My husband will be celebrating a milestone birthday soon. I would like to commemorate this momentous event by having a surprise party for him. A quiet, reserved man, he certainly would not appreciate a huge “todo.” The list of invited guests will stay limited…our immediate family and a few of our closest friends. Because my birthday boy has everything he could possibly need and since he would be extremely uncomfortable by opening gifts, I have asked everyone to bring a humorous card for him and, if they want, to make a donation to their favorite charity in honor of him.
I plan to host this surprise birthday party at our home. We have a spacious back yard which is ideal for entertaining. There is ample room for our parents and brothers and sisters to sit comfortably on the patio, as well as a nice grassy area for the younger children to race around. Decorations will consist of connectingstrings of brightly colored patio lights, which will also light up the area sufficiently. Easy-listening music will be heard via speakers from our outdoor CD player to create an ambience of serenity.
My husband is not a cake lover, so finding suitable birthday refreshments is always a troublesome matter. In the past, we have had oatmeal cookies or vanilla ice cream with various fruit toppings. One year, he was perfectly content with popsicles. This year, I have decided to serve a delicious turtle cheesecake. The rich caramel and chocolate fudge combined with the distinctive tanginess and texture of cheesecake will be a special treat. The sprinkling of salty pecans will certainly keep his taste buds satisfied.
Flash forward: With all of the planning of this surprise birthday party accomplished, the day of this celebration finally arrived. Mother Nature provided a gorgeous evening. Our parents, siblings, children and friends were in our back yard, waiting to shout the customary “Surprise!”, as I led my husband outdoors to enjoy the delightful weather. Cards were opened, read, laughed at, and passed around for all to enjoy. “Happy Birthday” was sung as I presented the turtle cheesecake, complete with a few lit candles, to my husband. As I predicted, my husband and our party guests thoroughly enjoyed this birthday cake substitute.
The surprise birthday party I planned for my husband turned out to be exactly what he likes most…a simple get-together with our family; enjoying the easy banter among loved ones; appreciating the time spent in each other’s company. He laughed at the funny cards, romped in the grass with the children, teased his brothers, and especially savored his birthday cheesecake.
When the party ended and everyone had gone home, my dear husband thanked me profusely (and I think sincerely) for having the kind of party he truly appreciated. I asked him if he had any suspicion about the surprise. He replied, “I kind of suspected something was going to happen”. At least the exceptional turtle cheesecake was a surprise!
