23rd Surprise Birthday Bash

Time flies, and here I am, having turned 23 earlier this month. Honestly, I wasn’t too excited at first—after all, age is just a number, right? But after the rollercoaster of a year my family and I have been through, I wasn’t expecting anything extravagant. Life’s been a blend of emotional highs, career changes, new friendships, breakups, and patch-ups. It’s been a lot. But despite it all, my family somehow managed to pull off the ultimate surprise—a birthday bash I’ll never forget.

So here’s the scoop on how they completely caught me off guard and made this day nothing short of epic.

The Setup

It all started as a seemingly normal Saturday. I had a couple of appointments lined up—my monthly facial and fat-freezing treatment (don’t ask, it was sponsored, okay?). Breakfast was the usual at home, no hints of anything brewing. Little did I know that behind the scenes, a whirlwind of activity was underway to pull off this surprise.

Originally, my family planned for a staycation at M Hotel’s M Loft, but the space was too small to host the celebration. Panic ensued, but with quick thinking, they secured a massive Grand Room at Swissotel Stamford Singapore, with stunning views of the city and not one, but two balconies. The stage was set for something big.

While I was blissfully unaware during my 200-minute treatment, my family was in full-on party prep mode—blowing up balloons, fetching the cake, coordinating the guests. It was all hands on deck to make sure everything was perfect by the time I arrived.

The Big Reveal

After my appointment, I met up with my sister for what I thought was a casual dinner. Still oblivious, I was blindfolded and taken on a bizarre walk around Raffles City, all part of the plan to throw me off. I know Raffles City like the back of my hand, but even I got completely lost as she led me in circles. Finally, we took an elevator up, and when the blindfold came off—BOOM—there they were, all my favorite people, waiting to celebrate with me.

Cue the Kesha moment: “The party don’t start till I walk in.” And just like that, the bash kicked off!

The Dream Team

A huge shout-out to my amazing family for orchestrating this surprise. Mom, Dad, Zahir, Arini, Adilah, and Zahirah—you guys nailed it. I’m usually impossible to surprise, but you all managed to do it, and I’m beyond grateful. Special thanks to Aunt Kalsom and her daughter, who were also behind the scenes, making it all happen. The gifts, the yellow box (you know me too well)—everything was perfect.

To my relatives—Apah & Mama Hussien, Mami Ain & Mama Adam, Aunt Zarina and her whole crew—your presence meant the world. Thank you for being there and for the well wishes.

My girls—Yasmin, Azmira, Amalin, Zuhairah—thanks for showing up even with your busy schedules. Your presence (and Krispy Kreme!) made everything sweeter. Special thanks to Yasmin for the earlier gift!

To the boys—Zulfadli, Shahnizam, Hafiz (on Google Hangout)—you arrived fashionably late, but it wouldn’t have been the same without you. Thanks for the white box and for taking time out of your hectic schedules to be part of the day.

47 Floors Up – The Celebration

We celebrated 47 floors up, with sweeping views of the city and so much love in the room. The day was extra special as we also celebrated my sister and my parents’ anniversary alongside my birthday. It was one of those moments where you realize just how blessed you are to have such a supportive and caring circle.

And yes, I woke up the next morning feeling all kinds of gratitude. #iwokeuplikethis #blessed #allmessedup

To wrap it all up, I want to say a huge thank you to everyone who made my 23rd birthday legendary. I couldn’t have asked for a better celebration. Now, onwards to more memories, more drama (hopefully the good kind), and more surprises in the year ahead.

With lots of love,
XXAA