Despite everything that has happened this year, I still can’t get over how fast 2020 has gone by. In just eight days, I’ll be celebrating my twenty-fifth birthday and the one year anniversary of the launch of Flawless World. Yet if I’m being completely honest, with the passing of my grandmother on August 1 along with a lot of other things that’ve been going on in my life, this date—September 1–has been the farthest thing from my mind. And yet, even crazier than all of that, though, is the fact that the world is still turned upside down. When my boyfriend and I celebrated his birthday in the beginning of June before anything in our state was really open, neither one of us thought that we’d be in the same boat when it came to my birthday in September.
All of this has gotten me thinking about ways to celebrate a birthday at home during this unprecedented time. Instead of focusing on the things we wish we could and can’t do, it’s important that we all remember to focus on the positive things, and celebrate with what we have. Memorable moments in life don’t come from materialistic things, they come from yourself, the people around you, and how you feel.
Below I’ve broken down some ways to celebrate a birthday at home during COVID. Combine all of them for the ultimate night at home, or pick out one of your faves and go over the top with it. You’ll know what idea will work best for you when you see it.
Deck the house out
My twenty-fourth birthday is one of my favorites of all-time. My boyfriend surprised me the morning of by turning our living room into a Flawless World wonderland. He got balloons in various shades of pink and put them everywhere, along with a unicorn one and the number 24; put pink wrapping paper over our coffee table and turned it into a beautiful gift display, and just completely surprised me. He didn’t tell me he was going to be doing any of that, I had absolutely no idea; it was obvious he’d put in a lot of planning and effort to do all of it. (He spent two hours the eve of my birthday setting it all up.) Something so simple turned into something so special that I’ll remember forever.
If you’re unsure of what to do, try getting balloons in the shade of the celebrants favorite color and deck the house out for them. It doesn’t have to be anything fancy! It’s simple, thoughtful, and effective. It makes the day more festive.
Bring favorite food to you
During times of celebrations, we usually have special food that we normally don’t have everyday. Instead of stressing and trying to go out to a restaurant, try bringing the food to you. You can do this one of two ways: 1) you can try to make the celebrants favorite food yourself; or, 2) you can get takeout and, quite literally, bring the favorite food to you. For my boyfriends birthday, I decided to make a cheese board for him to his liking since we weren’t able to go to our favorite restaurant and get one. He loved it, and I think the fact that I took the time planning and arranging it all made him feel special. We sat, drank, and chatted like we’d normally do when we go out.
Intimate (surprise) party
Make the day more intimate by celebrating with the closest people. You can either plan it out ahead of time or try to arrange a surprise. Either way, it’ll make the day feel more normal and also be memorable.
DIY bar cart
For everyone 21+.
If you can’t go out to a bar, bring the bar to you! Try making a mini bar/bar cart with an array of the birthday celebrants favorite liquor. If you really want to get fancy, try concocting fun drinks geared for the birthday and create a menu with them! Here are some mixed drink ideas, the ones with a star next to them are my favorites:
Hot and dirty martini ★
WHAT YOU‘LL NEED:
- Tito’s Vodka
- Olive Juice
- Banana Pepper Juice
- Ice
- Cocktail Shaker + Strainer
- Martini Glass
HOW-TO:
- Fill cocktail shaker with ice.
- Add in a four count of vodka—do this by counting to four in your head at a normal speed.
- Add in a two count of olive juice and a two count of banana pepper juice—do this by counting to two in your head at a normal speed.
- Shake well—shaker should be cold to the touch by the time you’re done with it.
- Strain shaker and pour into a martini glass.
Watermelon lemonade ★
WHAT YOU’LL NEED:
- 1 Lemon (cut up into slices)
- Watermelon Pucker Liquer
- Ketel One Vodka
- Soda Water
- Ice
HOW-TO:
- Squeeze four lemon slices into a pint glass to create fresh lemon juice.
- Add in a four count of Ketel One—do this by counting to four in your head at a normal speed.
- Add in a two count of watermelon pucker liquer—do this by counting to two in your head at a normal speed.
- Stir ingredients together with a straw or spoon.
- Add in ice.
- Top with soda water.
- Garnish with lemon slice.
Sour lemonade
WHAT YOU’LL NEED:
- Ketel One Vodka
- Diet Sierra Mist or Sprite Zero
- Lemon (cut up into slices)
- Lime (cut up into slices)
- Ice
HOW-TO:
- Squeeze two slices of lemon and two slices of lime into a pint glass.
- Add in a four count of Ketel One—do this by counting to four in your head at a normal speed.
- Add in ice.
- Fill rest of glass up with diet Sierra Mist/Sprite Zero.
Spicy margarita ★
WHAT YOU’LL NEED:
- Silver Tequila (any kind is fine)
- 1 Jalapeño (cut up into coins)
- Fresh Orange + Lime Juice (made with 2-3 oranges and limes)
- Lemonade
- Cocktail Shaker
- Ice
HOW-TO:
- Create fresh orange and lime juice but cutting oranges and limes in half and squeezing into a bowl.
- In a pint glass, add in four jalapeño coins, a splash of orange and lime juice, a splash of tequila, and muddle contents together—basically, press the jalapeños into the glass and liquid so the flavor can be soaked up. This can be done with a muddler, or by using the back of a spoon.
- Add in ice.
- Add in a four count of tequila—do this by counting to four in your head at a normal speed.
- Add in a two count of fresh juice and lemonade—do this by counting to two in your head at a normal speed.
- Cover glass with cocktail shaker and shake well.
- Optional: add in more jalapeño coins at this step for an extra kick.
- Top with lemonade.
Strawberry cheesecake
WHAT YOU’LL NEED:
- Tequila Rose
- Vanilla Vodka
- Simple Syrup
- Strawberries
- Cocktail Shaker + Strainer
- Martini Glass
- Ice
HOW-TO:
- Fill cocktail shaker with ice.
- Add in a four count of Tequila Rose—do this by counting to four in your head at a normal speed.
- Add in a two count of both vanilla vodka and simple syrup—do this by counting to two in your head at a normal speed.
- Cut 1-2 strawberries in half and add in.
- Shake well!
- Strain into martini glass and garnish with a strawberry.
- Optional: wet the rim of the martini glass and dip into sugar for more sweetness. Do this before pouring in martini.
