How to enjoy a quarantine birthday
A guide to safely celebrating your birthday.
The COVID-19 pandemic has already taken numerous holidays and celebrations from us, but there is no reason we can’t find a way to enjoy our birthdays while staying safe and healthy. Through these past several months we have grown and adapted to these new constraints giving us new ways to connect with friends and family, even if they are from out of town.
While it is disappointing to be unable to have friends or family with you in person for your birthday, there are still plenty of ways to celebrate with those we love.
Hold a watch party
Many streaming services, such as Disney+, have an option where you can have a watch party or group watch TV shows and movies. This is a great way to try to maintain at least some normalcy while being safe during this time. It may not be much, but it is better than sitting alone on your special day.
Baking
What’s a birthday without a cake? While some usually go buy a cake, why not bake one or have a baking party? You could call up some friends and make a digital day out of it. Whether you make your own sort of ‘cake boss’ event or you just bake with friends at a safe distance. Baking is like bonding with friends, just with a little more sprinkles.
Birthday Parade
Something that has become super popular during these COVID times is a birthday caravan. Ideally, this would be a surprise for a friend’s birthday. That way, you can arrange with family and friends of the birthday person. Once you show up and drive past their house, they are sure to be surprised. To add even more festivity, decorate your cars!
Picnic Party
While this one is much trickier here in Washington, especially during winter, it is still doable. If you find yourself stuck on a rainy or gloomy day, one way to tweak it a bit and stay warm is to socially distance your cars and have a trunk picnic. That way, everyone is distanced enough from each other and equally protected from the cold.
Another way to have a winter picnic party is to find a day when it isn’t supposed to rain — though it may prove to be difficult — and bring coats and blankets to bundle up! You could even bring strictly warm foods and drinks for additional warmth.
Video Chat
Sometimes you just need a simple video chat with those you love. Whether you have a zoom party with family members or just a FaceTime with a friend, it’s a solid way to see your loved ones on your special day. You can play games over the call or exchange your favorite memories. Either way, it’s a great way to celebrate with friends while protecting each other’s health.
You don’t need to have a huge party to feel special on your birthday. If it is just a phone call from the right person or a card in the mail, there are infinite ways to celebrate.
