The shelter-in-place restrictions slowly started being lifted in early June. It’s only several months later and while most people are able to live a somewhat normal life, there are still a plethora of safety precautions in place to prevent the spread of COVID-19. So as you wear your mask and run low on hand sanitizer, the world is still spinning, and the year 2020 continues to drag on.
Over the course of the past seven months, there was likely a once-a-year occurrence that felt too special to cancel completely. Just because a lot of things can’t happen face-to-face doesn’t mean they don’t happen at all. Birthdays are the most common special occasion that has caused people to become COVID-creative. Here are a few ways to celebrate your loved ones’ special day from at least six feet away.
First, get out and get active. There are a lot of fun activities for you and your friends to enjoy while breathing in the fresh air, rather than each other’s germs. Try going on a hike or a bike ride. If breaking a sweat isn’t your thing, you could find a cute spot to have a socially distant picnic or campfire. There are also drive-in movie locations popping up all over the place. It just takes a quick google search and a little food-prep, but while the weather is nice consider celebrating a birthday in the great outdoors.
Another common choice for celebrating birthdays in a risk-free manner is going virtual. Plan for your friends or family to log on to a video chatting room at the same time to share well wishes in real-time. This is made easy through applications like Google Meets, Facetime, and the ever-popular Zoom. In addition, you can keep the conversation flowing by playing virtual party games. Try playing online Monopoly or Cards Against Humanity. You could even plan ahead and create a Kahoot of fun questions to see who knows the birthday girl best.
If online partying isn’t your thing, try making a compilation of pictures or videos to send on your friend’s special day. This could be done on iMovie or any video editing app. Or, if you want to invite others to join in, try using VidHug. This website, a personal favorite of mine, allows you to invite other friends and family members to contribute a quick video sending their love, and compiles the videos into one for you.
Next, if your friend lives close by, you can wish them well on their special day without even getting out of your car. Drive-in and drop off birthday gifts, and tell them happy birthday from the safety of your car. Invite others to do the same and all come around the same time, creating a birthday car parade.
If your loved ones live a little too far away to do a drive-by, there are a variety of things you could send to their home, without leaving the comfort of yours. Try using GrubHub or DoorDash to have cupcakes or an Edible Arrangement sent to the birthday girl. This is a really sweet and simple gesture to show someone you’re thinking of them on their special day. If you wanted to go bigger, you could try ordering them a singing telegram. While this might not be everyone’s style, it could really make the right person smile.
Lastly, go classic. Tell your friend how much you love and miss them with a handwritten letter. This is an easy way to send well wishes, especially if you’re pressed for time. Throw in a gift card before you seal the envelope so your friend can treat themselves at their convenience.
No matter how you choose to celebrate a birthday, big or small, your friends or family will appreciate any gesture you show. Growing another year older is not put on pause for COVID-19. As always, if you plan on leaving the house, don’t forget your mask! It might make the words “Happy Birthday” a little muffled, but it’s worth it to keep you and your friend safe on their special day.