Staying indoors and spending quality time with your loved ones has become the new normal.
In the wake of this pandemic, we have found the new us and realized our potential. Be it picking up a new hobby or experimenting the D-I-Ys or to celebrate a special occasion or baking or doing nothing, by now, almost everyone has found solace. Though many of us (read introverts) are more than happy to spend alone time, it has become difficult for others (read extroverts) to confine themselves in four walls.
As much I am happy to be socially inactive (with a legit excuse), I really had big plans for July. Among them, the most important one was my Little Boy’s First Birthday. We had been discussing it almost since his birth. Where to celebrate, who to invite, which theme to pick, etc. etc. We had 2-3 plans in pipeline, but life had a different plan for us. Where we were planning to celebrate it with our whole family, it came down to only 5 of us who were there to sing him “Happy Birthday”.
Nevertheless, our excitement was more or less the same. We wanted it to be special and tried to make the best of the situation to make it as memorable as we can. We were happy to host his first “Virtual Birthday Party” (I am not sure, if it will be a trend going forward) and we were able to make and capture a lot of memories for life.
In this Post, You will Find
To celebrate any occasion and make it special:
1. Plan Ahead
Though you won’t really have plans to go out or make a booking. It would be better if you have an idea on paper about what all things you want to do. You may have to order the things in advance (as deliveries are delayed due to pandemic) and you might have to prepare things on your own.
2. Decide the Décor
As we weren’t throwing the Big Bash as we had planned and we didn’t want any outside vendor to enter our house(due to precautions), we took the matter In our hands. We browsed through many online sites and finally ordered this amazing and affordable décor from Amazon. Though there were full sets available, we weren’t satisfied with the combos they were offering (too excited to settle for one) so we mixed and matched from different sets. We reused his name cutout from his naming ceremony and decided to go for silver and blue theme. You can also make cutouts and pomp-pomps and flares at home. It will save money as well as keep the kids engaged and excited.
3. The Cake
As beautiful as the décor should be, cake should be equally delicious. We were in a push & pull about the cake’s design and the theme. He is one year old and doesn’t really have any favourite cartoon or a movie. After going through many “1st Birthday Cake” designs, we finally decided to put up his favorite toys on the cake. We turned to our tried and trusted baker Cupcakes & More and they came to our rescue by making our imagination a reality. In these times, it is advised to try out the baker you trust and especially the home-based bakers as they bake on order basis. You can also bake a cake yourself and decorate it the way you like.
4. The Menu
As the party will be limited to a few people and mostly you will be cooking, it is best to keep it simple. We went for Paneer wrap, Veg Biryani with Raita & Pooranpoli (Maharashtrian Dessert). This avoided us the strenuous work in the kitchen and let us enjoy the party more. You can either choose your favourite food or experiment new dishes, as less people means less fuss.
5. The Dress
We might be celebrating the occasion amidst a few people or may be alone, but a new dress always cheers you up. So, order the dress well in advance so that you have enough time for trial and replacement (if required). We had ordered two dresses for him, one for the day and one for the evening.
6. The Party
You may not be able to invite all your family and friends physically, but you can always connect virtually. As many people wanted to see him cut his 1st Birthday cake and it was not possible to video call everyone at the same time, so we hosted a Facebook Live Birthday Party. We posted the invitation on our Facebook Page and sent it out on WhatsApp as well. You can also host a watch-party on Facebook or and Insta Live party according to your preference.
7. The Enjoyment
This is the most important part of any celebration. No matter how much you plan and prepare, if your or your loved one did not enjoy it, its not worth it. Plan only what you can execute and if anything is less then don’t sulk about it. Make the best out of situation. Video chat, Zoom meetings, Live sessions, Watch parties, taking selfies and pictures, whatever suits you best to make memories and cherish them.
Happy Lockdown Celebrations!!
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