I adore surprises. I love all the secrets and scheming leading up to the surprise, and even more than that, the moment of shock on a person’s face when, as they try to comprehend what the H is happening, you know you pulled it off. Wide eyes, dropped jaws, yelling, laughter. All elements of a GREAT surprise.
When Emily and I initially discussed visiting our dear elf-footed friend Katy in Tennessee, there was no question in our minds that some element of the visit would be a surprise. Because really, what’s better than a visit from friends? A SURPRISE visit from friends. Duh. And we wanted it to be big – a reaction that would rival that of the Nintendo-64 kid. And we suceeded.
So how did we do it, you ask? Well, it’s easy. And to help you out, Emily & I have created a simple 5.5 step process*. Really, the majority of this process is plan development. So put on your game face friends, because when it comes to surprises, the motto is: Go Big or Go Home.
0.5. Know Your Surprisee
Whether or not they like surprises is not your main concern. Rather, how does he/she act? If you’re going to put in all the effort, the reward dang well better be worth it. So if you have a friend who is pretty much overall non-chalant, you might first want to reconsider your friendship, and second, not surprise them ever. The best people to surprise are your overreactors. Hands in the air, yelling, screaming, jumping, smiling, uncontrollable belly-laughter, backpack throwing – this is what you’re shooting for, so surprise someone who will commit to the whole 9 yards. (Katy fit the bill. Game on.)
1. Plan Ahead
The first – and perhaps most important – element of a well executed surprise is a plan. Large-scale surprises, such as Washington’s little boat ride into Delaware or the end of “Fight Club” may require weeks of planning. Your smaller scale surprises? Child’s play. Either way, surprises are serious business, so whether it’s a three pointer or a foul shot, follow through is critical. Ask lots of questions of your surprisee. Sure, no one cares whether or not they’ll be visiting their Uncle Herbert for the holidays, but you have to plan around potential surprise-ruining events (bat mitzvahs, cousins’ piano recitals, grandparents’ 95th birthdays, etc.)
Emily and I were serious about getting out of Gboro, and even more serious about seeing Katy, so we started to dig for details. In early November, under the guise of catch up conversations, we discovered that Katy would be home a week early for everyone’s favorite nom-fest, Thanksgiving. Fortunately, we also found out in advance about a wedding Katy would be attending – yikes, potential snag. However, not ones to face defeat, Emily and I pressed on. From there, the snowball began to roll. Though we had to tell Katy we were coming, we saved the surprise by not only planning to be at the airport when she arrived home from Montana, but we also were bringing Heidi along with us – who had told Katy she couldn’t get off work to come. Fist pump.
2. Select & Involve Your Key Players
Next to developing your plan, choosing your accomplices is an essential piece of surprise pie. Be selective in sharing your plan with – you never know who will accidentally spill the beans, and that’s just the worst. As far as communication, I suggest vague presentation, if only to make yourself feel like Jack Bauer. My personal favorite: “Are you in?” … “I’m sorry, what?” … “are you IN?! YES OR NO!?” … “uhmmmm, uh, I don’t know? yes?” Score. Thanks to the wonderful world of modern technology, involving key players has never been easier. Discreet communication can now happen over multiple states! You can now text, email and teleconference your way to surprise success. In the words of Stacy Laue, YAHTZEE! But be selective about your communication – twitter and Facebook statuses are clearly out. Imagine what would have happened if the Greeks had had twitter – Trojan Horse fail.
A quick message (thanks, Facebook!) to Lindsay, a lifetime BFF of Katy, secured Katy’s home phone number and access to the two individuals who would earn the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor & Actress of this scheme: Katy’s Parents. Emily coordinated the Branston FamJam efforts and they were eager and excited to help the cause – and after seeing Mr. Branston’s sleuthing skills in the airport, it’s safe to say he always has a backup career with the FBI. We also arranged a Wednesday night stay with Lindsay in Knoxville, so that we could arrive to Memphis early Thursday morning before Katy’s plane touched down.
3. Lie Your Pants Off
Self-explanatory, but also tricky. Half the fun is planting little lies in a casual manner. When involving multiple parties, consistently make sure everyone is on the same page. Thanks to Emily, most phone calls and emails included a “This is what Katy thinks is happening” and “This is what is actually happening.” Good work, sidekick.
As the token facebooker of the group, this was my primary method of sneakery. A casual post on Heidi’s wall, “ughghghghghg just quit work and come on a roadtrip.” was likely to go unnoticed, but still, a fun lie nonetheless. And of course several posts, texts and emails regarding “FRIDAY FRIDAY FRIDAY” to Katy did nothing but help our cause. My personal favorite? A phone conversation with Katy where we discussed how sad it was that Heidi wasn’t coming because she didn’t have the vacation days. Whoever said I can’t keep a straight face is a liehole. As far as Katy knew, it was Knoxville Thursday night, then hitting the ground running in Memphis on Friday afternoon. Bahaha, Sucker.
4. Set the Stage & When in Doubt, Disguise
Again, pretty self-explanatory. Arrive to the scene early, scope out possible hiding spots, disguise options, and overall get a lay of the land. When necessary, alert strangers that it’s probably going to get “loud in hurr.” As a side note, costumes are great. A best friend and I once showed up at the airport in matching pajamas and embarrassed the heck out of our roommate. Goodwill ensembles are also highly encouraged. Oh, and make sure you have a backup plan. As far as that goes, Key Player selection is, again, crucial. If you have non-improvisers in your group, don’t give them a lead role. Sorry, Grandma, but your inability to lie with a straight face is your ticket to RuinTheSurprise-ville. Heidi Klum said it best, you’re out.
We arrived at the airport about 45 minutes before Katy landed. After scoping out arrivals and baggage claim, we had a plan set. Katy would arrive and meet her dad at the end of the gates. She would come through and see her mom sitting in the chairs – where Emily and I would also be sitting behind newspapers. Thanks to a little clever finagling, I was able to record Katy’s approach through a hole punched in my newspaper. Airport security violation? Maybe. At the right moment, Emily and I would make the big reveal. Heidi had the perfect vantage point from the airport gift shop, and once we made our way down to baggage claim, Heidi would follow. Due to clever placement and Emily’s and my request to get a “post surprise interview” while we waited for her bag, we were able to catch the whole thing on tape. After we set the stage, we made sure to plan for all possible scenarios. Katy not checking a bag, alternate sneaking routes for Heidi, different ways to get Katy to go into the sitting area… The list goes on.
5. The Big Show (Double Surprise if Possible)
The reveal is, without a doubt, the BEST part of the surprise. It is, of course, what all your hard work has been leading up to. Make it big, make it loud, make it awesome! The double-whammy (or triple-whammy for that matter, but four is pushing it) is the king of all surprises. The person’s heart rate finally reaches normal, their eyes are no longer popping out, the hugs have stopped, and they have only a faint resemblance of the shakes – as opposed to full on convulsions. What’s the last thing they expect? ANOTHER SURPRISE. Perfect.
After flinging her backpack off one time at arrivals, Katy, Emily, the Branstons and I made our way down to baggage claim. Little did she know, Heidi would be sneaking down from her post in the gift shop to give her the second surprise of a lifetime. It was flawless, and possibly THE best reaction I’ve seen in a long time. I’d try to explain in words just how awesome it was, but that would be a miserable attempt at capturing the spectacle of a lifetime. Instead, I will let you watch the video. Which brings me to the last point: Remember To Bring A Camera. The reasoning behind this should be pretty obvious. But in case you’re still left in the dark, just watch and learn.
Happy Surprising, Readers!
*E&P are not responsible if you suck at surprises.
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