Tuesday, November 14, 2006

Cross-Country Surprise


On Saturday, Nov. 4, my two brothers, my sister and I pulled off a huge surprise party for our parents. They both retired in 2006 and August saw their 45th wedding anniversary, so it was a year of milestones. Unfortuntately, Mom also had to have back surgery in the spring, so any kind of celebration was put on ice.

After many cross-country calls and countless e-mails, we four kids decided to surprise them with a fall party. They thought they were going to a birthday party for my sister's mother-in-law at her home in a nearby town in New York. When they arrived, the house was filled with family and friends, including some very long-time friends going back to high school and even grammar school. It was such a complete surprise, in fact, that they were actually confused at first as to why we were all there! "What are we celebrating?" Dad asked, genuinely unsure. I stepped forward and gave Mom a hug and a kiss and said, "We did notice that you both retired this year." It was a very successful surprise and a wonderful evening.

Gifts are always an issue at a party like this. What do you give a couple who has everything they really need, and, in fact, should probably be purging "stuff" at this point in their lives? So in our invitation we asked people to consider digging through their old photo albums and finding a picture from a significant or even just funny moment in our parents' last 45 years together [preferably a shot that they wouldn't likely have in their own albums]. And put it in a frame for them. Well, this idea worked out very well, with each new gift they opened inspiring memories and, sometimes, funny stories. At the end of the night they went home with many treasured memories framed and ready for display.

Pictured here is the cake we ordered from a very fancy-pants bakery in nearby Chappaqua. It was beautiful and divinely delicious. I'm not sure, but there might have been a little butter in it. We had food from their favorite restaurants (Chinese appetizers and Italian main course), and for dessert -- in addition to the cake -- we ordered fudge from Murdick's, a favorite treat from Martha's Vineyard summers in the 1970s and '80s, and an old friend brought cannoli from the Bronx. The real deal. It was, perhaps, an odd menu, but one that was highly personal and reflected their past 45 years together.

All in all, the party was a great success. Our parents have given so much to us over the years, it felt good to plan something that let them know how important they are to us.

7 Comments:

At 2:40 PM, Blogger lryicsgrl said...

Heartwarming.....you've good parents, and so, they are blessed with great kids!!!

You were so close to me....and I was just in Armonk, last week....

East Coast food, is the best. You've got to admit that, our bagels, Pizza and bakery goods are better than, oh, EVERYWHERE!!!!

-Sue

 
At 3:46 PM, Blogger Chris Capp said...

Armonk is SO close! My parents live in Pleasantville.

Funny you should mention the food. I had a bagel the morning of the party from a little shop in Hastings and I thought I had died and gone to heaven! Most bagels out here in L.A. are mushy and just not the same. And to have some Bronx cannoli was better than heaven!

Thanks for visiting!

 
At 10:28 PM, Blogger ginab said...

Okay...Chris, you and your sibs are dynamos!

Seems like it was a precious evening, filled with love and memories.

Italian is the only way! And fudge! yikes.

Cakes need butter. I forgot a cup of sugar (any sugar) for one of the two loaves of (gulp) cranberry bread I baked this evening for the office thanks-shindig tomorrow. I figure I can indeed handle the unsweetened loaf, when I bring it home whole.

But enough of me. Cheers to you, to 45 years, to acknowledgement ... to love.

-ginab

 
At 7:46 AM, Blogger ginab said...

There's something odd--to interrupt--about the expressions in the background in the pics below. So serious, as in "on duty", in a big way. worriesome.

 
At 8:22 AM, Blogger E.L. Wisty said...

Hi there Chris!

Yes, it must be the butter, an essential ingredient in baking. Replace butter with bakeable margarine (sp?) and it's not the same.

This is such a wonderful thing to do for your parents (who, by the sound of it, certainly deserve it). And you couldn't have come up with a more perfect idea for gifts. For your parents what counts is the love and affection, and these gifts were filled with them.

Maria

 
At 10:10 AM, Blogger Chris Capp said...

ginab,
I believe the heavy faces in the background behind Pete are security and press -- in either case, they're "on the job," and certainly can't crack a smile or very bad things would happen. Not a pretty backdrop, though!

e.l.,
So nice to see you here! I have discovered over time that certain tones don't work in print, and sarcasm is one of them. I was using a heavy dollop of it on the "butter" comment. The cake was clearly dripping in butter and buttercream and that's why it was so yummy! Yes, margarine will not do!

 
At 6:38 AM, Blogger Bri said...

Hi Chris, Rachel blogger Brina here! I just love this post and photo about your parents. You are very lucky to have them.

Mine died in 2000 and 2001, respectively, and while they are still "with" me in many ways, I miss the chance to sit with my Mom and laugh, or to talk with my Dad on the phone (he would correct my grammar, being a copy editor his whole life!).

It sounds like you truly surprised your parents with this party. Cool!

Brina

 

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