• Party ideas for a great surprise.Elizabeth Hachem/Lifesize/Getty Images
  
  Birthdays come around just once a year, so making a birthday full of surprises is usually a well-deserved event that most people would look forward to. However, as the years go by, it is difficult to find new ways to surprise that special someone. Whether you are planning a party for your little one, or for your big one, a few fun ideas for birthday surprises will make every birthday the best birthday ever.
  
  

Murder and Mayhem Party

• Murder and mayhem may seem like an unusual birthday surprise idea, but this type of party is great for the younger crowd because it allows them to dress up and be someone else for the night. Similar to Halloween, the event is decorated with spiderwebs, fluorescent lighting, and a haunted house feel. This type of party also works great as a slumber party. Don't let the birthday girl in on the surprise. When she arrives and the "surprise" has begun, you could play a game where you dress her up as a zombie bride, using toilet paper. Divide the party goers into three groups and have three volunteers, one of whom is the birthday girl. Have a contest where each group is responsible for dressing their bride in toilet paper. The group that is the most creative wins. This will also ensure that the birthday girl is dressed accordingly. Complete the evening by showing scary movies in a dark, shadowy room where all the lighting is fluorescent and covered with sheets to add shadows to the room.
  
  

Step Back in TIme Party

• This surprise party idea is planned around the year of the birthday boy's actual year of birth. For example, if your husband was born in 1960 and you are wanting to surprise him with a clever, unusual birthday party, invite all of his friends, as many as you can, dating back to when he was a little boy. Bring all the guests together in a room or building decorated with memorabilia from the year he was born. Research the year, find the trends and match your decorating accordingly. If the year was part of the hippie era, decorate with peace signs. Another idea for decorating this type of party would be to research all of the "firsts" that happened that year and try to represent each one on a different display set up at each table.
  
  

One Surprise Two Surprise

• The idea for this surprise party is to have to surprise party within a surprise party. This type of surprise party works well when keeping a surprise might be difficult. For this party, you could allow the birthday girl to know that you are planning a party, but do not tell her about everyone you are inviting. Downplay the party by mentioning that it is not going to be a very big deal and that you have only invited family. When she arrives at the party, have the family outside in the backyard, or in a back room. The outside crowd shouts surprise, which is not really a surprise, but while the birthday girl is walking toward her guests, usher in the real surprise party. Turn her around and present her with the rest of her surprise guests with a second, loud "surprise."