Lockdown Birthday, Anniversary Ideas: If you think pandemic has spoiled all your celebration plans, here’s how you can enjoy your momentous days during the lockdown.
Since the outbreak of coronavirus, life seems topsy-turvy. As the strict lockdown restrictions eased up in the recent past, it seemed as if everything was coming back normal. People were enjoying their newly found freedom, from dining at the restaurants to enjoying a day out with friends. However, a recent spike in the Covid-19 cases across the nation has forced the government to enforce new guidelines and rules to curtail social gatherings to combat pandemic.
Many states like Delhi, Maharashtra and Odisha have imposed night curfews, forcing people to stay at home after 8 pm in Maharashtra and 10 pm in other states. In the western state, dining at hotels and restaurants has been restricted and only takeaway of food items is allowed, while in Delhi, non-essential services such as restaurants, bars, malls and theatres will have to work within the stipulated hours. The use of swimming pool, party halls and other such amenities have been banned in Bengaluru.
If you think pandemic has spoiled all your celebration plans, here’s how you can enjoy your momentous days during the lockdown.
1. Now, that you can’t go out and party hard with your friends, celebrate milestones of your life like birthdays and anniversaries with your close-knit family. But before that, decide the theme of the party. You can choose from various fancy themes like beach party to Bollywood and game night.
2. Then, deck your place a bit to get the party vibe. Use some lights, colourful ribbons, lamps, candles or anything handy you can find at home.
3. As celebrations seem incomplete without delicious cakes and some relishing sweets, take the help of your friends or search through some easy recipes online and bake a delectable cake at home.
4. Now that you can’t eat at your favourite joints, cook some viral recipes instead.
5. If you can’t call your extended family and friends over, connect them through video chat rooms. Apps such Zoom, Google hangouts or Houseparty can help you connect virtually and you can talk to large groups in a go. And don’t forget to plan some virtual activities. Games like Never Have I ever, Most likely to, Trivia and Heads Up, can make a great mood lifter.
6. You can even binge on your favourite movie together or set the mood right by turning on your playlist.
7. Share some goodies with your neighbours and send your friends thankyou e-cards for making your day eventful! And if you want to wish someone on his/her special day, nothing could be better than a handmade card with a personal message, which could also be in Hindi, Marathi, Bengali, Tamil or any other language of your region.
8. You may even opt for some pampering with salon-at-home services. While salons have been shut in Maharashtra, at-home service continue on weekdays after 7 am till 8 pm. Many popular outlets have started offering services at home, including Mumbai’s famous Kapil’s Salon.
9. A staycation can also be an option as hotels at most places haven’t been shut yet. However, people are advised not to go in for dining facilities and instead opt for in-room services, which may be available for limited time, according to the curfew guidelines of the local administration.
