Has someone close to you just received a big promotion at work?  Or maybe you are tired of doing the same thing for your best friend's birthday, and want their birthday to be extra special.  What better way to show them you care than by surprising them when they least expect it? Step-by-Step Guide to Planning a Surprise Party: The key to a good surprise party is keeping it a secret!  The more simple, organized and clear you are with your guests, the better chance you have of surprising the guest of honor. A good surprise party requires good planning, which is easy if you follow The Simple Feast steps below: Pick out a Theme and Date - Picking a date and theme will get you started.  That will inform what style invitations you choose to send. Now is a good time to work out how you are going to keep the secret from the guest of honor.  It's good to enlist a friend or spouse of the guest of honor to be in on the surprise.  You should both decide what you are going to tell the guest of honor in order to get them to the party! Remember to let your guests know on the invitation that it's a surprise and that you are relying on them to keep it quiet! Food - Not only will the party be a surprise, but so will your food!  By combining a mix of pre-bought dishes with ones you will make yourself, even those who were in on the surprise will be surprised!  Depending upon how many guests you are having, you will need to choose between a sit down, family style meal or a buffet.  You can also just do cocktails and hors d'oeuvres.  What do you think your guest of honor would enjoy most? Decorations - Depending upon the reason for the surprise, you may want to decorate your home to signal that it's a special event.  Simple flower arrangements in a single color would be perfect.  Soft light and some candles on the buffet are also always nice.  If it's a surprise birthday party, you can go with streamers and balloons.  You will be putting a lot of work into the surprise itself, so decorations don't need to be a priority! Pulling off a surprise party is a lot of fun, and can be easy if you have decided to make it A Simple Feast!