While just about everything is getting cancelled these days due to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, who says that you should also cancel your own birthday celebration?
In this time of social distancing, community quarantines, and lockdowns, you might be stressing on how you should celebrate your birthday with cancelled parties and a general lack of fun things to do. And at times, it may feel inappropriate to celebrate at all.
But you should never feel guilty about celebrating responsibly. After all, what you’re celebrating is the gift of life!
Here is a list of ideas on how you can still enjoy your special day.
Make use of social media to coordinate
In celebrating a birthday, no matter what kind of socially-distant birthday celebration you intend to have, social media can be helpful for planning and coordinating.
A few days before a birthday, contact your friends and relatives in their social media accounts requesting to either record a birthday message or try to coordinate and schedule a video call for the birthday celebrant every hour.
You can also post something on their social media profiles or sing “Happy Birthday” together with family and friends through a group video call to let them feel that they are loved and remembered on their special day.
Play a multiplayer game
With community quarantines and lockdowns being ordered across the country, people will yearn for the company of their friends and family, especially on their birthdays. That said, it’s a good thing that with today’s technology, the digital space compensates with the power of communication and entertainment and nothing is quite as interactive as gaming.
So try to play a multiplayer game on your birthday and interact with your loved ones virtually. Seeing their avatars and characters in-game gives the idea of hanging out in real life.
Treat yourself
Allow yourself to spend the day indulging in your favorite activities, even if they aren’t productive. That might mean relaxing all day reading, spending some time in the bath with a glass of wine or having a movie marathon. You can also hoard your favorite snacks and relax as you watch your favorite movies and TV shows.
And since it’s your day, you deserve a feast. Cook some of your favorite dishes from scratch at home. From appetizers to desserts, treat yourself with a scrumptious meal and drinks made at home.
Preparing and enjoying a meal together with your family can also be a great bonding moment.
Don’t forget the cake!
Social distancing doesn’t mean you can’t indulge in eating a cake. There might be some bakeries that are still up and running. But if you are not up for going out or you are trying to save money, prep your baking tools, get into the kitchen and bake your own.
Just remember that if you are a novice, be sure to search for easy cake recipes online and if you are a pro, don’t be afraid to go fancy with your creation.
Plan a party for the future
Even though the socially-distant birthday celebrations were uplifting, the birthday celebrants might already be planning to have another party once things have settled down. It’s always good to be hopeful and planning for the future will also give you something to look forward to. /dbs