How to Surprise Someone on Their Birthday

Co-authored by Rachel Weinshanker and Hannah Madden

If you have a loved one with a birthday coming up, you’re probably thinking of ways to make their day extra special. Surprising them is a great way to give them a gift or an experience that will astound and amaze them! That’s why we've put together a list of fun, creative ways you can surprise someone and make their birthday extra special this year.

1

Send them a happy birthday video.

Record a fun birthday message or song. If you want, you could even get other people to record videos, too! Then, send your loved one a fun birthday message straight to their phone.^{[1]
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- This is a great idea for a loved one who lives far away.
- If you aren’t sure what to say, try telling them how much you care about them and that you hope their birthday is the best day ever.

2

Deck out your car and drive by their house.

Decorate your car like it’s a birthday parade! You could add balloons, write messages with paint markers or shoe polish, or hang up a banner that says “happy birthday.” Text your friend to look outside right before you drive by so they'll see your fun birthday surprise!^{[2]
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- If you have other friends who want in on the birthday parade, have them all decorate their cars and drive by in a line.

3

Schedule a day of fun.

What does your loved one like to do most? Think about what hobbies they have, where they like to eat, and what they do to relax. Make a schedule and let them know they shouldn’t make any plans that day. Then, take them out to eat, to the spa, to their favorite restaurant, or to a popular nature spot for a day of fun.^{[3]
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- Spend the morning taking a hike, the afternoon playing miniature golf or paintball, and the night watching a double feature at the drive in.
- Or, make it a 12 days of birthday celebration. For the 12 days leading up to the birthday, give him/her a note, a card, a letter, his/her favorite candy bar, or even an activity. Spread out the fun instead of putting it in one day.

4

Surprise them with a picnic.

Take them out somewhere into nature and pack some fancy food. Bring a picnic blanket to spread on the ground and spread out your favorite meal. You could bring cheese, crackers, meats, champagne, and a special treat for the two of you to share.^{[4]
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- For an extra special time, try going on a picnic around sunset. Just make sure it’s not too dark to walk back to the car!

5

Make them a massage appointment.

Or, book them a day at the spa. You can go with the birthday person, or you can stay home and let them have all the fun. Set up the reservations and pay ahead of time so they just get to relax on their special day.^{[5]
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- If the spa isn’t really their thing, you could also send them off golfing or doing a different fun activity that they love.
- If you have kids, this is a nice way to let your partner get out of the house for some much-needed relaxation time.

6

Make them breakfast in bed.

Let them relax while you whip up a delicious meal. You could make pancakes, waffles, eggs, French toast, or anything your heart desires! Plate it all up on a tray and bring it to the special person to eat while they’re in bed. Add a cute card and a vase of fresh flowers to make this birthday breakfast extra special.^{[6]
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- Don’t forget to clean up the kitchen after you’re done!
- If you live far away from your loved one, try ordering them a special breakfast on DoorDash, Postmates, or Uber Eats and getting it delivered to their home.

7

Collect letters from their loved ones.

Ask their friends and family to write their well wishes in a note. Before the big day, collect all of the letters and put them in a scrapbook for the birthday person to look through. They’ll get a ton of sweet messages from everyone who cares about them all at once.^{[7]
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- You could also put the notes on sticky notes and place them around their car or work space.

8

Buy them flowers.

Everyone loves a special bouquet on their special day. Head to a florist or even the grocery store and pick up a lovely bouquet of fresh flowers. If the birthday person has a favorite flower, make sure it’s included in their birthday surprise.^{[8]
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- Roses are usually saved for romantic partners, while tulips, lilies, or daffodils are perfect for best friends.

9

Fill their space with balloons.

Blow up balloons and fill up a closet, car, or office space. When they go into the area, they’ll be showered in balloons! Pick balloons of all different colors for a fun, festive surprise they’ll never forget.^{[9]
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- If you have the time, write messages on the balloons. You can write, "I love you more than ____" or "Reason #___ that I love you is ______."
- You could also write memories, funny stories, inside jokes, song lyrics, and meaningful words on the balloons to show them how special they are to you.

10

Bake them a birthday cake.

Surprise them with their favorite treat. Take the time to make a cake from a box or from scratch, then decorate it yourself. It will taste better than if you buy one (and it will be super meaningful, too).^{[10]
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- If your loved one isn’t a fan of cake, you could make cupcakes, pie, or cookies instead! It’s their day, so make something that they’re going to love.
- Or, if they live far away, send them a dessert from their local bakery and have it delivered to their doorstep.
- If the birthday person doesn’t eat sweets, try making them their favorite dinner or a savory snack instead.

11

Decorate their locker if they’re in school.

This is a fun way to surprise your friends. Paint a few signs that say “Happy Birthday” and tape them to the outside of their locker. Hang a few streamers or even some balloons on the outside for some extra birthday fun! You could also add magnets, a group photo, wrapping paper, a huge birthday card, or some candy.^{[11]
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- Some schools have rules against decorating lockers. Make sure you check your student handbook beforehand so you don’t get your friend into trouble.

12

Plan a surprise party.

It’s a classic way to celebrate your loved one with a surprise. Tell all your friends to meet at your house about 30 minutes before the birthday person arrives. Decorate the place with balloons, streamers, and signs, and have a birthday cake waiting in the kitchen. When the birthday person walks in, jump out and yell “Surprise!” or "Happy Birthday!"^{[12]
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- To really sell the surprise, pretend like you forgot your loved one’s birthday or that you have nothing planned. That way, they’ll be super shocked when they walk into a party.
- If your loved one lives far away, try hosting a surprise party over Zoom instead. Invite all of your loved ones onto a video chat, then invite the birthday person (but tell them it’s a one-on-one convo). When they join the chat, everyone can yell “Surprise!” or "Happy Birthday!"

13

Host a surprise dinner.

It’s like a surprise party, but it’s at a restaurant. Tell everyone to meet up for dinner at a special spot, then get there with the birthday person a little later. When they arrive, they’ll be shocked by their friends and family members waiting to celebrate with them.^{[13]
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- Or, host a surprise potluck dinner at your house with every guest bringing a dish to share.
- You could also host a dinner over video chat. Have everyone make a fancy dish and sit down in front of their computers to eat “together.”

Expert Q&A
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Question

How can I make sure the surprise isn't ruined when I'm throwing a surprise party?

Rachel Weinshanker
Certified Party Planner
Rachel Weinshanker is a Certified Event and Wedding Planner and the Owner of San Diego Life Events, an award-winning wedding and event planning business based in San Diego, California. Rachel has over eight years of event planning experience, and her work has been featured in many notable publications. San Diego Life Events has been awarded the Wedding Wire Couple's Choice Award in 2018, 2019, and 2020. Rachel is a graduate from San Diego State University.

Rachel Weinshanker

Certified Party Planner

Expert Answer

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The most important thing to remember at a surprise party is timing. I always recommend that my clients leave at least 30 minutes between when guests and the guest of honor will arrive. That way, any latecomers can still arrive late without the guest of honor seeing them outside of the venue, potentially ruining the surprise. If you have friends that you know are always late, you may want to give them an earlier arrival time, just in case.
Question

My boyfriends birthday is tomorrow and we live far away, but I don't want to send cards or presents. What should I do?

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Record a short video on your phone wishing him a happy birthday, then send it to him bright and early. You could also watch a movie together over a streaming app or send him some money to buy his favorite meal.
Question

My friend and I want to make a surprise for our friend at school, but she doesn't have a locker. What should we do?

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Bring balloons to school in the morning and give them to your friend whenever you see her. You could also bake her a cake or some cupcakes and give them to her at lunch. Or, buy a birthday card and have all of your friends at school sign it before giving it to her that day.