Ten Ways to Keep a SURPRISE a Secret!

If you are reading this, a secret must be ringing in your ears loud enough to prompt a click!

Hey, me too.

As much fun as surprises are, I really really struggle to keep them. Especially when they are huge and with someone you love and/or spend a lot of time around! To my dear husband, this is where you stop reading. Please, thanks. (:

The first issue is the definition of surprise:

Unexpected event, or the feeling caused when something unexpected happens

It is the word “unexpected” that clashes with my way of living. I’m really not great at unexpected. I have found most people aren’t! As a dreamer and a planner, I don’t like spending time planning for a big event when I can’t have input from the other person. I would love to sit and daydream about the object of a surprise together with that person. But I must wait, I must persevere because this is a big one.

Here are some quick tips that I have found useful for keeping the lips sealed and the surprise alive:

Stay far away from the person. Avoid contact the best you can so that you do not have to think about the surprise or act suspicious. Now, I live with my husband and this isn’t easy but I have encouraged him to play more video games (two gifts in one, amiright?) and I have made extra excuses for time spent crafting. He does not try and engage my attention while I am creating (not sure which outburst taught him that), so I have a safe zone when I need it.
Convince the individual you are surprising that their gift is something completely different. My husband thinks he is getting another pair of his favorite work pants: I have been dropping heavy hints asking his size, color preference, etc. for a few weeks. The trick is to then convince yourself that you are getting them that fake gift. He isn’t getting work pants, but we are both currently pretending that.
Do not, and I repeat DO NOT get caught day dreaming. Multiple times, I have just been stream of consciousness thinking about my surprise and I have almost blurted out in excitement. It is important to shut the day dreaming off when you are around them CONSTANT VIGILANCE to avoid sharing your excited thoughts out loud.
Have an action plan in place. For my specific surprise, I have rehearsed the phrase ‘oh, I am sorry, no! I was asking how fun you think that would be if we could do that someday!’. You might get a funny look, but your response time here is crucial. Be prepared to CYA (industry term for cover your a$$) in a moment’s notice with confidence.
Use your weaknesses to your advantage. I get super giggly when I am guilty. Hubby knows this and I know this. So, every time I sneak or pry without bursting into giggles is a huge success. He won’t think twice. On the other hand, I throw in some extra giggles or smirks when he talks about new pants (initiate tip #2) or anything else I notice he is hinting at. If done correctly, your surpris-ee should think they are getting like thirty gifts for Christmas and be totally lost.
Talk in your sleep? I do. This is risky business and totally out of your control. Refer to tip #4 and use the same excuse in the morning. ‘Oh dear, I was talking about ___?? That is so wild. I must really to do that someday! How great would that be?!’. Throwing in some extra hype never hurt anyone, as long as you can keep it casual. Don’t talk in your sleep? Lucky bastard….
Go FBI crazy on your accounts. Your phone and other electronics should be on LOCK DOWN. Share a bank account? Use cash or that ‘in case of emergencies’ account they don’t know about (stop judging me, you have one too) so that your purchases can’t be tracked. Worried about email leaks? The government is. Watch your account and snipe those emails out of the interwebs before they even hit your inbox. Expecting a package? Maybe it is worth a sick day at home if you can tell what day the item will be delivered. Lord knows you need a break anyway. (;
If you can’t intercept a package or emails, ask a wonderful person in your life to use their email with the purchase or send the gift to their house to be picked up. My hubby is super chill about ‘hey babe, don’t touch or look at anything arriving at our home for six weeks’, but not all people have that self control!
This is very low on the list of recommendations, but if desperation strikes and you need an ‘eject’ button, pick an easy fight. Immediate derailment of the conversation. Be really apologetic and don’t push it too far. Pick something you have gotten to the point of laughing about, not the tear jerker from last week. Remember, value of relationship>>>value of surprise.
Tell literally every other trustworthy person in your life. Stay sane and keep cool by sharing the excitement and joy you have with others. People loveee to help keep secretes, and my friends crave what little gossip I have in my life. I have called friends from coast to coast to vent some excitement. His parents know. My parents know. Most of the siblings know. His friends know.

Just. Not. Him.

Until Sunday, that is all I need to worry about. Besides hiding my screens and whispering on the phone to friends, I haven’t done anything too dodgy yet. I have four more days until I can share, and I am so excited. Enjoy this time. And enjoy those precious moments when the surprise is revealed and you are able to make your someone special very, very happy!

<3 Drifted Way

PS: Stay tuned for the big reveal next week!