Graduation season is upon us, and if you haven’t gotten roughly the equivalent of your paper mail for a year in graduation party invitations then don’t worry, there’s still time. The spring is a wonderful time to celebrate and graduation parties are a unique combination of acknowledging accomplishments, saying goodbye, and a whole bunch of fun. With all of the craziness at this time of year, how do you manage to throw your young graduate a shindig without their knowledge?

Surprises Are The Best

Honestly and truly, surprise parties are the best. What better gift to give to the person who has it all? Surprise graduation parties in particular are tough to pull off, but with the right planning and A-team, it can happen without a hitch. Regardless of how it all goes down, a surprise party as a final send off is likely to be something your graduate won’t soon forget.

Here are a few tips and tricks to get your mind in the right place:

• Sometimes the graduate can get suspicious, so you can always maintain appearances by making them think they are attending a party for someone else.
• The “everyone hide behind the couch!” gag is a bit outdated. Think of new ways to frame your ambush.
• Come up with an excuse so your graduate is properly prepared. The “going to the movies” outfit she wore that day might not be glamorous enough for her party, and she’s the last person who should be made to feel out of place there.
• Only tell people on a need-to-know basis to avoid someone spilling the beans.

Use The Craziness To Your Advantage

Senior year is completely wild. There are college applications to fill out, sport events to attend, dances to go to, and homework to complete every now and again. Use all of the insanity to your advantage.

There should be nights when your young graduate is out frolicking with friends, so use those moments to having planning sessions, scope out venues, and even put together do-it-yourself party decor. Her life is a busy one so plan strategically about when you can make things happen for this party and when you cannot.

It’s probably pretty hard to get your teenager’s attention at this stage in the game, but that doesn’t mean you should be lax about keeping things under wraps. Ask a friend if you can store decorations in their garage and limit party conversations to times you know that she won’t be home. After all, you never know when someone is going to sneak out of bed at 2am for a bite of ice cream.

Don’t Host The Party At Home

This is a tough one to stay on top of, but when it comes down to party time, you’ll be glad that you heeded this advice. Teenagers may be moody, but boy are they smart. If they start seeing you sneak off to the garage to check your headlights, they are going to be curious as to what you are really doing out there. Having a surprise party at home makes it hard for the host to prep properly and could be dangerous, especially on party day if the graduate isn’t being her normal, sunshiny, cooperative self.

Recruit Help

We’re not just talking about your spouse here. As much as you don’t want to admit it, you aren’t 18 anymore and things have changed. (Gasp!) I know, but it’s true. You may think that a nice barbecue lunch is just the thing for a graduation party, but once you’ve spoken with your graduate’s comrades, you may discover that she hasn’t eaten meat in over three months. Nothing short of a make your own sushi bar will do.

In addition to getting down with the cool kids, you might need the help of your graduate’s closest friends to pull this whole charade off. They can help you plan and set up in a way that matches her style, but more importantly, they’re participation will be integral in ensuring that the word gets out to the right people without becoming a meme on Facebook or a trending hashtag on Twitter.

Time To Get This Graduation Party Started

This is a special time in a young person’s life, there’s no doubt. Planning a surprise for a graduation party is an epic send off, and if you think you’ve got what it takes to make it happen, go for it. (Outsmarting a teenager is going to be harder than you think.)

It’s going to be exhausting. It’s going to be stressful. It’s going to be an insane undertaking. At the end of the day, however, that look of joy on your graduate’s face will make it all worth it. The sense of accomplishment you’ll feel will pale in comparison to the happiness you get from making her happy.