Surprise parties — wonderful gesture, or a recipe for disaster? Where do you stand?

A natural way to answer

I think it depends entirely on the person. Some people genuinely love being the centre of a surprise, while others find it overwhelming. If you know someone well enough to be sure they'll enjoy it, it's a lovely gesture. If you're taking a gamble, I'd think twice.

Key phrases to use

• go wrong — to develop problems or fail to happen as intended“So many things can go wrong with a surprise.”
• lets the cat out of the bag — to reveal a secret by accident“He let the cat out of the bag about the party.”
• hit and miss — sometimes successful and sometimes not; unreliable“Surprise parties are a bit hit and miss.”
• taking a gamble — to do something risky in the hope it works out“Planning it in secret is taking a gamble.”
• fall flat — to fail to have the intended effect; to disappoint“The big reveal completely fell flat.”
• creeping around — to move or act secretly and quietly to avoid being noticed“We spent weeks creeping around organising it.”
• blowing up in your face — to go badly wrong in a sudden, embarrassing way“The plan blew up in our faces.”