Surprise parties? Are these ever a good idea?
My older brother and I were talking yesterday and realised that our parents are both 60 early next year. We want to do something nice for them and due to certain health issues their annual summer and christmas parties haven't happened for the past two years.

We are thinking of throwing them a surprise party but have no experience of planning one. Has anyone thrown one and are they good? or are they cheesy and shit and we need to rethink?

Alt Q: What's for lunch? I am having roast beef with cold veg.
( SteveFrench Cardio is for homo's. do you even lift bro?, Mon 20 Sep 2010, 10:58, 46 replies, latest was 15 years ago)

I've been to one for a friend's mum's 50th
it was a fucking blast
( Vipros. clever got me this far, then tricky got me in, Mon 20 Sep 2010, 11:00, Reply)

They're good fun
but do it before the actual birthday etc, because otherwise it's obvious.
Also health issues/60 year olds/giving them a shock.
Maybe not the best idea.
(PsychoChomp, Mon 20 Sep 2010, 11:01, Reply)

Old dear had two stomach ulcers which burst
nailed her for ages but pretty much back to normal now. So not a massive issue.
( SteveFrench Cardio is for homo's. do you even lift bro?, Mon 20 Sep 2010, 11:03, Reply)

I nailed your mum for ages as well.

(PsychoChomp, Mon 20 Sep 2010, 11:05, Reply)

No wonder you're disturbed she is fucking hideous.
I'd rather bareback a shitty rusted cat food tin.
( SteveFrench Cardio is for homo's. do you even lift bro?, Mon 20 Sep 2010, 11:06, Reply)

as a lawyer i should point out that "ages" is a relative term
one person's idea of "ages" might be another person's idea of "five second wonder" and vice versa.
( rachelswipe with a fork, Mon 20 Sep 2010, 11:07, Reply)

I imagine in Chompy's matrix mind
ages is probably nanoseconds to us.
( SteveFrench Cardio is for homo's. do you even lift bro?, Mon 20 Sep 2010, 11:14, Reply)

are you implying
that you think he only lasts seconds in the sack?
( rachelswipe with a fork, Mon 20 Sep 2010, 11:16, Reply)

No I am implying nothing. My statement above stands as is. You keep your dirty lawyer mind off my words

( SteveFrench Cardio is for homo's. do you even lift bro?, Mon 20 Sep 2010, 11:20, Reply)

I had one done for me this year
The problem being that my friends are shit at planning, so I knew about it from the start. Didn't make me appreciate it any less though!

Alt Q: Not decided yet
( Agnostic Antichrist Baltimora, Mon 20 Sep 2010, 11:04, Reply)

How did you find out?
this is my biggest concern that they find out as what's the point then? I am confident that as a team my bro and I can keep it under wraps but I don't trust some of their friends.
( SteveFrench Cardio is for homo's. do you even lift bro?, Mon 20 Sep 2010, 11:05, Reply)

I first suspected something was amiss when the broad organising it asked if I was free on a certain date. I enquired why, to which she responded "Err, nuttin"
/noir

My mate asked me if I was free on a day at the end of the month, I said "Yeah, why?", she got flustered and said "nothing". Then, she asked a few questions over the next few weeks that were fairly obvious. Was very well planned, if I hadn't been suspicious at first, I wouldn't have had a clue.
( Agnostic Antichrist Baltimora, Mon 20 Sep 2010, 11:16, Reply)

Compromise by having 'surprise sex' with them instead.
For maximum effect do this in front of a large assembly of family and friends.

I have to say that if someone did this for me I'd be really fucked off - but then I am a cunt.

Alt: not sure, I'm still in celebration mode so I think something extravagant is in order.
( Monty Boyce, My cheese game is strong, Mon 20 Sep 2010, 11:06, Reply)

I may not be their child by blood
but I still don't want to sex them up. What are you going to do next weekend then? I take it your daughter is stoked too?
( SteveFrench Cardio is for homo's. do you even lift bro?, Mon 20 Sep 2010, 11:08, Reply)

She's not old enough to realise the importance of it all.
Which is precisely what I've been praying for. I'm just going to take her to play with a friend's child who is a few months older than her.

None of my friends has ever met my daughter so what sounds rather minor is actually fucking huge to me.
( Monty Boyce, My cheese game is strong, Mon 20 Sep 2010, 11:11, Reply)

i still say
take her here at some point!

www.kew.org/learn/kids/index.htm
( rachelswipe with a fork, Mon 20 Sep 2010, 11:12, Reply)

Noted, with thanks. It's great idea.
EDIT: if anyone else has any ideas for things to do in London with a two-year-old that don't involve the kind of inevitable child-sex references that I would doubtless be cracking myself were it not my own child under discussion, I should be most grateful to hear them.

When she is of museum/historical site appreciation age, I shall come into my own (yes, ha ha), but for now I could use some tips.
( Monty Boyce, My cheese game is strong, Mon 20 Sep 2010, 11:12, Reply)

if you're ever in Bristol or Gloucester take her to Slimbridge. My nephew loves it.

( SteveFrench Cardio is for homo's. do you even lift bro?, Mon 20 Sep 2010, 11:15, Reply)

I am never in Bristol or Gloucester, but thanks all the same.

( Monty Boyce, My cheese game is strong, Mon 20 Sep 2010, 11:16, Reply)

haha

( SteveFrench Cardio is for homo's. do you even lift bro?, Mon 20 Sep 2010, 11:17, Reply)

definitely take her to hamleys
but take your earplugs
( rachelswipe with a fork, Mon 20 Sep 2010, 11:17, Reply)

London zoo
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/London_Zoo - has Komodo dragons! Also highly respected for standards of animal care, breeding rare species etc.
(lkjshaglkasjdhglkhjz lkcvl; g;aodh;owih, Mon 20 Sep 2010, 11:22, Reply)

I fucking love the zoo
and aquaria
( Vipros. clever got me this far, then tricky got me in, Mon 20 Sep 2010, 11:25, Reply)

Whole new passage of your life Mr Boyce.
Am genuinely pleased for you. She will have a blast meeting new people, good luck to you.
( SteveFrench Cardio is for homo's. do you even lift bro?, Mon 20 Sep 2010, 11:14, Reply)

Ey!
I wasn't around here during the weekend, but I read the good news this morning. Congratulations, man. I'm very glad for you.
(Aberracion Life's getting very complicated, but a lot of fun., Mon 20 Sep 2010, 11:12, Reply)

Thank you!

( Monty Boyce, My cheese game is strong, Mon 20 Sep 2010, 11:17, Reply)

I had one prepared for me
for my 18th birthday. It was great!

I think I'm with you, I'd be able to keep it secret and cool, but I wouldn't trust anyone not saying anything to them.

I'm having turkey breasts.
(Aberracion Life's getting very complicated, but a lot of fun., Mon 20 Sep 2010, 11:14, Reply)

mmmmmmm breasts.

( SteveFrench Cardio is for homo's. do you even lift bro?, Mon 20 Sep 2010, 11:15, Reply)

We did one for my Mum's 60th.
Which was fantastic. She is one of eleven children so it was a great opportunity to get all of them together. I think that it's good that you're starting early. Try and get an idea of numbers as soon as possible and then choose a venue to suit.Holding it away from their home makes it an awful lot easier. Sneak a look at your Mum & Dad's Christmas card list (they're bound to have one) for contact details of those friends that you may not know very well.
(Cave Duck, Mon 20 Sep 2010, 11:14, Reply)

I might gaz you for some ideas as my old dear is one of 10

( SteveFrench Cardio is for homo's. do you even lift bro?, Mon 20 Sep 2010, 11:18, Reply)

No worries.

(Cave Duck, Mon 20 Sep 2010, 11:21, Reply)

Don't forget to invite those two couples they swing with every other Friday

(lkjshaglkasjdhglkhjz lkcvl; g;aodh;owih, Mon 20 Sep 2010, 11:16, Reply)

I can't make it, unfortunately.
Clashes with my AIDS test, innit.
( Monty Boyce, My cheese game is strong, Mon 20 Sep 2010, 11:17, Reply)

OH MY GOD! DON'T LET THIS PERSON NEAR ANY CHILDREN WITHOUT SUPERVISION!

(Cave Duck, Mon 20 Sep 2010, 11:27, Reply)

So long as there's a bouncy castle
everyone's happy.
(Zoz prayed for twink on, Mon 20 Sep 2010, 11:21, Reply)

Fuck yeah!

( girlinthehole, Mon 20 Sep 2010, 11:28, Reply)

Had a surprise party thrown
it was torture. I'm sure your parents would love it though, it's just me getting less and less inclined to appreciate birthdays every year.

Alt Q: a packet of hula hoops, some black coffee and a rich tea
( Amberl was stripey and dominated Europe, Mon 20 Sep 2010, 11:28, Reply)

Your lunch sounds rubbish
what flavour hula hoops?
( SteveFrench Cardio is for homo's. do you even lift bro?, Mon 20 Sep 2010, 11:29, Reply)

beef naturally

( Amberl was stripey and dominated Europe, Mon 20 Sep 2010, 11:31, Reply)

thank the lord, if it was plain I was gonna insist you make something else.

( SteveFrench Cardio is for homo's. do you even lift bro?, Mon 20 Sep 2010, 11:36, Reply)

Alt Q: Slices of quince eaten with a runcible spoon.

(Cave Duck, Mon 20 Sep 2010, 11:31, Reply)

No mince?

( girlinthehole, Mon 20 Sep 2010, 11:36, Reply)

Quorn mince, perhaps.

(Cave Duck, Mon 20 Sep 2010, 11:37, Reply)

Quorn = devils food. Bland & tasteless. Almost as bad as cunting tofu.
Bluuurrrrggggghhhhh
(lkjshaglkasjdhglkhjz lkcvl; g;aodh;owih, Mon 20 Sep 2010, 11:40, Reply)

It's a protein subsitute.
You're supposed to add the flavouring.
( girlinthehole, Mon 20 Sep 2010, 11:49, Reply)

I used to live near a chinese restaurant
that did tofu stuffed with meat.

So wrong but so right.
(Zoz prayed for twink on, Mon 20 Sep 2010, 11:56, Reply)