Oh Dear...

brummytom

I'm in an absurd pickle...

It's my mom and dad's 25th Wedding Anniversary next year. Dad told me in August he was organising a surprise party for it, but swore me to secrecy. He's booked the venue, the entertainment (a singer/fiddle player we saw on holiday that mom loved), and he's organising the buffet and inviting people this week.
He's invited a cousin of his from Boston, US. A lovely woman, we've stayed with her twice in the past two years, so we're returning the favour.

Mom's found out this person's coming over next year. She said yesterday;

"Seeing as Marie's over around the time of our anniversary; I've decided we're going to have a party for it. Don't tell your dad though, I want it to be a surprise".


What do I do?! Both of my parents are booking surprise parties for each other on the same day at different places, and both have told me to keep schtum.

petes

Which one do you love most?

racso1975

classic!! let this situation play out and then you will find out which one of them is more popular!!! then you can slag the other sado for ages.

Plus how feckin organised are your family plannin for next year

FearDark

Thats a toughie..

I cant come up with anthing thats helpful, I suppose bumping one of them off is out of the question?

phill106

organise the tv rights and syndicate the results!

Fizman

Stay silent.

See who can throw the best party. Quickly assess both on the day, and invite all the people at the sh1tter one over to the more awesome one. Problem solved.

brummytom

FearDark wrote: »

Thats a toughie..

I cant come up with anthing thats helpful, I suppose bumping one of them off is out of the question?

So part anniversary, part wake?
I like it

TheZohanS

brummytom wrote: »

What do I do?! Both of my parents are booking surprise parties for each other on the same day at different places, and both have told me to keep schtum.

Say nothing, throw a party for yourself and your mates in the venue that they don't use.

Make sure they both put down a substantial deposit for a free bar.

Beruthiel

brummytom wrote: »

What do I do?! Both of my parents are booking surprise parties for each other on the same day at different places, and both have told me to keep schtum.

LOL.

Well, speaking as a parent, I'm afraid you are just going to have to tell your Da what she's up to and let him make the next move....

Or,

You tell her that your Da is already organising something and she had better act surprised!

Yours helpfully....
B

Fizman

brummytom wrote: »

So part anniversary, part wake?
I like it

Oh you're a good son.

A real keeper!

wudangclan

sounds like your dads' plans are well underway and he may have forked out some dosh,so i'd tell your mam and make sure she acts surprised.

AnonoBoy

Tell your Ma.

Ma's are always the best to tell in these situations.

Women are much better at faking. :cool:



















Surprise. They're better at faking surprise.

Jeez! :rolleyes:

Schism

I think you've slipped out of reality and into a 90's sitcom

brummytom

Schism wrote: »

I think you've slipped out of reality and into a 90's sitcom

OK, I've just realised this does sound like an episode of Friends, a little bit.

But I swear on my scrotum it's true. I'm suppose gonna have to tell one of them.

there's gonna be alot of confused people when they're getting invites from both parents for seperate events.. defo tell the dad, it's less effort for lads if they just let the womens do the planning.

Micilin Muc

brummytom wrote: »

I'm in an absurd pickle...

It's my mom and dad's 25th Wedding Anniversary next year. Dad told me in August he was organising a surprise party for it, but swore me to secrecy. He's booked the venue, the entertainment (a singer/fiddle player we saw on holiday that mom loved), and he's organising the buffet and inviting people this week.
He's invited a cousin of his from Boston, US. A lovely woman, we've stayed with her twice in the past two years, so we're returning the favour.

Mom's found out this person's coming over next year. She said yesterday;

"Seeing as Marie's over around the time of our anniversary; I've decided we're going to have a party for it. Don't tell your dad though, I want it to be a surprise".


What do I do?! Both of my parents are booking surprise parties for each other on the same day at different places, and both have told me to keep schtum.

I don't think there's anything you can do that will have them both surprised on the same night!

Maybe you could tell one of your parents that it won't be a good idea and instead to organise a surprise birthday party for the other. That way they both get to surprise each other.

inforfun

Maybe act a bit disapointed and tell your mom you are already organising one for them..?

Or are you not that kind of son that would ever organise something like that?

4zn76tysfajdxp

brummytom wrote: »

But I swear on my scrotum it's true. I'm suppose gonna have to tell one of them.

Nah, you've already told us. I think that's enough tellin' for one day, don't you? Leave it until the day after their anniversary or whatever.

chillywilly

id say tell yore ma, as someone else said it seems yore da has put alot of effort into it!

ShooterSF

There are two obvious options here and which you choose is up to you but don't leave it to chance. Do one or the other.
Of course if you are going down the first choice you are going to need a vile of both parents blood and the clone-o-matic 3000. Get the 3000 as it allows you to set an expiry date for the clones which the 2000 doesn't, making life a lot less messy.
Of course you can also go down the look-a-like robot technique if you don't think you have access to blood but remember you will need a recording of your folks voices and some photos for Robo-Twin Corp. to use. Also splash out the extra €20 for the "Don't try and pretend to be the real person if the loved one discovers there are now two of you and pulls a gun on both of you but can't decide" chip. It's worth it.
Best of luck with it OP.

AnonoBoy

inforfun wrote: »

Maybe act a bit disapointed and tell your mom you are already organising one for them..?

Or are you not that kind of son that would ever organise something like that?

No tell both of them you're organising something for them and let them both cancel their plans.

Then on the big night...... SURPRISE!!!! Nothing's happening at all!

brummytom

Well I don't know what to do :P

I'm off out now people - mates house, party tonight

BRING ON THE STRUMPETS

Cianos

I blame the cousin. Since you stayed with her twice, she's obviously plotting to get two parties in while she's over.

iguana

Can you talk your mother into doing something else? Is there anyway you could convince her that a party would not be the best thing to do with your relative visiting? Then convince your mum to plan something else, maybe booking a surprise trip away the weekend after your relative leaves?

If you can't do that you will have to let her know what's happening as your dad is further along with his plans.

quickylicky

Try and persuade your mam to have her party in the same place your dad has organised to have his( Dont tell her he has it organised). tell the place to go along with it. then itll be a huge PARTY!!AND EVERYONE WILL BE IN THE SAME PLACE!!!!:D

Sharpshooter

iguana wrote: »

Can you talk your mother into doing something else? Is there anyway you could convince her that a party would not be the best thing to do with your relative visiting? Then convince your mum to plan something else, maybe booking a surprise trip away the weekend after your relative leaves?

If you can't do that you will have to let her know what's happening as your dad is further along with his plans.

Great idea, I'll bet the weekend away would go down a treat.
Tom try to get your mum to change her mind.

javaboy

Fizman wrote: »

Oh you're a good son.

A real keeper!

He'd better be at this stage. Finding a doctor willing to do a 70th trimester abortion is fierce tricky these days.

4zn76tysfajdxp

Sharpshooter wrote: »

Tom try to get your mum to change her mind.

Using whatever means necessary.

AnonoBoy

javaboy wrote: »

He'd better be at this stage. Finding a doctor willing to do a 70th trimester abortion is fierce tricky these days.

jester77

You should rent out a video conferencing system for the night, and that would be your present to them. You will probably also have to organise a third party so that you are not seen as taking sides and you can do a 3-way link-up.

dr.bollocko

javaboy wrote: »

He'd better be at this stage. Finding a doctor willing to do a 70th trimester abortion is fierce tricky these days.

Can somebody please find me a scalpel and some rubbing alcohol.
If you can only find the rubbing alcohol I'll still do it.

Novella

Jesus, don't tell your mother! She's a wimm, you never know how they're gonna react!

irisheddie85

get on to your cousin and get her to let it slip to one of them that there is a party planned that way its not your fault just the stupid yanks

segaBOY

Get onto your cousin. Tell her the situation and ask her to pretend to your Mother that something has come up and she can only make it over to the UK a few weeks later than planned.

Then your mother calls off the party, your cousin still shows up for your Dad's party however and SUPRISE you will have a new younger brother/sister in 9 months time.

orestes

I think this happened on Saved by the Bell once. What would Zack do?

Capt'n Midnight

Ok you're dad's already booked the party.

Simply tell yore ma that you'll organise her party for her.
Pretend to be really helpful and milk it for all it's worth while you can.

AnonoBoy

orestes wrote: »

I think this happened on Saved by the Bell once. What would Zack do?

He'd start with a Time Out anyway and then go from there. Maybe ask Slater for advice.

javaboy

orestes wrote: »

I think this happened on Saved by the Bell once. What would Zack do?

Kelly Kapowski.

Jesus Juice

ZOMG THIS IS TOTALLY LIKE THE PARENT TRAP OR SOMETHING LOL!!

But seriously just organise a 3rd party and tell everyone except your two parents thus making them both feel unloved while everyone hates them cause they don't turn up to their own Anniversary party.
You are trying to ruin their life,that is what your going for isnt it?

The_B_Man

i havent read this thread, but come straight here to reply.

DO NOT TELL YOUR MOTHER.

you're only young but blokes dont give a fook about surprises. tell ur da, then he can re-arrange to move everything secretly to ur mothers plans, then slyly add a few extra bits on top.

men dont care about anniversaries. thats a girl thing, so best is to accomodate ur mother. try make it best for her. so let her follow thru with her plans, and give her the satisfaction of doin something fancy, but then make the night more special by whatever means.

this also means that if ur da has to act surprise, someone has to take responsibility for adding this extra "icing on the cake", so as i said, ur da has to act innocent, this means u can pretend u organised it and take the credit off ur father!!






...............eh, you're welcome!!!!!

Little Acorn

Go with your dad,he asked you first.
Try to get in contact with the people your mum wants to invite to party,and as they will already have got invitations to your dad's surprise party,tell them to make some excuses to your mum.
Just as your mum is beginning to think she's unpopular,she will have the nicest surprise ever,when she realises that there was a surprise party being planned for her,and that she has a husband,family and friends that love her very much and wanted to surprise her.

BlitzKrieg

dont tell either.

Instead offer to organise the event for your mum, if you have siblings get them in to argue the logic with you. *That you etc will organise the event for both of them so it can be a surprise of sorts for her as well (its the anniversary for both of them).* Make sure though that she gives you a list of people she would invite.

Then go see your dad and learn all you can about the event he has organised just because he is ahead of your mum by a month so he might have already booked.

Now the next part depends on how much you care about your parents anniversary, depending how far along your father is in arranging things try and get him to hand over some of the jobs to you.

The one you want most is the invitations because that means you can leave your father to arrange the practicals (venue drinks etc) without worry but you will be able to ensure that those your father invited and those your mum invited will both be invited and you now have the completed list.

Next remember the broken hose, red balloon and piece of string you picked up near the beginning of the game, take them out of inventory and combine them together, then stick the letter inside the hose. you will have created a makeshift floating envelope for the invitations, go outside the house and use it with the carrier pigeon in the tree, he will grab the string when the balloon floats by him and deliver the invitations to the post office.

After which you will have completed act II of the game.

phasers

Giz your ma's number Tom, I'll tell her for you

dr.bollocko

It seems clear that your parents are deliberately testing you in order that you might become a man. Get yer ma to organise her party a day after your da. Then rate them both out of 10 and kick the losing one out of the house.

The_B_Man

pain in the arse!! now you'll have to hire a male AND female stripper!!

Joey the lips

Tell your ma your girlfriend is pregnant. She will be that worried he will divert all his money into a wedding/house,

Then talk to the girlfriend:eek:

stovelid

Unfortunately, it's not got the making of a 70s sitcom fully in place just yet.

Can you get a Vicar involved?

And can a person fit through their bathroom window?

hullaballoo

Given that brummytom's the only person who thanks my worthless posts, I'll impart this advice from my considerable years of experience:

When things like this happen, there's always a right and a wrong way to do things. The wrong way inevitably results in everyone blaming you for ruining what should have been a great family occasion. The right way results in more presents.

What I would do is:
1. forget a problem ever existed and get distracted by something on boards/other website;

2. as the time for the occasion draws closer, get a niggling feeling that there's something you should be doing;

3. Somewhere between a week and two days beforehand, my mother/father remind me what it is I should be doing;

4. Forget there's something I should be doing;

5. Get drunk... remember... go to both events and try and score your mother's best friend (again).

Note: THIS IS THE WRONG WAY OF DOING THINGS.

What you should do:

1. Don't mention this to your mother, because if she has to fake it, you're not going to be able to think of anything except, "that's how I'm here now". Don't tell your father to go along with her plans because he cannot fake things. Again, this will poison your thoughts for the night;

2. Suggest to your mother that she keeps the night in question for the two of them and that she postpone her party idea for a week. She'll agree that it's far more romantic to let their anniversary be just the two of them. (Bonus points for Tom.);

3. Ring all the mutual friends of theirs you can find and tell them what's going on. That way, when she invites them, they can accept in the full knowledge that they're really going to be surprising her a week earlier, negating the need to go to the next weekend's celebrations;

4. When steps 2 and 3 are completed, tell your father about it. This will make him feel manly for two reason: (i) he's got one up on his wife and (ii) he's raised a clever son. (Bonus points for Tom.);

5. Watch as your plan slots into place - your dad gets to surprise your mother and your mother thinks he's the bomb for organising everything. He'll take the credit for a few days until, guilt-racked, he confesses that it was all your doing. You have now impressed both parents;

6. You get more/bigger presents.

Nettie

Ohhhh, I really do feel sorry for you! Tricky situation.

Why not tell the person who's coming over to ''cancel'' the visit. You'll know she's coming over and so will your dad though. Your mam won't.

Then your mam won't want to have the party anymore. And even if she still wants one then just convince her not to.

Let your dad throw one. He's done more organising so far.

Hope everything works out well!

smk89

tell your ma that youve booked the same place your da has booked and watch as both parents pimp the venue making the party twice as good.

?????? tape the event and send to mtv

profit

Novella

Tell both of your parents that the other is planning a party.

Hence they will both stop.

Hence there will be no party at all.

Hence they will both be surprised!

Perfect!