The global pandemic has made everyone observe social distancing, while other places are still on lockdown. That’s why, for many, parties are prohibited. But this doesn’t mean that you’ll have to give up on having a birthday party.

Thanks to the power of the internet, you can still have a fun and engaging birthday party. Whether it’s your party, your child’s, or a friend’s birthday, check out the following tips so you can have an eco-friendly and safe virtual celebration.

1. Take Advantage Of Video Calling

Video conferencing is a great way to unite everyone and break the barriers of physical distance. Nowadays, many people have access to Wi-Fi as well as compatible devices, such as smartphones, tablets, and laptops. For a safe but fun gathering, make use of video conferencing facilities, such as Google Hangouts or Zoom.

These allow you to easily invite friends and family from pretty much anywhere in the world who couldn’t physically attend due to the pandemic’s restrictions. Be sure to set up the conference call earlier than the expected time of the party so you can avoid any technical difficulties. Don’t forget to check your mic, video, and internet connection.

2. Use Virtual Invitations

In the past, physical invitations are often one of the highlights of planning a birthday party. You can be as creative as you like when it comes to invitations since there are various ways you can make them. From DIY invitations to professionally printed ones, the options are endless, and, sometimes, all it takes to convince your attendees to go to your party are well-crafted invitations.

Unfortunately, it might not anymore be feasible to send out physical invitations due to the restrictions and safety hazards posed by the current pandemic. However, you still have the option of sending out virtual invitations from websites like greenvelope.com. Having virtual invitations doesn’t mean you can’t be creative with them as there are tons of designs, colors, and templates that you can choose from depending on the theme of your birthday party. You can even customize the details included in the invitations, as well as easily keep track of who’s confirmed their attendance. Moreover, this is also an eco-friendly way of throwing a birthday bash since you don’t need to spend on any physical materials such as paper, and neither do you need any transportation to deliver your invitations, thus reducing your carbon footprint.

3. Go On A Virtual Tour

If you’re hosting birthday party for your child and you were planning to take them to a national park or museum, opt instead to take them to a virtual tour of the destination. Many national parks and museums around the world allow for a 360-degree virtual tour that will make you feel as if you’re already there. These tours also often have interactive options that can add some excitement to the exploration.

If you have great internet connection, you can also take advantage of video-sharing options where you can share your screen to friends and family while taking a tour of the park or museum, which can make them feel as if they’re walking right next to you. Not only is this educational but it’s also safe and eco-friendly.

4. Host A Watch Party Or Movie Night

Video streaming platforms such as Netflix may feature a Chrome browser extension that allows people to watch a movie together and add in their comments while viewing. This browser extension in particular is completely free to install, and allows viewers to add in GIFs, emojis, and even screenshots.

Having a movie night can be a fun alternative to hosting a traditional birthday party since you can all enjoy being together while staying in the comfort of your homes as you view the movie of your choice. You don’t have to worry about going to the cinema and risking your safety, and you can also prepare your own snacks beforehand, which can be a more eco-friendly choice since food wastage and trash can be reduced.

Depending on whose birthday it is and the virtual attendees present, there are lots of genres that you can choose from when selecting the perfect virtual birthday movie. For kids, you can opt to show animated films, comedy, and kids’ shows. If your attendees are primarily adults, you can be freer in your choice of genres by opting for horror, romance, thrillers, and the like.

5. Have A Virtual Song And Dance Party

Another way to make your virtual birthday party more engaging is to have a singing and dance party. While doing a video call with your attendees, you can ask everyone to mute their mics and load up some cool beats while they dance to the music all at the same time. Encourage everyone to bust out their coolest moves. Just make sure that you’ve already set up a playlist beforehand so the program will be smooth.

On the other hand, if your virtual crowd is more inclined to sing, you can have song numbers rendered by you and your guests. You can have solos, duets, or even group performances. Some may even opt to use their own musical instruments for their songs.

Encourage everyone to participate by having some prizes prepared at the end, such as virtual coupons or games that can be gifted to their account.

6. Get Video Cards From Friends And Family

Traditionally, a birthday card would contain well wishes from the friends and family of the one celebrating the special occasion. However, the downside to this longtime practice is that these can end up polluting the environment since cards are often paper-based and have the tendency to be thrown away or tossed aside after some time.

With the coronavirus outbreak, you can choose to instead get video cards from your loved ones instead of physical birthday cards, reducing the risk of exposure to the virus. If you’re hosting the birthday for someone else, ask their friends and family to record their birthday wishes over video. With the help of some apps or editing software, you can put this all together and share the clips over video conferencing.

Final Thoughts

The pandemic may have kept everyone one edge and restricted, but this doesn’t mean that you have to forego having a fun, eco-friendly, and completely safe birthday celebration with family and friends. Thanks in large part to the internet and the availability of video conferencing, everyone can still enjoy celebrating their birthdays indoors with family and friends.