My husband is going to be celebrating a major birthday soon.  I would like to commemorate this special event by having a surprise birthday party for him. A quiet, reserved man, he certainly would not enjoy a large affair. The guest list will remain limited…our immediate family and a few of our closest friends.  Because my birthday boy has everything he could possibly need and since he would be extremely embarrassed by opening gifts, I have asked everyone to bring a funny card for him and, if they want, to make a donation to their favorite charity in honor of him.

I plan to host this surprise birthday party at our home.  We have a spacious back yard which is ideal for entertaining.  There is plenty of room for our folks and siblings to sit comfortably on the patio, as well as a nice lawn for the younger children to cavort. Decorations will consist of strings of colored patio lights, which will also light up the area nicely.  Easy-listening music will be played on our outdoor CD player to create an ambience of serenity.

In the past, finding suitable birthday refreshments has been a challenge because my husband is not a lover of cake.  I have substituted with various treats like pudding cups, chocolate chip cookies, and candy bars.  Since this birthday has such significance, I have chosen an almost sinful turtle cheesecake to take the place of the traditional birthday cake.  The crunchy, salted pecans and rich chocolate and caramel swirls which drizzle over the creamy cheesecake will be a treat my husband will find scrumptious.  It’s a delicious alternative that will satisfy all of our guests’ cravings.

Flash forward:  With all of the planning of this surprise birthday party accomplished, the day of this celebration finally arrived.  Mother Nature provided a gorgeous evening.  Our parents, siblings, children and friends were in our back yard, waiting to shout the customary “Surprise!”, as I led my husband outdoors to enjoy the delightful weather.  Cards were opened, read, laughed at, and passed around for all to enjoy.  “Happy Birthday” was sung as I presented the turtle cheesecake, complete with a few lit candles, to my husband.  As I predicted, my husband and our party guests thoroughly enjoyed this birthday cake substitute.

It was an evening of quiet, comfortable pleasure; full of stimulating conversation, light-hearted jokes, and treasured fellowship of close friends and family…exactly the kind of celebration that my husband appreciates.

When the party ended and everyone had gone home, my dear husband thanked me profusely (and I think sincerely) for having the kind of party he truly appreciated.  I asked him if he had any suspicion about this surprise.  He replied, “I kind of suspected something was going to happen”.  At least the exceptional turtle cheesecake was a surprise!

Technorati Tags: birthday party, turtle cheese cake, turtle cheesecake