Social distancing is the new short-term normal, which means that all Aries and Taurus will be caught celebrating their birthdays at home. But a socially distant birthday doesn't have to be a hassle.
Many people are starting to host virtual parties for young (and older) children. And honestly, there are a few benefits to remote celebrations: There's nowhere to go, and there's much less cleanup when it's all over.
Hosting a virtual birthday party may seem confusing, but we are here to help you. We've chatted with several party experts about the best ways to celebrate another trip around the sun in the distance.
Invitations
The first step for any party, of course, is to invite people. Seri Kertzner, Party Director for Little Miss Party Planner, loves using Paperless Post for her invitations "because the site is so easy to use and has amazing designs." The Evite website also has a specific category entirely dedicated to virtual event invitations.
However, if your party is not for a few weeks, why not consider a good traditional email? Experts say the likelihood of the virus being transmitted by mail is low, and receiving a physical invitation will likely make guests feel really special right now.
Paper Source has a large selection of birthday invitations for adults and children, most of which can be personalized. They can be purchased on amazon but even on the official website they also offer free shipping on orders of $ 50 or more.
Kertnzer says there are some details to include in the invitations, including a clear time for when guests should plan to log in, the party ID / link for the party, and of course “details about the activities you want people to participate. " (including when you plan to sing "Happy Birthday!").
Chrissy Horton, whose website, inspiredfashionfinds.com, is dedicated to "helping busy moms create Pinterest-worthy looks in home decor, fashion, and party," recently hosted a virtual party for her son and has some Good advices. "When it comes to very young children," he says, it's also a good idea to spend "specific time with each child's friend and family member rather than organizing a large virtual gathering group. Video chats with multiple split screens will make it difficult for your child to understand what is happening, who to direct their attention to and, depending on their age, it can be a sensory overload. ”
Videoconferences
Both Kertzner and Horton are big fans of Zoom video conferencing software, although Horton also gives Google Hangouts a pass: “Many already have Gmail, and this option easily allows those who are not so Internet savvy to join the party. Although Zoom is great! for big parties, "he adds," Google Hangouts works well for smaller groups. " It also says that it is a good idea to "add a password to your Zoom group to avoid infiltrators."
When it's time to stream, many laptops have built-in webcams. However, the quality varies greatly, and a dedicated webcam can help you better see your friends' smiling faces. Check out the highly rated and affordable Logitech B525 webcam (\ (64.99; [amazon.com] (https://www.amazon.com/Logitech-960-000841-B525-HD-Webcam/dp/B005GU0FPY / ref = as_li_ss_tl? ref_ = ast_sto_dp & th = 1 & psc = 1 & linkCode = ll1 & tag = 0403_cumpleanos-20 & linkId = 439756d7f971065f1046d58df46cc8b2 & language = en_US)) or Logitech StreamCam Plus (\ ).99) Please note that webcams have become a prized asset for telecommuting and there may be supply problems.
For professional, flattering lighting, try a ring light that attaches directly to your built-in or external webcam like the super popular QIAYA Selfie ring light for $ 19.99 at Amazon.
What to wear
Dressing up will help make the party feel more like a special occasion for everyone, so take a break from the sweats for a week and show off a cute party outfit.
Nordstrom has plenty of celebration-worthy dresses, men's dress shirts, and adorable kids' outfits. Encourage guests to dress to the nines for a fun change of lounge wear, or to follow a theme like the crazy twenties (both 1920s and 2020s), or your favorite series. Keep in mind that, depending on the positioning of your webcam, you may only need to think about your outfit from the waist up. Hats, necklaces, shirts, and accessories will likely make the biggest impact.
Themes and decorations
When it comes to decoration, the bolder the better. You want your guests to really be able to see everything through their screens. Colorful posters and backgrounds, lights and balloons will make your space feel more festive. Horton says it is also a good idea to "ask participants to remove any decorations from the party if they have any and to decorate the area where they will receive the call."
You can find many decorations and festive items to buy online, but be sure to check that delivery times are guaranteed before your party.
"If [the guests] don't have any holiday decorations," Horton continues, another option is to email everyone "to print some photos of your child's favorite character. In this way, the child will see that despite the distance, everyone in his circle still celebrates them on his special day! ”
Virtual games and activities
For adult birthdays, Kertzner suggests creating a special cocktail or non-alcoholic cocktail for a group toasts, just be sure to include the time and recipe (if necessary) in your invitation! You can also send some cupcakes to the guest of honor for a birthday toast. Support local businesses by calling nearby bakeries to see if they are still making deliveries.
Many group games are easy to play too. Horton says: “Depending on the age [of the guests], you can play Never Have I Ever ($ 24.99; amazon.com), Two Truths and a Lie, or Ellen DeGeneres' Helen Up game ($ 20; amazon.com ) ”. Please note, for children's parties, there is also a Never Have I Ever Family Edition ($ 24.99; target.com) and others. Treasure hunting is a fun activity everyone can do in their own home and still enjoy a little healthy competition. Etsy has tons of scavenger hunt ideas worth checking out. We also prepared a guide with puzzles and games for the whole family.
Virtual dance parties are another festive way to pass the time. Kertzner says that his own son "has been playing frozen dance for his parties, stopping the music and making people freeze at Zoom." Another tip is to do “dances that everyone knows and can do together (like Macarena or YMCA)”. You can even turn your living room into a dance club with a device like the ION Audio Party Rocker Express Bluetooth speaker with light show and microphone ($ 69.99; amazon.com). Or host a digital karaoke night with an app like Kara Fun and a microphone like the BlueFire Wireless 4 in 1 Bluetooth Karaoke Microphone ($ 25.99; amazon.com).
"Another fun activity," suggests Kertzner, "is having everyone make a poster (on a plain sheet of paper, which can be decorated with markers, stickers, etc.) with a word that best describes the birthday person. Have everyone hold their sign on the screen and be sure to take a screenshot. ” If you're low on supplies, Michaels is still shipping his large inventory of manufacturing commodities.
For young children, visits from their favorite characters are not necessarily on hold. "Even if Spiderman or Elsa can't make a physical appearance at your son's birthday party," says Horton, "you can find a company that provides these services and ask if their characters would mind sending him a video message."
Gifts
Should you give gifts at virtual parties? According to experts, it really depends. "If the birthday is for a child or teenager, I would recommend that guests keep making a gift," says Horton, although he adds that it doesn't have to be a traditional one. She recommends creating treasure hunts in the children's home. For example, “If your child likes pirates, you can create a treasure map for them to find their gifts. Get creative with it and make it a fun game! ”
If you don't have the energy to make the game yourself, you can buy one, like this Briarpatch Scavenger Hunt ($ 21.99; amazon.com).
Of course, it is also understandable not to give gifts at all. Kertzner says, "I think what's on everyone's mind right now, of course, other than staying healthy is the economy." To that end, he adds that, “those who still feel comfortable spending money can dedicate it to helping others. I would suggest choosing a charity you love or a foundation that is giving hospitals the supplies they need, or a food bank or even a local restaurant or caterer that you want to help keep in business and ask your guests ( on the digital invitation he sends) that they make a donation instead of a gift. ”
Note: The above prices reflect the price at the time of article posting.
