The coronavirus has taken many things from us—going out mindlessly, hugging your friends when you meet over for drinks, dancing and jumping up and down with strangers at a live concert and plenty of other things. These are mundane things that we all took for granted because we never thought there will come a time that we can’t do them anymore.
This is why we can’t let the pandemic take any more from us, especially something as special as birthdays. Of course, this is not an invitation to let loose and throw a party. But it also doesn’t mean you should let your or your loved ones’ birthdays pass without doing anything. With a little creativity and imagination, you can have a great time celebrating birthdays in quarantine-friendly ways. Here’s how:
1. Throw a Virtual Party
Everyone’s favourite way to communicate this pandemic has been through Zoom. But whichever video conferencing platform you choose, as long as everybody important is there, you can host a fun virtual birthday party. You can set up a specific time for when you’ll do the virtual party or you can just leave a link, leave your laptop on, and let your friends “drop by” when they’re available.
2. Send the celebrant a gift
Thanks to online shopping and gift delivery services, you don’t need to be physically present to give your family or friends something special on their birthday. Champagne delivery, cake delivery, electronic gift cards, birthday cards from Etsy—any and all of these can be ordered and paid for online then sent to the celebrant. So even if you can’t give your loved ones a hug, you can let them know you’re thinking of them on their special day.
3. Watch a movie together
Thinking of a more laid back celebration? Why not host a movie or series marathon? Thanks to Netflix’s new feature, you can watch the same movies and shows with your friends at the same time. Just install the Netflix Party extension to your laptop or computer’s Chrome browser, go to Netflix, create a party and invite your friends! There’s even a chat feature so they can greet you and talk with each other throughout the movie.
4. Do a birthday drive-by
If you’re tired of seeing your loved ones’ faces over grainy video calls, why not do a drive-by and wish them a happy birthday in person? You can deck your car with signs and balloons, honk your car’s horn (just be mindful of neighbours), sing “Happy Birthday” from your window, toss confetti, and have them catch your present to them.
5. Get glammed up
Just because you’re celebrating your birthday at home doesn’t mean you should laze around in pyjamas all day (unless that’s your jam, of course). Whether you’re expecting friends to drive by, hosting a virtual party or having a simple celebration at home, pamper yourself on your birthday by taking a luxurious bath, putting on makeup and donning something fancy. You don’t get a lot of reason to do this while staying at home, so make the most out of it on your special day.
Don’t let the pandemic get you down on your birthday. With these quarantine-friendly birthday party ideas, you can hopefully celebrate your special day in a fun way.
