How to Host a Surprise Party

Here's an event that dissolves even the funkiest of funks and pump-primes the most deflated of egos: the Unbirthday Party. The key element of this mission is surprise. Get into stealth mode, round up the troops and rally them for a karmic intervention.

Things You'll Need

• Colorful fabric, blue tape
• Miscellaneous hats, a trunk or basket
• Butcher and/or craft paper, markers, rubber stamps, ink pads, and so forth
• Ingredients for food and beverages
• Bindi stickers
• Good luck charms: rabbits' feet, goldfish and frog-shaped charms, pennies and cats-eye marbles
• Chinese paper lanterns, cheap umbrellas
• Flirtini: A Guide to Mixing and Mingling by Allana Baroni
• Clock and camera, with note cards
• Tea pots, tea cups, saucers, highball glasses, napkins, and so on

Instructions

1. Take a photo of a clock or watch with the hands indicating what time you want everyone to arrive, then attach it to a card with all the details. Sample text: "Don't be late; it's a very important date. We're having a surprise unbirthday party for [insert name]. Wear your play clothes, bring a toast and come over to my mad playhouse. It's on [insert date, time, and location]. Don't worry about wrapping a present; we will have the stuff to decorate boxes here. Include RSVP contact information.

2. Make a no-sew tablecloth: Wrap colorful fabric around the edges of the table, letting the bottom edge of the fabric just touch the floor. Secure the top edge of the fabric by taping it to the tabletop with blue painters tape. Then lay a length of fabric over the top to cover the table and the tape. Finish the edges by gluing fringe, ribbon or beaded trims.

3. Open inexpensive paper umbrellas or Chinese paper lanterns and hang them from the ceiling over the party table for some added color.

4. Customize plain highball glasses by studding them with tiny jeweled stickers (the bindi versions work perfectly).

5. Set out white butcher and brown craft paper. Then leave ribbons, markers, stickers, rubber stamps, ink pads, etc. out to decorate the paper; guests can use their creations to wrap their gifts.

6. Serve tea sandwiches and fondue, use dessert-sized plates, cups and saucers, and as many tea pots as you can scramble up.

Tips & Warnings

• Keep people interacting by having a trunk full of crazy hats of overflowing proportions for them to play with--Mad Hatter top hats, strange vintage toppers, a royal crown or tiara for the guest of honor, and maybe a cape.

• When thinking centerpiece, miniature roses in terra cotta pots fit the mad tea party theme.

• Accent the table with candles, greenery, pennies, stars, small bells, cats-eye marbles, goldfish and frog-shaped charms--all thought to bring good luck.

• This party may bring out your inner child, so be ready to play shadow, and repeat, "If you love it so much, why don't you marry it?" or "I know you are, but what am I?"