party. Keep the big mouths out of the loop for as long as possible. True surprise is a million times better than feigned surprise - it's like pretending to like a gift that you didn't really want in the first place.
3. Food: Catering is a good option, unless you want to do a potluck. If you've chosen a theme for the party, match the food to the theme. A cake is also important; maybe you want more than one. For drinks, making a punch is a good idea, and beer, wine, and water are also standard.
4. Stuff: You'll need: forks, knives, spoons, plates, napkins, tables, chairs, and other items. You may want to rent the furniture if you're expecting a crowd.
5. Decoration: Balloons are great, tiki torches provide an exotic effect if the party is held outside, and printed banners are cool because the surprisee can keep them after the party for memories' sake. Noisemakers and party hats are fun too.
6. Entertainment: Music is pretty crucial to any party, so whether you have a wide CD selection or a fully charged iPod, take some time to prepare fitting playlists. You may even want to hire a DJ, or a clown or magician.
7. Accomplice: It helps to have someone you can trust while preparing for the party. Doing everything on your own can be difficult, and another person will help to keep the secret. The whole time you and your accomplice must enforce the rule: don't tell the surprisee.
8. Arrival: Getting the person to the party can be tricky. You'll need to call on some more help and convince the surprisee that there is a reason to arrive. Tell all the guests to arrive at least half an hour before the guest of honor, so that no one shows up as she is walking in. Be careful with parking, because tons of cars can give it away, unless there's another reason so many people would show up.
Even if the surprisee does find out beforehand, she won't admit it. Surprise parties are a great way to show that you care. Even with minor mishaps, everyone will have a good time. Have some cake, crack a beer, and relax! Your role as double agent is officially over, and your surprisee will appreciate all the time and effort you put in to making her birthday a lot of fun.