Jessie, in New Hampshire dreaming of spring!
As long as they are good ones, I love surprises. I wondered if the rest of you share my enthusiasm for them? Do you prefer to be on the giving or the receiving end of them? Which was the best surprise you were ever involved with?
Barb: I am laughing because I HATE surprises. My business partner would come into my office and say, “Tomorrow I am going to tell you something that is going to blow your mind,” just to give me time to get used to the idea. I hate interruptions, sudden changes of plan, curve balls, whatever. If you’re guessing that makes the world a difficult place for me to live in, you’re right. To you all fondly I say, “Get it together, people. Stick with the plan!”
Edith: How funny, Barb! I love making surprises for others, and getting them, too. Two years 
ago, my dear friend Richard asked a few of us to help him stage a surprise 83rd birthday party for his beloved wife, Annie (also a dear friend). We few shopped for balloons and party hats, put up a birthday banner in the bistro he had reserved (the ENTIRE restaurant), and wasn’t she surprised and delighted! I settled the tiara we’d bought on her head, handed out Mardi Gras beads to everyone else, and the party was underway. Richard passed away before her next birthday, but it was a great event. Surprises thrown for me I’ve usually gotten wind of somehow or other – except for Agatha nominations, of course, which are a stunningly nice surprise.
Sherry: My husband is constantly surprising me with the things that come out of his mouth. Ha, just kidding — love you, Bob. But he is a pretty funny guy. He surprised me when he told me we were being assigned to Los Angeles Air Force Base for our first big move after we were married. Especially since it was the only place that I’d said I didn’t want to move to — not that he really had any say in that. Don’t worry — it all turned out okay and we made great friends. After our daughter was born he gave me a beautiful necklace that I still wear almost every day. It was a lovely surprise.
Liz: I love surprises! And I love surprising people, but I’m really bad at it. Mostly because I can’t wait to give whatever it is, or tell whatever it is, so usually it ends up going something like:
Me: I have a surprise for you, [insert name here]. You’re gonna love it. But You’re gonna have to wait until [insert milestone here].
[Name]: Cool. Do I really have to wait?
Me: Aww, no. I can’t wait. Here it is….
Jessie: I love pleasant surprises. The most recent fun surprise happened about a year ago when my husband was away on an extended business trip and I was feeling a bit down about it. My child who is in graduate school out of state arranged to fly in for a few days as a way to cheer me up. The youngest two were in on the secret and the three of them really enjoyed the look on my face when the older one walked through the door completely unexpectedly. It was wonderful!
Readers: Surprises – good, not good? Giving them, receiving them? When were you most surprised (in a good way)?
I love surprises, provided they’re good ones, of course. The bad ones? I’m with Barb on those! I love planning surprises for others, although I’m with Liz. I always manage to bubble over and spill the beans. “Well, this was supposed to be a surprise, but….”
The one thing I don’t like is being warned about a surprise without being given details. Either hit me out of the blue, or tell me all about it so I can enjoy the anticipation of an impending event.
Funny, Annette!
I’m so glad it’s not just me Annette!
I agree with Jessie, but also with Barb. Nicest surprise was cash in the mail in a birthday card, but NO indication of who the sender was (postmark was from out of state in a town I don’t THINK I know anyone in).
That sounds like a mysterious surprise, Barbara! Which is, of course, even better!
Nope on big surprises; I’m in the Barb camp. Make a plan, stick with the plan. Although surprise flowers are always welcome.
I love surprising people with flowers, Vida! It is one of my favorite sorts of any day surprise! Glad to know they are popular with the suprise averse crowd too!
I love giving surprise gifts best of all. The look on a person’s face when something great is unexpectedly received is priceless, and a gift in itself for me. Once I surprised my husband by planning a romantic getaway. I called his job to arrange time off and he was really surprised when I told him we were going away. That was fun.
I agree about giving surprises! What a lovely thing to do for you and your husband.
I love the look on someone’s face too! Anticipating that look is at least half the fun!
Anyone who knows me knows how I like my plans and lists and schedules and HATE surprises, good, bad, indifferent. Surprises = uncertainty = anxiety.
I try to be better because some surprises are nice but then I can’t get excited or happy and feel guilty because someone did something nice which leads to feeling more uncertainty and anxiety because I’m trying to manage my feelings and someone else’s feelings ….
It’s a vicious cycle. 😊
Oh, dear! We can’t help how we are, though.
There’s a lot to be said for lists and plans. A world that was full of nothing but surprises would be a difficult one indeed!
I don’t like surprises at my day job – because those are usually surprises that require work and stress. There’s a reason we have development plans, people.
But good surprises, like learning about my short story acceptances last year? Bring ’em on!
Exactly, Liz.
Acceptances are amongst my very favorite surprises of all!
I think I’m more on the giving than receiving side of surprises. I haven’t had anyone surprise me with something for years. If it was a very good surprise I would be happy, but I kind of feel the same as the author about being surprised.
I hope someone gives you a wonderful surprise of your own very soon!
I’m not big on surprises. If you want me to be spontaneous, please give me 24 hours notice. Truly great surprises are nice.
There was one year I surprised my mom on her birthday. I’d arranged with Dad that I would come up that weekend, but we didn’t tell her until I rang the doorbell. My brother and sister-in-law did that for their dads (her dad’s birthday is a couple days before my dad’s) not too long after they got married and moved to Texas. Both of those were wonderful surprises.
Surprise visits from loved ones are so lovely! I expect your mum was thrilled!