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Social distancing is the new normal for the foreseeable future, meaning all the Aries and Tauruses out there will be stuck celebrating their birthdays at home. But a socially distanced birthday doesn’t have to be a bummer.
Lots of people are starting to throw virtual parties for kids young and old. And, honestly, there are some pretty great upsides to remote celebrations: You don’t have to drive anywhere, and there’s way less cleanup when all is said and done.
Throwing a remote birthday party might seem confusing, but we’re here to help. We chatted with party experts about the best ways to virtually celebrate another trip around the sun.
Invitations
The first step for any party, of course, is to invite people. Seri Kertzner, chief party officer at Little Miss Party Planner, loves to use Paperless Post for her invites “because the site is so user-friendly and has amazing designs.” Evite also has a specific category devoted entirely to virtual event invitations.
If your party isn’t for a few weeks, though, why not consider good old-fashioned snail mail? Experts say the likelihood of the virus traveling through mail is unlikely, and receiving a physical invitation would probably feel really special right now.
To that end, Paper Source has a huge selection of cute birthday invitations for both adults and children, most of which can be personalized. The site is also offering free shipping on orders of $50 or more, so toss in some fun party decorations while you’re at it. Target has a great selection of affordable party invitations as well.
Kertnzer says there are a few must-include details in your invites, including clear timing for when guests should plan to log on, the meeting ID/link for the party, and of course, “details on activities you want people to participate in” (including a time you plan to sing “Happy Birthday!”).
Chrissy Horton, whose website inspiredfashionfinds.com is devoted to “helping busy moms create Pinterest worthy looks in home, fashion and party decor,” recently threw a virtual party for her son and has some great tips of her own. “When it comes to very young kids,” she says, it’s also a good idea to dedicate “a specific time to each child’s friend and family member rather than hosting a huge virtual group hangout. Video chats with several split screens will make it difficult for your child to understand what is going on, who to direct their attention to, and depending on their age, it may be sensory overload.”
Streaming Tech
Both Kertzner and Horton are big fans of the video conferencing software Zoom, though Horton also gives a plug to Google Hangouts: “Many already have Gmail and this option easily allows those who are not as internet savvy to join the party! While Zoom is great for large parties,” she adds, “Google Hangouts works well for smaller groups.” She also says it’s a good idea “to add a password to your Zoom party to prevent uninvited guests.”
When it’s time to stream, many laptops have built-in webcams. Quality varies widely, though, and a dedicated webcam can help you better see your friends’ smiling faces. Check out the highly rated and affordable Logitech C310 HD Webcam ($49.99; bhphotovideo.com) or the Logitech StreamCam Plus ($169.99; bhphotovideo.com). For professional and flattering lighting, try a webcam ring light that clips right onto your built-in or external webcam like the super popular QIAYA Selfie Ring Light for $19.99 that has more than 4,500 4-star reviews on Amazon.
