Everyone wants to have a happy birthday, whether that means a quiet dinner with a small birthday cake or a birthday party with dozens of friends. Each person is unique and wants to celebrate in their own way. Unfortunately, the COVID-19 pandemic means normal activities like shopping for gifts or birthday dinners have to be canceled in 2021. Fortunately, you can still make your big day special. Follow these three tips to beat the birthday blues.
1. Get a birthday gift for yourself.
Even if your friends and loved ones know what you like, they might not be able to pick out the best birthday gifts or most useful items for you to use. You can avoid potential disappointment by getting a gift for yourself. This could be something practical, like a new backpack, or something luxurious like a solitaire 3.0 diamond pendant.
Your personal birthday gift doesn’t need to be expensive. It could be a nice candle or a new haircut with a fresh style. You can even pick out a bouquet of flowers to brighten up your home as your self-gift. The choice is yours. Regardless of what you do on your special day and who you spend it with, you can always look fondly at your personal birthday gift to yourself.
2. Take a mental health day.
If your birthday doesn’t fall on a Saturday or Sunday, tell your boss that you are taking off work to make your birthday a big deal. Once you call off work, don’t spend the whole day scrolling through social media or playing solitaire on your phone. Enjoy some of your favorite hobbies and activities that can still be done safely.
For example, you may be able to go shopping if your birthday falls on a weekday. The stores will be less crowded, so you can stay socially distanced and wear a mask. You can also connect with nature because the hiking trails will be less crowded than they are on Saturday or Sunday afternoons. Even if your birthday falls on a weekend, consider taking the Monday or Friday surrounding it off along with your significant other so you can relax with your boyfriend and beat the birthday blues with a long weekend.
3. Push back your milestone birthday to next year.
If you are hitting a milestone birthday this year — like the dirty 30 or fabulous 40 — consider celebrating it next year because of the pandemic. Many people are feeling the birthday blues during this tough time, where lockdowns and social distancing prevent major birthday parties and even visits with friends. That being said, you don’t have to feel lonely if you are spending your birthday alone. A few bloggers have addressed the question, “What to do if you’re alone on your birthday,” and shared their best advice.
First, do something fun. This could be an exciting hike or eating a special brunch that you make for yourself. This doesn’t have to last the entire day, but you want the activity to seem like a big deal. Next, connect with friends. Send out virtual invites to a Zoom birthday party — complete with very necessary cookies and other fun snacks. Your close friends (and new friends) can still get together, even if the meeting is virtual. Everyone wants the pandemic to end, so relax knowing you can stay 29 for another year until your next birthday when restrictions are lifted.
You don’t have to wallow in the birthday blues this year, even if the pandemic makes it seem like any other day of the year. Celebrate in the best way possible on Zoom and know that your next birthday will be better than this one.
