The Guest of Honor
First thing’s when planning a surprise party first, think about your guest of honor, because the reality is that not everyone likes surprises. Some people are type-A planners who like to have a hand in their celebrations. If your friend is one of those control freaks who likes to be in charge, or at least be involved, in their activities, then think twice before throwing a surprise party in their honor. There is etiquette when it comes to planning a surprise. According to Tania Luna, psychology professor at Hunter College, “surprise intensifies emotion, making something pleasant super pleasant and making something unpleasant double plus unpleasant.” In other words, if your friend likes surprises, they’ll LOVE a surprise party. If they don’t, they really really won’t like a room full of people jumping up to scream “SURPRISE!” without warning.
