A surprise planned lovingly still needs to suit the person expected to experience it.

Care and fit are separate things, and care is the easier of the two to see. A surprise is designed inside one head, and if it never checks itself against the other person’s temperament it can hand them a room full of attention they never wanted. The affection is real and can still be aimed past its target, and being loved in a way that does not fit you is a quiet kind of loneliness.

Before arranging anything for someone, picture their face during it rather than at the reveal. When in doubt, ask a general question early, since a little less surprise usually buys a lot more pleasure.