To think that organising a surprise party is actually quite self-centred?

[FurtherSupport]

It means that the party "recipient" gets no say at all in how their own party is organised, misses all the build up and doesn't get to look forward to it, or even plan their outfit!

While the organiser gets to have everything their own way and to be centre of attention through the whole thing.

[Nolim]

I dont like surprises either but You make it sound as if organizing was the whole point if having a party!

[AlwaysDancing1234]

I'd not bekeen on a surprise party for the reasons you've given but I also think the person organising the party would be doing it in a nice kind way and not just because they are controlling.

[coffeetasteslikeshit]

Wow! That's a really negative way of looking at things.

[RufusTheReindeer]

Was going to organise a very small (16 and 10 of those immediate family) surprise party for my dads 70th

Not sure I should bother now

Actually...don't worry I really don't give a fuck (plus it should stop him whining about how nobody did anything for his 40th....let it go man!!! It's been 30 years!!!!)

I do agree with what you have said though OP

[Koalafications]

I don't see it that way at all.

Not everyone likes surprise parties

Not everyone likes to organise parties

Not everyone cares what they wear

Sometimes people are just trying to do something nice, I realise this is an alien concept on MN though.

[Loafliner]

Sometimes it might be like that, depends on the people. Ive just thrown one for dh - a small one....he needed the pick up and it was really lovely, we had a great night!

[FurtherSupport]

Of course people think they're doing something nice, it's the surprise element that makes it's all about the organiser.

If you tell me you'd like to organise a party for me, I'd be touched, but I'd like some input on the guest list, entertainment etc and as with most exciting things, the looking forward to it is all part of the fun. If it's a surprise, you get that bit, but I don't.

[LilyMayViolet]

I get that it can be a bit tricky for the recipient and it's not everyone's cup of tea but to say that it's selfish is going too far. People plan them because they think a lot of someone.

[GrouchyKiwi]

Depends on the person.

I organised one for DH's birthday a few years back. Got one of his uni friends to invite people she thought he got on with best from there and I did the other friends. He absolutely loved it.

I hate surprise parties.

[TheBookofRuth]

I organised surprise parties for both my DM and my DH on their 40ths (twenty-odd years apart!)

In both cases I did it because I knew they would love having their family and friends around to celebrate with them but would be too modest and self-effacing to organise it themselves. Both of them knew they were going "somewhere" for their birthdays (in DM's case the theatre , in DH's a family lunch), so were dressed nicely, and in both cases I was much too busy running around serving drinks and food and making sure everything was taken care of so they could just relax and enjoy themselves to be "centre of attention".

So YABU.

[Loafliner]

But i got input from dh because i know him so well, and he's totally chilled about stuff....had his music, his favourite food, his favourite cake, he was dressed to go out, his mum made an unexpected appearance, his sisters decorated, i just paid the bill....I don't normally do surprises for him but i kniw he really liked it because it was exactly what he needed. It was weird lying to him though - it felt a bit wrong!

[Donnakim]

I threw a surprise party for DH's 30th, and he loved it! It still makes me quite sad that I later found out that was the first time in his life he'd had a birthday party...

If you know the person really well, it shouldn't end up being about anyone but them. I think I see what you mean, you could end up having your own perfect party by mistake. No one paid me the slightest interest during the day! Which was fine!

If done properly they're great fun.

[Trapper]

I agree despite the appearance of selflessly doing something for someone else, it is massively self- serving, egotistical and controlling.

[ltk]

I wouldn't want to organise one for you! I have been to a couple and it has always been focussed on the person the party is for, not the one who organised it. Both recipients were touched that their friends and family went to such lengths for them and had a great time. I think it is a lovely gift.

[hellsbellsmelons]

I don't usually like surprises but I had a surprise 40th planned by my (EX)DH in another country so it was really touching that people had paid for flights and hotels etc. just to surprise me on my 40th.
It was brilliant fun and it was all about ME ME ME.
I had a great time and I have never in my whole entire life been so hungover that it takes 3 days to recover. But it was worth it.
Well.... sort of. Ex met his OW out there whilst planning the party. Oh well.

[fattymcfatfat]

I had a "surprise" baby shower organised for me. (I knew what they were up to, and they knew I would never have agreed to one) I ended up being dragged out of my home, on crutches due to severe spd, to have everyone sit and laugh at how big my belly is, and tell me I wouldn't be able to give birth (fuck off will ya, don't really have much choice in the matter now!) and slag of the father of my DCs.
The only reason they didn't get beat repeatedly with my crutches is because I don't want a criminal record.
They also looked offended when I thanked one of them for their offer of a high chair but reminded them my DD is only 18 months old, so I still have hers.
Then everyone sat talking about how nice it was of them to have organised it and how me needing to get home to pick up my 6 yo from school and get some pain killers was me being ungrateful!

[AlisonBlunderland]

I've told my DH that I'll kill him if he ever arranges a surprise party for me.
Unless he tells me about it beforehand

[hellsbellsmelons]

OMG fatty that sounds awful.
Baby shower - WTF is that all about anyway?

[RachelRagged]

OP YABU

[AuntyMag10]

Yabu and that's such a daft way to think of it. Selfish really?

[CRbear]

Depends on the person.

I would be thrilled someone did it but I'm hard to hide things from and love organising parties.

I did one for my boyfriends 30th and he was thrilled because he really wanted to do something but the organisation put him off so it was absolutely ideal

[4kidsandaunicorn]

We organised a surprise party for and Aunt. She loved it! On the guest list were all the people that she would have chosen herself. I guess you only do it if you know that the person would enjoy it and really know them well enough know what they would like.

My Aunt had some anticipation because she was told to get dressed up for a nice meal out (while she was lunching in a swanky hotel we were getting the party ready, what a bunch of self centered arses we were !)

If we'd done the same for my Mum she would have found the whole thing utterly mortifying.

[WinterOfOurDiscountTents15]

So if someone goes to all of the effort and expense of laying on a party just for you, your response is, but I wanted to control it all, waah waah! And you call other people Selfish? Wow.

[FurtherSupport]

No, all the effort etc is lovely, it's keeping it secret and not allowing the beneficiary to have any input that's selfish.