10 Funnest Ways To Celebrate A Birthday At Home

Birthdays are one of the most important events in a person's life. While lockdown restrictions have eased in many places, other countries remain strict and advise staying home. Surely, during the lockdown, some age-related milestones will come up. 

Whether it's your 16th, 18th, or 21st birthday, you'll want to make it a special day. But how do you make an unforgettable celebration when all you have are your four walls around you?

Worry not, birthday boy/girl, we're going to make it a great day. Here are some tips to have a party of the year.

1. Decorate the life out of your home

Decorations are like clothes. They're a statement that describes you and what you enjoy. Yes, even if you are an adult.

So don't be shy, decorate the life out of your home! Place as many or as few "Happy Birthday" signs, and confetti and balloons are always welcome.

Make even the outside of your entrance door beautifully decorated. I've seen people put "Happy Birthday" signs on their front doors, so I've headed to my local Asda and followed suit.

What that resulted in was that my neighbours knocked on my door to wish me a happy birthday and one of them even gifted me a bottle of Becherovka. Best decision I've ever made.

If you have friendly neighbours like mine, by all means, slap those signs all over your door. If you're an introvert who doesn't want surprise visitors, then maybe hold off on those birthday signs.

2. Create a Birthday Music Playlist

The great thing about playlists is that you can make them whatever you want them to be. Do you want a funky music list? Go on and do it.

I think there are a couple of songs that should be on everybody's birthday playlist. It's My Birthday by Will.I.AM, Birthday by Twista, or the legendary In Da Club by 50 Cent. But that's just my opinion. 

Or perhaps you don't want any of the themed songs and you want to create your own music list. Which are a great idea and that way it will feel more personal. Whether you'd like to play hip-hop, rock songs, or a mixture of both, that's all your call to make.

Besides, different people, and different music choices. But do play some music, after all, it's your birthday!

3. Mimic How You'd Spend it Outside

Mimicking is where you'll need to use some creativity. You might need to reach for some items from online stores depending on what experience exactly you want to mimic.

Humans are the premier mimickers, so be confident that you will be able to do this and it could be a learning opportunity too. Potentially you'll learn some design skills that you can put on your CV.

If you usually play mini-golf on your birthday, you might want to use a room solely for that activity. Clear any furniture that may be in the way (or make it into an obstacle), buy some equipment online and set up your golf trail. You can 100% play on your own as well, as long as you stream it with your friends, so you can all have a few laughs.

If you want to go clubbing, dim the lights, prepare your drinks and snacks, turn on your music, and dance the night away. Don't look at me weird, you know that's how you've gone clubbing in the early '00s when fake IDs weren't an option for you.

There are plenty of themed playlists on YouTube and Spotify for you to use as an inspiration as well. Or create your own list by adding the best hits of your time. 

So yes, mimicking can potentially be costly. But would you rather spend a memorable night in or stare at a blank wall? I think the answer is obvious.

4. Try Simple Foods as Starters

Other than having cake, you might want to keep to starters rather than a proper meal. This is because simple foods will fill you and you get to have a wider variety of foods rather than just a singular meal.

How many times have you looked at a restaurant menu, seen their starters, and thought you'd love to have a bit of everything? Exactly. Make your dream come true by getting many little nibbles.

To support the above point, you don't need an extravagant table to have a good celebration. And yes, the image in this section can serve as an inspiration for your snacks.

I don't know a person who wouldn't like hot dogs, nachos, and wings as starters. Other tasty starters you can include are dips such as hummus, pizzas, quesadillas, or tea sandwiches.

If you're going to invite a handful of people you'll have a wider selection of foods to go for. Not everyone may want the main course that you've picked, but I sure know plenty of people who will like sliders and hot dogs.

5. Muffins Instead of Cake

Muffins are a smarter way to have birthday cake. Let's face it, if you're going to celebrate at home because you want to avoid catching the virus or you're self-isolating then chances are you're spending it alone.

Cakes are for a company of 10-20 people, muffins are for a handful. Instead of contributing to food waste, why not battle it?

Besides, remember what I've said about small snacks being more versatile? If you get muffins you can have several different-flavored birthday cakes.

Think about it. Chocolate muffin, vanilla, caramel. You can get more creative than that, of course, but you get the drift. There's a lot more variety with muffins.

You can even order bespoke muffins and have them delivered straight to your door. Or if that's not your drift, your local Tesco or Asda will have plenty of choices.

6. Dress Up Like You Are Going Out To Celebrate

Dressing up sends a subconscious message to your brain saying that today is a special occasion. It makes you feel good and like you're in the limelight. Besides, not dressing up for your birthday is a bit blasphemous in its own way.

The best part of celebrating at home is that you can wear whatever you want. Want to keep it classy? Go ahead. Want a cosplay? You're more than welcome!

Even if you're going to be the only person at the party, why not wear a tiara or a birthday sash? In the worst case, no one will see it and in the best case, you're going to feel like a celebrity.

There are plenty of glam birthday dresses and ideas you can find. Many of them are age-related, like dresses for your 18th, 21st, or 30th birthday.

Or if you're not into dresses, the black and gold combination for your outfits adds class and style. Just saying.

7. Virtual Party for Your Virtual Friends

This probably isn't news for you and you may have attended a couple of online parties yourself. But there are plenty to choose from, be it music concerts, zoom calls, or online bars.

One popular game to include during your online parties is Gartic Phone. And trust me, can that game get hilarious really fast.

Include ice breaker games, like sharing an embarrassing story or playing two truths and one lie. You can even create an online scavenger hunt if you've got time and will to dedicate to its creation.

Another fun way to have an online party is personal PowerPoint presentations and they're exactly what they sound like. Each person creates a PowerPoint presentation about what they like and tries to make it sound as professional and scientific as they can.

While the idea may make someone skeptical and like it may be a bad idea, it's actually satire to make laughable subjects be presented in a serious tone. I've seen someone include this in their online party and it definitely wasn't boring.

8. Movie Night at Your Birthday Spot

Movie nights are a foolproof way to have fun. Especially if you have a projector because it's more fun to watch it indoors or you can even take it outdoors. Projectors give you that old-fashioned vibe that can be appreciated by everyone.

This is where you'll need to include a little bit of all the tips mentioned above. Good movie night includes snacks, cozy seats, and a dim-lit atmosphere.

You can always search for some deals online or your local store may have a movie night deal going on. Don't know about your country, but in the UK Asda is participating in a deal like that until mid-May.

So get your pizza, and a large drink, and enjoy your movie. Not sure what to watch? Here are some suggestions I've made in an old post of mine.

9. Create Your Own Party Theme

If you like having a specific theme for your birthday, go wild. I know people who want to keep to an Oktoberfest or a Disney theme.

And who can tell them they can't? Their home, their party, their birthday, rules. 

Some of the most popular themes are pirate, Halloween, western, superhero, or mermaid parties. But of course, you're not limited only to that. Heck, if you want to have a Tupperware-themed party, you can! The sky's the limit.

There are even shops that specialise in giant props for your crazy day. That beats your typical birthday decoration and will make your day so much more memorable. 

Remember, with a themed party, you have to theme everything. From decor to food to what movie you will watch. But I've got trust in you, you can do it!

10. Take a Lot of Pictures

People take pictures because they want to capture an eternal memory. Something to keep as a reminder of the happy times that once were.

Taking pictures on your birthday will be meaningful because you will have a special memory. A reminder that you've made a beautiful day out of one that might have been uneventful otherwise.

At least a couple of years down the line you'll be able to look at them and say you've done your best to make your birthday memorable. You don't need to take them on your mobile phone. Instead, to make things a bit extra, why not take a photo on a mini polaroid camera? 

That way you'll have a physical copy in a matter of moments and you can already put it in an album or on your wall. I know I would want to look at my happy face in a photo.

I hope these tips helped choose how to best celebrate your special day. Pass this on to someone who you think will find this helpful.

These tips are useful for someone who will be staying at home all on their own. But also for those who would like to invite only a handful of people.

One way or another I hope you will have a wonderful birthday. So go forth and slay the day!