Do you like surprises?

Snap, also feels wrong that they want to treat me. I’m the one who usually treats them. I will however go with the flow but on my terms.
I am 70 in May and when family started making noises about doing something I had a good think and realised if I called the shots it would all be in my hands; no surprises, no late night party & at a place I’ve been wanting to go to for ages.
I advised them where I would like a birthday lunch and who I would like invited. They all agreed. My lovely OH has said he will pay but they’ve all refused and will split the bill. Lucky me.

I hate surprises. I like to prepare myself mentally for each aspect of any occasion. For my 60th, my niece decided to add my birthday celebration to my brother and my sister-in-law's anniversary celebrations. It was horrible, I was given a party hat to wear, made me feel like a clown. Everyone had presents for me, which I hadn't expected. I was angry with myself because my reaction was definitely not what everyone was expecting. I am bracing myself for my 70th. I will not be with my family during that period, but my colleagues at work are preparing something, although they know that I won't like it

It depends entirely on what the surprise was. If hubby told me in the morning that he'd booked a table for a meal out that evening -not that he ever would, then I'd be fine. I definitely wouldn't like a surprise party or visitors descending on me unannounced.

There are lovely surprises and nasty surprises so it would depend very much which it was.

I am happy to have a surprise gift rather than be asked what I would like but I hate having surprise parties or events “given “ to me .
When I was 60 my family planned a break away with celebrations which was a lovely idea and fun for them … fancy dress was part of it . I felt that I had missed out by not being involved and I was quite stressed about what to pack / wear etc .
I have never told them because I hate to offend ! Hopefully I’m a good actress and no one guessed how I felt

No, I like to know exactly what I’m doing.

I LOVE surprises and always have. My DD organised a surprise party for my 60th, with friends I hadn’t seen for ages, it was so lovely to think that friends and family had travelled great distances just for me. Then the family organised the most perfect surprise trip abroad for me for my 70th -DH drove me to a beautiful house in France for a ‘quiet weekend’ but the rest of the family were already there and treated me as a Queen for the weekend.
I’m so lucky to have such caring friends and family.

No...I'll also be 70 in October! 😱 cannot quite take it.. my family have been told no surprise party. Really just want to go out for a nice meal with family..

What is the worst thing you can do for someone who doesn't like surprises? Arrange a suprise party, tell them they have to get up now, won't give valid reason so you get up and drag on old clothes because washing is in the machine ready to go on line. That's done then told you're going out now. No time for breakfast. No time to have a shower and dragged out wearing old clothes and garden shoes. Then driven miles making a huge detour because idiot realises an hour early and you still have no idea why it's so important to go out. Not your Birthday until following week. Arrive and taken into tiny room with lots of people yelling when you walk in. Burst into tears and demand to be taken home. Cousin takes you off to calm you down; she had questioned the wisdom of a surprise party as she knows you well. Your hair is greasy and hasn't seen a brush. Your friend has booked a room so takes you in for shower. You still have to put your old clothes back on.
Most miserable day of my life. Each and every guest had questioned the surprise when they received the invitations. Guests felt awful, I felt awful.
End of relationship.
Now married to wonderful, caring husband who wouldn't dream of arranging a surprise, other than amazing, handcrafted by him, surprise presents.

I was given a surprise party for my engagement. Yes, dear readers, my soon-to-be fiance and all my family and friends had been invited by my parents and everyone (except me) had been told I was getting engaged. Looking back, it explains a lot ...

Good grief. Was it an arranged marriage, may I ask?

I don't like surprises one little bit.

A friend was agonising over her husband having an affair. Every time she walked into a room, he was whispering into his phone. Turned out he was arranging a surprise birthday party for her. When she arrived at the party and found out what was happening, she burst into tears of relief. It wasn't enjoyable for her.

A relative who worked in banking told the story of a man who came in to order some Pesetas back in the day. He was very pleased with himself when he told us that his bride-to-be was expecting to be honeymooning in Weymouth but he had secretly booked a honeymoon in Spain.

She would not be pleased to have packed a suitcase of clothes suitable for Weymouth instead of hot-weather clothing for Spain. Surely a surprise that would backfire.

Not an arranged marriage as we would perceive it these days, ie not in a cultural sense. Just that I was thoroughly stitched up by a mother who always 'knew best'. I was 18.

I feel for you.

I hate surprises.
My ex-husband had a wedding band made for me that was exactly the same as a friend of ours. When she had shown us the fancy band I said it was lovely and unique to be polite but when we left I said that it wasn’t my cup of tea and would hate to have one. Roll on my birthday and I got the same, there was an almighty argument. Also because it’s not fair on the friend to have something unique and then copied. My mum gratefully took it off my hands a couple of days later.

DH arranged a surprise arty for my 40th. I was not dressed for a party, and though it was lovely to see everyone I really did not enjoy it. So it's a 'No' from me.

I don't like surprises.