750832 Blacked on My Birthday Part 1 of 2

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It's currently a hard time to celebrate a birthday, whether that birthday is a very first one, a Sweet 16, or a 39th (again!?). With social distancing in place, all of the usual celebrations are, for the most part, off-limits: no dinners out; no bowling-alley, arcade, or pool parties; no swarms of children swatting at a piñata. But no more joy? We refuse that!

There are still ways to celebrate, regardless of which milestone you or your loved one is hitting and how far-flung the well-wishers may be. Below, we offer 14 quarantine-friendly virtual party options.

Babies' birthdays

At first glance, this seems like the one birthday you could skip; babies and toddlers don't usually know what day it is, let alone that it's their birthday. But their family does. Luckily, there are still ways to include loved ones in a social-distancing celebration.

Throw a video-call party for the family

This idea comes from Wirecutter's editor in chief, Ben Frumin, who recently had to cancel his now-2-year-old son's planned party at Gymboree. The youngest Frumin probably wouldn't have noticed, but his 4-year-old sister—as well as his aunts and uncles and grandparents—sure would have. So instead of cancelling, Ben and his wife threw a virtual party, using videoconferencing software. (We also have tips for how to use this software like a pro—read them before setting up the call.) All of the attendees wore their fanciest threads—at the behest of the birthday boy's sister—and congregated onscreen to watch him open his presents and blow out his birthday candles. Will the birthday boy remember the celebration? Who knows. But for his family, it's certainly one they'll never forget. (Making it all the more unforgettable: The Frumin children are now lobbying for Black Tie Fridays.)

Kids' birthdays

Children's birthdays usually involve large groups of friends gathering to do something active—bowling, laser tag, a long afternoon eating the world's finest pizza at Chuck E. Cheese. But while we continue to practice social distancing, those activities are all off-limits. Instead, you can create community virtually.

Have an outdoor movie night

Take advantage of good weather by having an outdoor movie night party for your birthday kid. With just a projector, a white sheet, and some seating (we like picnic blankets for kids and camping chairs for adults with rickety backs), you have all the gear necessary to transform your yard into the coolest theater in the neighborhood. And even better, if you have enough space, you can potentially invite some friends (to sit at least 6 feet away). Just make sure to supply enough snacks for everyone in attendance.

Throw a scavenger hunt

Even if you have the biggest backyard with the most elaborate jungle gym, for kids confined to playing there—and nowhere else—it will start to feel stale. To liven it up for a birthday party, one fun idea is to have the birthday kid see the space through new eyes via a scavenger hunt. A scavenger hunt won't feel festive without friendly competition; if the birthday kid has siblings, you're nearly set, but otherwise you can have the parents of their friends print out the scavenger hunt list and send video-call updates as the hunt progresses. (Good Housekeeping has collected several good lists, including nature hunts for leaves and acorns and color-based themes.) To make it more of a group effort, you can invite neighbors to join in by hiding clues in their yards as well (if they're game to let you put up a balloon, all the better). And, of course, you need to have prizes for all participants—cupcakes are a given, but candy to go never hurts.

Stream the entertainment

If you'd originally planned to have a clown or magician perform at your kid's birthday party, you needn't necessarily call it off. Many party performers are now offering their shows remotely, using video to beam performances straight into your living room. If you already had someone in mind, ask whether you can hire them for a remote performance instead. Or take advantage of this unmoored moment and hire outside of your area; geography doesn't matter when you're on a screen! (If you need a suggestion, ask your network of friends, relations, and neighbors.) I can't recommend more highly my own New York City's Looney Lenny, a clown with nearly 20 years of experience performing at children's parties. Then give all the would-be party attendees the video-call link to join in.

Organize a parade

You certainly can't gather a large crowd during a quarantine, but you can still do something grand to let your kid know they're special. Some people have started throwing makeshift parades (while also being sure to maintain a safe social distance of 6 feet minimum between participants). If you have a front yard, set up a chair outside for the birthday kid to sit and watch while their "guests" drive by, honking and shouting birthday wishes out the window. For those who live in cities that aren't as driving-friendly, the birthday kid can watch out the window as pals and family members walk and bike by on the sidewalk.

Have friends and family make video cards

Although it's probably safe to receive traditional cards, a video greeting is an even more interactive idea for kids than a two-dimensional piece of paper. Have loved ones record themselves wishing your child a happy birthday. You simply can't go wrong with a straightforward video made on a smartphone camera. Another fun (and equally user-friendly) option, recommended by Wirecutter deputy editor Christine Cyr Clisset, is to create a "card" using the Marco Polo app. Through it, you can set up a group for families or friends to join, record and view one another's videos, and jazz up their greetings using different filters and voice effects (the robot and helium effects are crowd-pleasers among young people).

Teens' birthdays

Teens usually prefer to hang out far from the prying eyes of their parents, but that's difficult to achieve when the whole family is quarantined under one roof. The options below, however, at least give teens a few moments with their peers so they can celebrate nearly like they normally would.

Cue up a karaoke party

Karaoke combines all the best things in life: music, socializing, and making a fool of yourself with friends. Just because teens can't currently congregate at a normal karaoke club doesn't mean the show is over; using only two platforms, you can bring the party to their computers. First, you'll need videoconferencing software, so your child and their friends can all see and hear one another. (Headphones are recommended for this part, unless you want to spend all night listening to a bunch of teens crooning to Taylor Swift and Ed Sheeran—that's what the kids are listening to these days, right?) The other platform they'll need is Watch2Gether, which enables users to stream videos at the same rate (typing the song you want plus "karaoke" into the search bar at the top of the page will deliver them). Even if you own a traditional karaoke machine, you'll be grateful for the two-platform computer option, which can move the show out of your own living room.

Host a remote sleepover

I am not a teenager anymore, nor is it my birthday, but I just did this myself with my girlfriends from college, because slumber parties never get old. Friends can join a video call and do all their favorite things together while they're apart. For budding makeup junkies, order each party participant a bottle of nail polish and a sheet mask (or Venmo the money needed to buy them), plus the usual snacks that teenagers go for (yes, all of them), so they can partake in my favorite sport: gossip and beautifying. And no sleepover is complete without a movie; download the Netflix Party extension and your teens can watch a dumb rom-com in synch and chat about it.

Tee up a game night

Lucky for video gamers, most multiplayer games already incorporate audio communication to make it a social experience (and we have recommendations for some of our favorite systems). But to elevate a normal game night into a special birthday celebration, snacks make all the difference. Encourage your teen and their "guests" to break out their favorite chips, soda pop, or celery sticks (not judging!) and—ta da!—now it's a party. Alternatively, if your teen is more into card games, help them host an old-school game night instead. Facebook's Instant Games offers nearly all the classics, including my all-time favorites, Uno and Cribbage. Similarly, but not Facebook-dependent, there are social games that teens can play together online via PlayingCards.io, which includes Cards Against Humanity (you'll definitely want to leave the room for that one). (For more tips as well as game ideas, we have a whole blog post devoted to hosting virtual game nights.)

Adults' birthdays

Just because adults have gotten to celebrate a lot of birthdays doesn't mean it still doesn't suck to be robbed of celebrating one now. If you have a friend or relation who's not quarantined with you, these ideas can help you make their day feel special.

Learn how to make cheese or beer

In the Before Times, I loved to tour breweries with friends and munch on cheese at wine bars, and while those options are no longer viable, some companies have shifted gears to offer such services remotely. Big Mozz, which usually provides New Yorkers with the most Instagrammable mozzarella sticks at Yankee Stadium and several food markets, is now offering its Friday-night cheese-making classes virtually. It'll send you and your loved one the grass-fed cultured cheese curd and salt directly from its vendor, and then one of its instructors will lead you through the entire mozzarella-making process on Zoom. (Full disclosure: I know one of the cheese instructors—he's cute and neurotic, and you'll love learning with him or any of his colleagues.) You can all sign up for the same class and virtually learn with your birthday friend for a group celebration, or, if not, hopefully they're the sharing type and will let you snack on their finished product with them in the park later.

Alternatively, if the birthday celebrant in your life is more of a beer person than a cheese person (or just hopelessly lactose intolerant, like me), go with a homebrewing experience. City Brew Tours, which under normal circumstances offers brewery tours across the country for people celebrating birthdays and bachelor and bachelorette parties, has pivoted to beer-making classes. Just choose between American pale ale or amber ale, and the company will ship your loved one all the tools and ingredients necessary (besides a stockpot—that's on you) along with a three-hour virtual class to get you making your own beer. Again, it's more fun if you can all take the class together, but if not, in two and a half weeks when the 2.5 gallons of beer is done fermenting, you'll have all the libation necessary for another celebration.

Order up a laugh

Share a meal from a snazzy restaurant (or at least dessert)

Many restaurants are still open for delivery or takeout, so if you'd been hoping to take a friend or family member out to an Instagram-famous spot for their birthday, this is your moment. Order a special meal for them to enjoy at home, and do the same for yourself—and then both of you can post it to the 'Gram, since we could all use a little levity. You could also surprise them with a cake delivered straight to their doorstep (or a slice of pie, if that's their preferred sweet treat). Conveniently, this is the one time a surprise delivery can't go wrong, since the birthday person will most certainly be at home to receive the package. Remember to call a restaurant or bakery first to see if it handles its own delivery (since most app delivery platforms take a cut of the purchase); if not, Uber Eats, GrubHub, and Seamless are also still operating.

Coordinate a group rendition of "Happy Birthday"

When you're on a video chat with 20 people, don't expect to have an actual conversation beyond a repeated "What?" and "Oh, sorry, go ahead." And these days, since many adults are juggling newly remote jobs, childcare, and the usual demands of daily life, they might not have time for the traditional get-together for birthday cocktails. But gathering everyone onto one call for the 30 seconds it takes to sing "Happy Birthday" is a manageable time commitment, and it's still meaningful.

Peer into the future

Clowns and magicians aren't the only party entertainers pivoting to video: Tarot card readers are following suit. I don't normally believe in paranormal stuff, but on birthdays I think it's fun to hear someone else's vision of my future (as long as it involves a beach house and many adoring fans). And that holds true even more so right now. If you don't have a regular that you consult, LA-based Kira Von Sutra offers remote readings for clients, either individually or as a group (for a party of six guests, she charges $30 for 15 minutes).

About your guide

Dorie Chevlen is a staff writer from Youngstown, Ohio, now living in New York. She has worked as a copy editor, fact checker, and sandwich maker, but this is probably her favorite gig. Her writing has also been published in Science, Slate, and The Wall Street Journal, among others. She has been called—both flatteringly and not—"a lot."

750832 Blacked on My Birthday Part 1 of 2

Source: https://www.nytimes.com/wirecutter/reviews/virtual-birthday-party-ideas/

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