It seems the world has gone topsy-turvy. The pandemic looms on the horizon, but that doesn’t mean you can’t celebrate your birthday this year. Having a party during COVID-19 in person is not a good idea, especially if there are still variants showing up. One of these new variants could be infectious; you do not want to spend your time celebrating when you should be waiting in quarantine for one or two weeks.
Additionally, people who attend your party may return home and pass whatever variant they contracted on to their family members, who will also spend weeks in quarantine waiting for symptoms to appear. You may feel as though you are having fun at your birthday bash now, but in reality, you are creating more work for local health officials and disrupting many lives beyond your own in doing so. Have a virtual party to save you and your friends from the risks.
Follow these simple steps to ensure you and your loved ones have an enjoyable online birthday party, no matter what happens next.
Plan Your Party Beforehand
It’s essential to plan your party with plenty of time before it starts. If you wait until everyone else plans their parties, you’ll be at a disadvantage. It’s like a game of chess: You want to be in control of your pieces while opponents scramble on their side of the board. If you wait until it’s too late, you might not have enough people interested in attending your party when it happens.
Pick an Online Platform
There are several popular platforms for holding an online birthday party. You can do it on Facebook or maybe set up your website—keep in mind that you may have trouble reaching guests in areas with limited internet access. You can also use Zoom, Google Hangouts, Skype, or other video chat platforms. The key is to stick with tools that offer group calls and group chat capabilities so that you can share in each other’s experience.
Make Virtual Invitations
There are plenty of online programs that allow you to create custom invitations for your online birthday party. Use these invitations as a way of getting people involved in your virtual event. If you already have an e-mail list, or if there’s an active chatroom on your website, include links in your invitation that allow guests to click through and join.
Invitations can also be sent via social media and other sites where friends might gather online. Since many groups use third-party programs like Facebook Events or Meetup, sending out invites here will also ensure all of those friends get notified about your big day.
Choose Activities to Do Virtually
If you plan to have a birthday party virtually, think of activities you can do, such as a Netflix party. You can take requests for movies to watch on Netflix and then create an online list where everyone could vote on their favorite. If you and your friends love something crafty, you can think of art activities you can all do together, like paper crafting and scrapbooking.
Or, if you’re more into music, try playing Pandora Radio while doing voice chats with each other. There are plenty of fun things you can do with just online access, so make sure not to let the pandemic be your excuse not to celebrate a special day.
Prepare Gift Boxes to Deliver to Your Guests
Get boxes or gift bags that are appropriate for your theme. Prepare each parcel with some games, party favors, and anything else you might need for your guests. Include a few goodies for yourself as well. If you plan to watch movies and have a Netflix party, provide them with snacks and bottled drinks. You can also send them a blanket so that you all have the same ones.
If you plan to do arts and crafts like crafting paper projects, buy the materials required and send them with the box. Make it easy on yourself by gathering everything beforehand so that you’re not scrambling around during your birthday party. Don’t forget party hats and some sweet treats that you can all have.
Decorate Your Background
If you want to make your online birthday party appear extraordinary, it’s a good idea to have a unique backdrop like one of our custom birthday backgrounds. You can create one by adding graphics and patterns to a solid color background that matches your style. Use Canva or Photoshop to create a design depending on your preference and theme.
Hosting an online birthday party offers all the same benefits of a traditional celebration—you get to share a fun day with friends and family while offering congratulations on another year well-lived—with none of the drawbacks. An online birthday party may help you build stronger relationships with those who matter most because these celebrations often create opportunities for in-depth communication and shared experiences.
Meta title: Hosting a Birthday Party Online: What You Can Do
meta desc: You’ve been dodging the pandemic that you haven’t had time to get together with your friends. Here’s how to have a virtual birthday party that you’ll enjoy.
