i’m matt james

professional event producer

  • 27 years event-planning experience
  • Winner of 30 industry awards
  • Clients include:
  • Elton John,
  • Stella McCartney,
  • Sarah Jessica Parker,
  • Kevin Spacey……and more

welcome

Matt James professional event planner
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01 how to make a surprise birthday special

CELEBRATE THE PERSON, NOT THEIR AGE

  • Don’t make the common mistake of theming everything around the age they’re turning.
  • Clichéd themes like ‘old as dirt’ and ‘oh crap you’re old’ are tired and lazy.
  • They make for an impersonal and unoriginal surprise birthday celebration.
  • While they might not show it, many people can feel sensitive about getting older.
  • They may not be where they expected to be by this stage of their life,
  • they might have concerns about their future,
  • or they might feel self-conscious about changes to their physical appearance.
  • So, celebrate the person, not their age.

FOCUS ON THE FEEL-GOOD

  • Instead of poking fun at someone’s age, concentrate on making them feel loved and appreciated.
  • Birthdays should be about making that person feel good about themselves;
  • treating them, reminding them what makes them special, and expressing what they mean to you.
  • It’s an opportunity to communicate all the things we might often think, but seldom say.
  • People often focus on their own faults or failings and overlook or underestimate the good things about themselves.
  • Friends and family are there to remind them of how amazing they are;
  • the good they’ve done; what they’ve contributed, accomplished, and the effect they’ve had on others.
  • So, focus on thoughtful surprise birthday ideas that will make them feel special.
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the idea

30 memories for 30 years

Invite friends and family to mail a postcard sharing a favorite memory of the birthday boy / girl in the days leading up to their surprise birthday

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30th birthday memory postcards for a surprise birthday party
the idea

reasons we love you

Invite friends and family to highlight the admirable qualities, notable traits, or amusing quirks that make the birthday boy or girl so loved

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framed reasons we love you poster with photo of the 70 year old birthday boy
the idea

a gift every hour

Spread the love over an entire day with 12 smaller gifts; one to be opened every hour.

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a collection of gift wrapped boxes
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open when… letters

Be there in spirit when you can’t be there in person with a collection of ‘Open When…’ letters for every occasion

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selection of brown 'open when...' letters for different occasions
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audio guestbook

Bring your guestbook to life and capture authentic and unfiltered voice messages from friends and family to treasure forever

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surprise party red telephone audio guest book next to a printable instructions sign inviting party guests to leave a message
advice from a pro

02 thoughtful surprise birthday ideas

  • Many of the special surprise birthday ideas on this page are designed to make the guest of honor feel loved and appreciated.
  • So, use them to:
  • Celebrate their life; their background, their achievements, and what they’ve contributed
  • Celebrate who they are; their admirable qualities, characteristics everyone loves, and even their weird habits and obsessions that drive people crazy!
  • Celebrate your relationship with them; take a walk down memory lane, share memories, funny stories, embarrassing photos, amusing anecdotes, fun facts guests may not know, and indulge in a little sentimentality.
  • You want them to look back and remember their surprise birthday warmly.
  • So, focus on things that are meaningful, because that’s what they’ll remember.

MATT’S TIP

Matt James professional event planner
the idea

a trip down memory lane

Have guests take a trip down memory lane by sharing their favorite memory of the birthday boy or girl

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Share a memory cards and sign for a surprise party trip down memory lane
the idea

reasons we love you photo book

Invite friends and family to take photos expressing all the things they love about the birthday boy / girl to collect together in a keepsake photo book to celebrate their surprise birthday

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reasons we love you photo book
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Matt James professional event planner
the idea

surprise birthday slideshow

Invite friends and family to contribute photos and videos of the birthday boy / girl to surprise them with an animated slideshow

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group of friends watching a backyard slideshow
the idea

30 years of memories

Invite friends and family to pen a handwritten letter sharing their fondest memories of the birthday boy / girl to present as a thoughtful surprise birthday gift

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a stack of numbered 'memory letters' in air mail envelopes
the idea

photo memory box

Collect cards, memories, letters, photos, and birthday wishes from friends and family and present them to the birthday boy or girl in a custom photo keepsake box

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memory keepsake box customized with photos documenting the life of the birthday honoree
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reasons we love you guestbook

Turn a guestbook into a meaningful keepsake by having party-goers write down all the things they love about the birthday boy / girl

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handwritten 45 reasons we love you signing poster surprise party guestbook alternative
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bucket list suggestions

Ask guests to suggest experiences for the birthday boy / girl to have before their next milestone birthday

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'Before I'm 60' bucket list suggestions cards and sign for surprise party
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‘through the years’ photo garlands

Create interactive party decorations by asking guests to bring their favorite pictures of the birthday boy / girl to add to photo garland decorations

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woman hanging a photo on interactive photo garland surprise party decorations showing the guest of honor 'Through the Years'
the idea

video guestbook

Capture the love by setting up a tablet on a tripod for guests to record video messages for the birthday boy / girl

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couple recording a video message on a tablet on a tripod for a surprise party
the idea

65 years of memories photo book

Invite friends and family to contribute photos of the birthday boy / girl ‘through the years’ to capture in a custom photo book

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65 years of memories photo book showing the birthday boy through the years
the idea

photo collage

A framed photo collage of the birthday boy / girl at different stages of their life makes both a thoughtful surprise birthday gift and an entertaining tabletop display to entertain guests

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framed photo collage with the letters DAD made up of 'through the years' style photos of the birthday boy at different ages
advice from a pro

03 limit the gag gifts & age jokes

  • Gag gifts and age jokes just re-enforce the idea that getting older is a negative thing;
  • emphasizing all the things you might not have or be able to do as you get older,
  • rather than looking back and celebrating all the things you’ve learned, achieved, and experienced in life.
  • Don’t get me wrong, a few jokes here and there are fine.
  • Just don’t make them the entire focus or theme of your surprise birthday party.

MATT’S TIP

Matt James professional event planner
the idea

custom piñata

Create a talking point, memorable moment, and photo op for guests to share with a custom piñata resembling the guest of honor

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man standing next to a custom pinata of himself
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custom puppet

For a truly unique and personal gift have a custom Muppet-style puppet made of the guest of honor

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woman standing next to a custom muppet-style puppet of herself for a adult birthday gift
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custom reel viewer

Ask friends an family for photos of their favorite memory of the guest of honor to collect together in a custom reel viewer

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custom reel viewer / viewfinder made with your own photos for a adult birthday gift
the idea

custom comic book

Tell the guest of honor’s life story (so far) by creating a custom comic book featuring photos of them ‘through the years’

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'Super Dad' custom comic book featuring cartoon versions of family photos for a adult birthday gift
advice from a pro

04 how to make a surprise birthday memorable

  • Let’s be honest, looking back, they’re probably not going to remember that their surprise birthday party had Mango Mojitos…
  • or gourmet bacon & goat cheese sliders…
  • or that the balloons were emblazoned with 40 & Fabulous.
  • And all those gag gifts and jokes are probably going to get stuffed in a drawer (or the trash!) the very next day.
  • But the special surprise birthday ideas on this page are the type of things they’ll keep and treasure.
  • They’ll get enjoyment from re-visiting them in the future.
  • Because they’ll remember how they made them FEEL.

MATT’S TIP

Matt James professional event planner
the idea

fun facts balloons

Hang photos with ‘fun facts you may not know about the birthday boy / girl’ from helium balloons to entertain guests

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Photos and 'Fun Facts' about the guest of honor hanging from helium balloon strings used as party room decorations
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FUN FACTS FILLED BALLOONS

Fill balloons with ‘fun facts you may not know about the birthday boy / girl’ and encourage guests to pop to reveal

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Fun facts filled 'Pop Me' balloons for a surprise party
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guestbook alternative: signing poster

Invite guests to write messages for the birthday boy / girl on a signing poster with ‘Then & Now’ photos to be framed as a keepsake

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surprise party custom 'then & now' photo framed signing poster guestbook alternative
the idea

fun facts napkins

Use on bars, buffet, or dessert tables to provide conversation-starters and entertain guests with ‘Fun Facts About the Guest of Honor’

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custom photo 'Fun Facts about the Guest of Honor' surprise welcome home party napkins
the idea

polaroid guestbook

Snap it, shake it, stick it, sign it! Invite guests to illustrate their guestbook entry by using an instant camera

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Polaroid guestbook, instant camera, and instructions sign set up for a surprise party

fantastic finds

great Ideas i wish i’d thought of…

Check out this great idea below from Marta Dansie of Marta Writes

the idea

fun facts garland banners

Personalize your party decorations and entertain guests with garland banners highlighting fun facts about the birthday boy / girl

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surprise birthday fun facts about the birthday boy/girl garland banner decorations hanging from tree at garden party
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more surprise birthday party ideas

Hit the ‘Read More’ button below to check out my main page of surprise birthday party ideas.

surprise birthday party self service drinks bar with drinks dispensers, mixers, and mini champagne bottles
black and gold striped custom surprise birthday party dessert table backdrop
Hors d'oeuvres and appetizers arranged in rows on a modern surprise birthday party buffet table / food station
boxwood hedge surprise birthday party drinks bar wall with shelves of self-service drinks for guests to help themselves to
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