Birthdays Shouldn’t Suck

If your birthday is coming up, have we got some ideas for you!

First off, just because we're all on lockdown, it doesn't mean that you can't have a great birthday, you just need to get a little creative. Here's a list of possible things to do on your special day:

Pace yourself.
Start off the morning right with a cup of coffee or tea. Take some time for you, enjoy the quiet albeit for a few minutes. This is your day so you should push off checking and sending emails until you're ready.

Have a favorite movie?
Invite some friends to watch it over zoom? Send out an invite a few days prior, make sure everyone can access the movie at their house and once everyone is on zoom, do a quick countdown and... GO! Click play at the same time and enjoy together!

Have a favorite restaurant?
Either splurge on yourself or bring in some friends to do separate orders at the same time and have a virtual dinner party together.

Order a personalized cameo for yourself!
It's a ridiculously extravagant splurge but it's something you'll have forever. Paying $420 for a happy birthday salute from Snoop Dogg is totally worth it if you ask me.

Set a budget and enjoy some retail therapy on Amazon for your special day.
You can even get it "gift wrapped" for free. On a tight budget, get stuff that you need but go for the gift wrap option. Ok, dish soap is a pretty shitty birthday present to yourself but if you need it, at least it came in a glittery bag?

Throw yourself a damn party.
While office meetings have moved to Zoom and Slack, friend and family hangouts have been relegated to Facetime, Google Hangouts, Skype, WhatsApp, Houseparty … the list goes on and on. Take advantage of the ability to get more than 10 people together by throwing a virtual birthday party on one of the above platforms. Set some mood lighting, make margaritas, create a Spotify playlist that everyone can listen to, play trivia, or make it a themed party in which everyone dresses up.

Send yourself a MilkBar cake!
The festive vanilla cake is packed with cake crumbs and funfetti, and is always a crowd pleaser. The cakes and more are available for delivery nationwide, or for same-day delivery through Postmates, DoorDash, Uber Eats and Caviar if you live near one of their nine locations across the country.

Or some wine through Winc!
This wine subscription and delivery service will deliver bottles of a favorite variety (including reds, whites and rosés) straight to their door. Or go with a special gift like the Unwind with Summer Water gift box that comes with one bottle of rosé, two wine glasses and a “Keep It Chill” eye mask for nights when they need a little more relaxation.

This one gets a little tricky but here goes:

Throw a Family Slumber Party:
Build a couch fort, fill a room with blankets and pillows or pitch a tent in the backyard!

Themed Day:
Pick a theme and stick to it for the entire day.

Movie Screenings:
Been holding off on that action movie until they're a little older? Well, there's no time like the present! It's time for an introduction to the Marvel Universe!

Yes Day:
As fun and easy as it sounds. For 24 hours, every question ends with a yes. Cake for breakfast? Yes. Cake for lunch? Depending on your blood sugar levels, yes.

Special Meals:
Does your kiddo have a special meal? Prepare out for dinner and let them help make it.

Yard Decorations:
I've never used a service like this but I can imagine that it's worth the coin if you can spare it. If not, get come cardboard and paint and make it yourself!

Some additional ideas that we will elaborate more on in the future!
- Video Message
- Scavenger Hunt
- Zoom Celebration
- Car Parade

Send a card:
The easiest way to show your love is with a card. If you don't live close enough to your friend to drop one in their mailbox (no contact required!), send an e-card using a service like Paperless Post.

Make a "Happy Birthday" video montage:
The only way to improve upon a traditional birthday card is to make it interactive. Use a service like Tribute to create a personalized video montage. Ask friends and family to record their birthday wishes and Tribute will put them together and mail the guest of honor a video card (it's like a traditional audio card that also has a thin video screen). The gift is sure to be a keepsake for years to come.

Host a virtual birthday party on Zoom:
Set up a meeting on Zoom and invite all your friends for a virtual happy hour. The video quality on Zoom is impeccable and you can see each participant's face in a simple grid view. Want to make things really special? Tell the guest of honor to sign on at little later than everyone else and sing "Happy Birthday" when they log on.

Deliver champagne to their doorstep:
The two of you may not be able to raise a glass together, but that doesn't mean you can't say "cheers." Nowadays, there are so many ways to deliver champagne, wine, and liquor straight to someone's door. Try a site like ReserveBar, which is available on-demand in many parts of the country.

Host a Netflix party:
If you love movies, schedule a virtual watch party. Download the Netflix Party extension in Chrome, and you and your pals will be able to watch the same Netflix movie at the same time. The extension features synchronized video playback (so everyone's screen will pause and resume at the same time); plus, a chat room so you can share your thoughts on the film.

Send a dessert:
A great way to support your local businesses in these hard times is by ordering delivery. Choose a local bakery or a restaurant with stellar desserts and send something sweet like a cake, cookies, or fro-yo.

Do a group workout — at home:
If you prefer active birthday parties to boozy ones, gather your friends for a workout class. During the coronavirus outbreak, dozens of yoga studios, gyms, and trainers are offering free live-streaming workouts. Have everyone log on to the same one and connect on Zoom for a hearty meal afterward. Brunch, anyone?

Drive by their house and do something special:
Just because you're social distancing doesn't mean you can't go to someone's house. Deck out your car with balloons and signs and drive by your pal's place. Tell them to look outside and sing "Happy Birthday" when they come to the door.

Take a trip to the museum:
Birthdays are the perfect time to learn something new. Museums, zoos, and theme parks around the world are offering free virtual tours right now, which means you can see exhibits at the Louvre, the Vatican, the San Diego Zoo, and more from the comfort of your couch. Set up a group chat while you navigate the exhibits and discuss your findings.

Send a Piñatagram:
I remember piñatas being a staple at all of my birthday parties growing up and more than once I’ve wanted to bring the tradition back in my adult years. Enter Piñatagrams. The company will ship a colorful lil’ piñata ($19.99) filled with sweets and a custom message directly to the birthday girl or guy. Plus, you can get 25% off with code RETAILMENOT25. This special party gift is guaranteed to put a smile on their face—and TBD on whether they’ll want to smash the thing or keep it as a decoration forever. Oh, and they also have zombie and reindeer piñatas. No one’s getting a boring Christmas card from me ever again.

Surprise Them With a Subscription:
A subscription gift is a great way to give them something that will last and—bonus—something that will remind them of you every time they use it. If they’re a Star Wars or Marvel fan, consider a Disney+ subscription (starting at $6.99/month). Or for health and fitness lovers, try a vitamin subscription service or kit from Care/of or Hilma, or an online workout pass to get their body moving. And there are plenty of other options, like coffee subscriptions, fashion subscription boxes and even gaming subscriptions like Xbox Game Pass (starting at $9.99/month).