When was the last time you surprised a friend, or she surprised you?

Was it a ‘big’ birthday or graduation? Was it a girlfriend gift you found taht made you think of her? Was it a surprise visit when she had no idea you were nearby? It’s the “peak-a-boo” syndrome – generally, we love being surprised, when it’s a good surprise!

Or maybe we’re more like Oprah, who has said: “I love surprising people, I don’t like being surprised.” (But have you noticed how her Producers LOVE to surprise her?!)

Today’s ‘girlfriend challenge,’ in this Month of Friendship, is to surprise a friend and make her feel as special as her friendship is to you. Here’s a few idea on ways to surprise a friend:

• “School of Thoughtfulness” – Mindy and Jen are the two fabulous friends featured in the photo above. Mindy returned home from vacation late one night. On her door step, a cooler filled with ‘breakfast’ – food for the following morning. Knowing she wouldn’t have anything to eat, her BFF Jen filled a cooler with everything needed to wake up to a great breakfast on her first day back home. (As Mindy says, she “studies at Jen’s ‘School of Thoughtfulness’” in this previous Girlfriendology blog.)
• Have a Surprise Party - Even if it’s not her birthday or an official day of celebration, throw her a party – like Jill’s friend did for her (aka: Happy Jill Day!). Any day is a great day to celebrate and surprise a friend, right? Show up where she’d least expect you. Invite other friends to join you. Make it all about her and making sure she knows how much her friendship means to you.
• Send a Surprise - Women love to receive flowers (like this bouquet of ‘friendship flowers‘), which can be an awesome surprise. Or get creative and send a box of helium balloons or a bunch of little gifts that you know she’ll love. Make your own gift basket filled with all her favorite items/products. Or send a card – or one everyday for a month. Just let her know that you’d thinking of her.

And we had some amazing girlfriend surprises shared by our Facebook friends:

• Cynthia Lee shared: One of my best friend just sent me a goodie package from Harry and David! She is the best!
• Denise added: One of my friends sent me an email telling me to go outside and look under a bush near my driveway – she had left me a little garden statue that just spoke to my heart and left me smiling for days!
• Paige offered: My dear friend in St. Lucia just sent me a monogrammed leather belt! We’ve never met in person, but I just love this girl!
• Janelle broke our hearts with this story: I found out my friend was living in her car in another state (a week until her apt was ready) I canceled my vacation plans and sent her the money for a hotel. She tried to pay it back but I won’t take it. I’m glad I was able to help her. A gift of love is just that!
• Janet shared: One of my best friends from high school just invited us to a villa in Cabo. Unfortunately I can’t go because I have a convention that week, but I was so happy that she thought of us. Means a lot to me!
• Janelle also offered: I would like to give special thanks to Deanna. I was in another state after back surgery and someone intentionally broke my cane, after seeing the trouble I was having trying to walk she gave me hers. We had just met.

Doesn’t that make you feel like surprising your BFF? What are you going to do? Share and inspire!

Days 1-23 of our Month of Friendship:

• Day 1: Throw a girlfriend dinner party
• Day 2: Girlfriend Gratitude
• Day 3: Social Media Friends
• Day 4: Make a memory gift for your girlfriend
• Day 5: Phone a Friend!
• Day 6: Plan a Girlfriend Trip
• Day 7: Pamper your Pals
• Day 8: Make a Friend Laugh
• Day 9: Start a Girlfriend Tradition
• Day 10: Go Shopping with your Girlfriends
• Day 11: Remember a friend you’ve lost, in honor of 9/11
• Day 12: Make dinner for your girlfriend
• Day 13: Send your girlfriend a card
• Day 14: Host a Girlfriend Happy Hour, GNO
• Day 15: Practice Random Acts of Kindness
• Day 16: Get a Mani/Pedi Together
• Day 17: Organize your closet with Girlfriend
• Day 18: Have a girlfriend movie or wii party
• Day 19: Go for a girlfriend walk together
• Day 20: Throw a all-about-you-girlfriend party
• Day 21: Make a girlfriend gift
• Day 22: Coffee with a girlfriend
• Day 23: Go explore with your girlfriend