My grandma’s sixty-eighth birthday is next week and I’m in the midst of planning a surprise party for her. No one has ever had a surprise party for her, so I’m sure she’ll be thrilled. I’m inviting as many of her church friends as mom and I can remember, and, of course, the family will be there.
I’ve never done anything like this before, and I’m nevous. The food isn’t a problem. I’m going to do a buffet-style spread with maybe a hot dish or two and various finger-foods.
But I’d like to think of some ways to entertain the guests. What has worked for you guys?
No, ask the people at the party about what your Grandma enjoys.
Rent, buy, or borrow a video camera and walk around interviewing everyone there. Ask people to think about it in advance and come up with funny or heartwarming stories about her or involving her. Assign each grandchild to recite one thing they’ve learned from her. Get it all on tape. People will enjoy listening to all the stories, and everyone will be entertained by the fellowship and sharing. Maybe you can get someone to bring some music she likes and have that playing in the background.
End of the party, pop out the tape: there’s a gift she’ll cherish for the rest of her days. Or you could, ask people to e-mail you photos that you can put in a slideshow, or print out on nice paper, or even have developed at a photo place. Ask people to write their memories down and send them to you and put together a little book for her.
Find ways to involve the invitees to do a sort of this is your life thing. Now you don’t have to play stupid parlor games. Also, I’d strongly suggest potluck and you supply the plates and utensils and drinks or something.
In my experience, the best entertainment for grown-up parties is just to let people sit around and talk to each other. Games, etc., are ok if you have a bunch of people who don’t know each other, but if you’re inviting the crew of church friends, just let them hang around and gab with each other and your grandmother. Normally I would suggest background music, but if there are a signficant number of hearing problems among the guests, I’d leave that out.
Oh, and for an elderly person, I wouldn’t try to do a very dramatic jump-out-and-yell-surprise thing, at least not without express permission from her cardiologist.
Actually, my mom wanted to get her a stripper as a joke. We all vetoed that idea quickly.
My grandmother is sweet and ladylike, down-to-earth with a good sense of humor. Most of the guests are going to be over forty years old. I really don’t know how to describe them than “ordinary folks.” Well, think of a room full of mom-and-dad types.
I wouldn’t want the entertainment to be raunchy or loud-- I don’t think those would be appropriate. They’re not a dancing kind of bunch, nor do I think they’d particularly enjoy board games. (Though I will have some out for the little kids.)
She’s healthier than I am, and I do not exaggerate. The lady runs circles around people a quarter of her age.
I’ve told her I’m taking her out for a late lunch on her birthday. Once everyone arrives, I’m going to call her and say I’m having car trouble, could she please come and pick me up? When she arrives, I’ll ask her to come in for a minute because I’m having trouble with my sewing machine. Everyone will be waiting in the living room.
When I was a little girl, I asked her how old she was. Tongue-in-cheek, she told me she was “plenty-nine.” I misheard and told everyone for a long time that my grandma was twenty-nine. (Raising a few eyebrows, I’m sure!) So, I’m having a banner made: “Happy Plenty-Ninth Birthday!”
I thought about doing a “Grandma Trivia” game with the prize being the flower arrangement decorations, but was stumped on what questions most of the guests would be able to answer. Secondly, she’s a lady who’s had a lot of grief in her life (three of her children died as adults) so I was afraid that trivia about her might bring up painful memories.
We’re doing this this weekend for my grandmother who is turning 85 (and trying to figure out how to not give her a heart attack when she realizes all of her grandkids are there and all but one of us had to fly in so this is a Big Thing!) and I don’t know of any planned activities besides eating. It’ll be a potluck.
The best part of this is that she’s been dropping hints that a big party for her 90th would be cool. (We are a long-lived bunch.) The look on her face is going to be priceless!
I think the stripper idea is priceless, but you have to get some of her male friends to volunteer…and of course, not do the “full monty” but at least shock her as they come out from the next room and do a bit of a bump and grind and strip down to gym trunks and t-shirts that say Happy Plenty Nine! I think the roar of the crowd will get the party in full swing.
And forget entertainment…the din of the conversation will be so loud, you will need bagpipes to be heard over that noise.
You might get a kid’s choir, or the church choir, or some local soloist to sing maybe one favorite song of hers, and then lead the group in Happy Birthday.
We got a picture from our Grammie’s oldest brother of her age 15, blew it up and colorized it to portrait size… She giggled when she saw it for the rest of the day.
Encouraging people to bring pictures from past events with Grandma could be good both as a present for her to take home, and as entertainment. It is kind of fun to look at old pictures and say “That’s what you looked like twenty years ago” (or more as appropriate).
I’m putting out a book for guests to sign, and asking them to put down a reason why they love her and one happy/silly memory of her. After the party, I’m going to print out the digital photos I’m taking, and paste them in the book. I think it will be a good way to commemorate the party, as well as something she can always cherish.
My gift to her is a coupon book I’m making: “Good for One Free Lunch at Resturant of Your Choice.” “Good for One Free Day of Housework.” and etc.
Mom is putting together a large photo board of pictures of her down through the years which is going to be prominently displayed in the living room, as well as framed photos of her as a kid on the tables.
