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CNN Underscored interviewed experts to find out the best options for dealing with this time of uncertainty.Find all coronavirus related coverage Herelet me know what you think Here.
Social distancing is the new normal for the foreseeable future. That means all Aries and Taurus out there will be stuck celebrating their birthdays at home. is not.
Many people are starting to have virtual parties for children, young and old. And, let’s be honest, there are some pretty cool benefits to celebrating remotely. No need to drive anywhere and much less cleanup after it’s all done.
Throwing a birthday party remotely can be tricky, but we can help. We chatted with party experts about the best way to virtually celebrate another trip around the sun.
Of course, the first step in any party is inviting people. Little Miss Party Planner Chief Her Party Her Officer Seri Kertzner loves to use paperless her post for invitations. Evite also has a specific category dedicated entirely to virtual event invitations.
However, if you don’t have a party for a few weeks, why not consider good old snail mail? will probably feel really special right now.
That’s why Paper Source has a huge selection of cute birthday invitations for adults and kids, most of which can be personalized. The site also offers free shipping on orders over $50, so have fun decorating your party. Target also has a large selection of affordable party invitations.
According to Kertnzer, the invitation will include a few details, such as an explicit time when guests are expected to log on, a meeting ID/link for the party, and of course “details of the activity you would like attendees to participate in.” is needed. (including the time you plan to sing “Happy Birthday!”).
Chrissy Horton, who runs inspiredfashionfinds.com, a website dedicated to “helping busy moms create Pinterest-worthy looks in home, fashion, and party décor,” recently announced her son threw a virtual party for and shared some great tips of her own. “When it comes to very young children, it’s also a good idea to dedicate specific time to each child’s friends and family rather than hosting a large virtual group hangout. , can make it difficult for your child to understand what is going on and who to pay attention to, and can lead to sensory overload depending on their age.”
Both Kertzner and Horton are big fans of video conferencing software Zoom, but Horton also offers a plugin for Google Hangouts. Zoom is great for large parties, while Google Hangouts is great for smaller groups. She also recommends “adding a password to your Zoom party to prevent uninvited guests.”
When it comes to streaming, many laptops have built-in webcams. However, quality varies greatly, and a dedicated webcam will allow you to see your friends smile better. $169.99; bhphotovideo.com). For professional, great-looking lighting, a webcam ring that clips directly to your internal or external webcam, like the ultra-popular QIAYA Selfie Ring Light for $19.99, which has over 4,500 4-star reviews on Amazon try the lights.
Dressing up makes the party feel more like a special occasion for everyone involved, so take a break from the sweatshirts you’ve been wearing all week straight and show off your cute party outfit.
Nordstrom has lots of festive dresses, dress shirts for men, and adorable outfits for kids. 2020s), or stick to a theme like your favorite show. Note that depending on the position of the webcam, only clothing from the waist up should be considered. Hats, necklaces, shirts, and accessories will probably get the most attention.
When it comes to decoration, the bolder the better. We want our guests to be able to actually see everything through the screen. Colorful banners and backgrounds, fairy lights and balloons all make the space pop. Houghton says it’s also a good idea to “ask attendees to pull out any party decorations and decorate the area where they receive phone calls.”
PartyCity has a huge selection of themed party decorations and accessories, from cute tea parties to luaus. Target and HalloweenCostumes.com also have lots of different themed props and decorations. Kertzner’s company also offers a variety of “Parties in a Box” with everything you need for a themed party if you don’t have the time or creativity to source everything yourself. Etsy also has creative printable party supplies for when you’re in a pinch.
“If [guests] Don’t put any party decorations on it,” continues Horton. This way, your child knows everyone in the circle is celebrating their special day, even if they are far away. ”
For grown-up birthdays, Kertzner suggests creating a special cocktail or mocktail for the group’s cheers. Be sure to include timings and recipes (if needed) in your invitation. Here we have a roundup of essential bar supplies for your party needs. You can even send cupcakes to your guest of honor for a birthday toast. See if you’re doing it and support local businesses.
Many group games can easily be played virtually as well. Horton said: [guests’] Age you can Never Have I Ever ($24.99; target.com), Two Truths and a Lie, or Ellen DeGeneres’ Heads Up game ($20; amazon.com). For kid-friendly parties, there’s also Never Have I Ever Family Edition ($24.99; target.com) and good old charades. A scavenger hunt is a fun activity anyone can do at home, and it offers a healthy dose of competition. Etsy has lots of scavenger hunt ideas worth checking out. We’ve also created a guide with even more puzzles and games for the whole family to enjoy.
A virtual dance party is another way to have a good time. Kurzner says his son is “playing Freeze his dance for parties, turning off the music, and freezing people on Zoom.” Another tip for him is, “Do a dance that everyone knows and can do together (i.e. ‘Cha Cha Slide,’ ‘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; bhphotovideo.com). Or host a digital karaoke night with an app like Kara Fun and the BlueFire Wireless 4 in 1 Bluetooth Karaoke Microphone ($25.99; amazon.com).
“Another fun activity is to have everyone make a sign (on regular paper that can be decorated with markers, stickers, etc.) in the word that best describes the birthday person. have everyone turn their sign to the screen and be sure to take a screenshot.” Even when supplies are scarce, Michaels ships a huge inventory of craft staples.
For small children, a visit from their favorite character is not always withheld. “Spider-Man or Elsa may not actually show up at your child’s birthday party, but you can find a company that offers these services and have the characters send video messages to your child instead.” You can ask if it is,” Horton says.
Should you give presents to your virtual party? According to experts, it really depends. “We recommend giving your guests gifts even if their birthday is a child or a teenager,” says Horton, adding that this doesn’t have to be traditional. It is recommended to create a home scavenger her hunt for children. For example, “If your kids are into pirates, you can create a treasure map to find presents. Get creative and make it a fun game for them!”
If you don’t have the energy to make your own game, you can buy something like this Briarpatch Scavenger Hunt ($17.99, originally $19.99; kohls.com). We’ve also put together a long list of non-Amazon retailers that still deliver products nationwide so you can find gifts in every category.
Of course, it is natural not to give gifts at all. “Apart from staying healthy, I think the economy is on everyone’s mind right now,” says Kertzner. To that end, she adds: Choose a charity you love, or a foundation, food bank, or even a local restaurant or caterer that provides hospital supplies to keep you in business and ask your guests (via digital invitations) We encourage you to send them) make a donation instead of a gift. Or, for some traditional gift inspiration, check out our gift ideas for men, women, teens, kids and babies.
Note: Prices above reflect the retailer’s list price at the time of publication.
