How to ..... (Surprise party)

[Twims]

I am hosting a surprise birthday party and want to know how others managed to conceal the party from the guest of honour.

My main problem is that I will be providing food and friends have offered to come round and cook/prepare but.... it's at home so how do I get the guest out of the house.

Is there a matinee of a show they'd like to see on that day - or send them for pampering morning/shopping?

Could you get a friend to take guest out for the day on some sort of errand?

Who's birthday is it?
If it is your daughter for example, you could give her a birthday present of a pamper session with a friend or something like that booked for the time when you would all be preparing?
Of if its your Dh, get his best mate to take him out for a drink?

I did this for my husbands 30th. I arranged for his two best friends to"arrange" to take him out for the day under strict instructions that if they returned early I would be livid!

They arrived and collected him at 10am....1030 everyone who was helping turned up, at 1900 I had a dead phone call which was my cue that they were at a certain point on the route home, and hubby walked in at 1915 to a houseful, food done, music ready to start and all his family and friends there. It was brilliant!

bumping for myself later as I ahve to go out

Can you hide it under another celebration? we got DP to come to his surprise 30th by telling him it was our friend's mum's 60th (was in a pub function room though).

Or you need a good pal of his to take him out golfing/fishing/cinema/whatever for the afternoon, and bring him back at the right time.

Sorry it's my mums 50th.

Party is at 7.30 pm so did look at sending her out to a spa or somewhere but it wouldn't tie in with timings A friend said about sending her to London for a show or a trip on the london eye but looking at costs including cheap matinees on lastminute it's going to cost about £30 a ticket - and as much as I want her out the way £60 to get her out the way is a bit to much (but do able)

I like your idea Ilove - maybe I could get some friends to take her shopping or something [argh!!]

Yes, get a couple of her friends to take her shopping -- either in a nearby-but-not-too-nearby town so that they don't get back until late, or have them take her shopping and then back to one of their houses for tea and a natter before dropping her back around 8.

Could you and your mum's friend pay jointly for an afternoon out or spa day as a birthday pressie?

Have just looked in to theatre tickets in a town just under an hour away and tickets seem reasonable so just need to get a friend to go with her, and also fill the hours between the play and the party.