Sunday, April 26, 2009

Surprise Parties--Good, Bad, or Ugly?

The big secret in my family is that we have managed to plan and pull off a baby shower for my sister, who lives in Florida, from the northeast (my mom and I are in New Hampshire and my brother-in-law's mother is in Connecticut)with some strategic assistance from a couple of my sister's coworkers.

The big shock, of course, is that it evidently remained a surprise until today.

I didn't go, although I wish I had, in large part because I recently became an aunt for the first time when my brother and sister-in-law had their baby, and it is an honor and a privilege that I can't wait to experience again. My school vacation was this week, and with the pancreatitis hospitalization, I didn't have any time to take off (although I'm planning on going down right before or right after "Baby Mr. Ed" arrives on whatever timeframe works best for Mary). Addie flew down with my mother, and they'll be coming back late tomorrow night (yes, Addie's missing a day of school ... it's not every day her beloved aunt has a baby shower). I did try to run interference by keeping in contact with Mary (not that I wouldn't have anyway, but I tried to keep track of where she was and what she was doing and if she was suspicious). It would have been a scream if Mary had bumped into my mom and Addie at Target or on the UFL campus or something ... and that's the sort of thing that happens all the time in my family.

It made me wonder, though ... I think I would be overwhelmed to the point of being miserable if somebody threw me a surprise party. I mean, I would appreciate it tremendously, but I'd probably start crying and leave the room and cause some stupid scene because I'd be embarrassed and stressed that people put that much trouble into me.

So here's my question--surprise parties, yea or nay?

8 comments:

  1. Nay...I don't like attention...I love throwing them for others...but don't like being on the receiving end...spoil sport, I am. But what a terrific family you have!!!!!! You are a wonderful sister! When your mom gets back, she can read, of course. There's now an icon on my blog that allows you to email my post to someone. You might try that as it is easier than copying and pasting (it's a little envelope icon at the end of the post) :-) You're the BEST~Janine XO

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  2. Most people who know me, know you SHOULD NOT throw a surprise party for me. If you dare do it even after I've forewarned you, you will be met with a pissy evil glare the entire time. I can't even feign happiness so I look like the pissiest guest of honor ever. :( It isn't even that I'm upset, I'm ANGRY. Ready to scream and yell at a moment's notice. I don't know why...never found out. But I can't stand surprise parties. If you TELL me you want to throw me a surprise, fine. I'll help you plan it and act surprised when I come in...everyone wins. :)

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  3. The UFL campus, huh? They were in our town! And I was in Target this weekend, which would have been too funny if I'd known they were there. This could be closest I've ever come to meeting a blogging friend in real life (which may be a sad fact, I don't know.) Hope they had fun here!

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  4. Glad it worked! Like you...I think I'd want to hide under a table to be in the spotlight, but do love throwing a good surprise party. Wonder what that says about us that we are writers, yet don't like the limelight. LOL

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  5. Oh, YES on surprise parties. Definitely. A good day includes equal amounts of terror and cake.

    ;^) Anna

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  6. Nay - and congratulations on becoming an Aunt!

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  7. I can't really say how I'd feel. It's never happened. But I have thrown a couple for other people.

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  8. Janine--I'm incredibly lucky to have my family :) And thanks for pointing out the icon ... I tease my mother for being a technological dunderhead, but you know what they say about apples and trees : )

    Purple Clover--I wholeheartedly agree, although the reasons why are fascinating to ponder. I was afraid my sister would be ripped, actually, but fortunately she wasn't : )

    Brittany--Yes, my family is quite familiar with UFL : ) Orange and blue ... where it's at : ) : ) : )

    Angie--Didn't really think about the connection between writers and those that might be less than enthused about a surprise party ... interesting. Maybe it's a creation thing--creating a surprise party for someone, planning it meticulously or just going with the flow, sort of goes along with writing if you think about it a certain way.

    Anna--Terror and cake : ) Sort of like cotton candy and roller coasters!

    CMC--Thank you :) I'm sooooooooo excited : ) : ) : )

    MD--Were the people happy, angry, or somewhere in between? For some reason, I've become extremely curious about this : )

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