Birthday Surprises - Lockdown Edition

Hello everyone! I love birthdays, not just my own, but I love giving presents and making sure that those that I love feel spoiled on their special day. It is only one day of the year, and no amount of money in the world can match the feeling when you receive a personal and thoughtful gift. Therefore, my list is not filled with expensive, materialistic products, but with experiences and gestures that show the recipient that you care. Obviously if you are able and are eager to spend large amounts of money on your family and friends then I'm not saying that is a bad option, I'm just providing you with alternatives or things that you can get your loved one alongside your gift. Hope you enjoy!

1. Send them a thoughtful gift

You could send your loved one a present through the post. Possibly a subscription for their favourite magazine, beauty box or flowers etc, so that they get a gift every month for how ever long you want, or even all year round. You could buy the classic flowers and chocolates to get delivered to their door for a certain time. You could get them a thoughtful present that only you and them would understand, something to do with a private joke or a shared passion. The card website Thortful sell a massive variety of reasonably priced cards, but cards that don't look cheap; some are centred around popular TV shows and films and others are humorous, emotive and personal. Also, you could make plans for the future, once everything goes back to some sort of normality again, so you could send them an itinerary of the special day you have planned.

2. Surprise them at their doorstep

Surprising your loved one at their doorstep would be a lovely way to put a smile on their face. You could get a couple of friends or family members to drive round with you, so you can all drive-by and make noise with your cars or play birthday music, to make the day something to remember. If there is time to spare, you could set up a chair outside the house and have a catch-up for a while so you get to spend some quality time with them.

3. Birthday video

This may be time-consuming but it is definitely worth it, the reactions are always priceless, maybe even a few happy tears will be shed! Whoever has access to recording services, could send you over a video with a happy birthday message and you could compile them all together; maybe including favourite memories with the birthday boy/girl or funny moments etc. For ones I have made in the past, I have travelled round to elderly family members houses and stood outside the front door (2 metres away of course) and filmed that family member recording their birthday message, to make it easier for those who haven't got access to filming technology. There is an app called Cameo where you can purchase a Happy Birthday message from a celebrity, which would also be a really fun way to surprise the birthday boy/girl if there is anyone in particular that they adore.

4. Picnic in the park

I have had a couple of social distance picnics so far during lockdown, as it incorporates two of my favourite things, socialising and food :) All you need is a blanket to sit on, sun cream, food and drink (oh, and toilet roll just incase the public toilets are not very clean). For a birthday picnic, you could also bring cake for the occasion, play music, have some drinks and even play games. I know that Guess Who is a great game to social distance with, Charades and Taboo are others that you could be creative with aswell during this time.

5. Virtual party

Schedule a time for all of your friends or family to join together for a party on video call, you could use Zoom, HouseParty or FaceTime. This could be a great chance for people to catch-up and have fun whilst at home. You could dress up in fancy dress or have a special themed night. You could play online games together or normal games like the ones mentioned in the previous suggestion over the call. You could all make themed cocktails, or snacks, and party the night away virtually. Also, there could be a Birthday Quiz dedicated to answering questions about the birthday boy/girl or the specific theme that you have chosen.

6. Boredom Buster

You could create a hamper filled with things that the recipient would really benefit from with lockdown forcing you to spend most of your time indoors. For instance, their favourite snack, pamper or skincare products, pyjamas or loungewear or something crafty/an activity (like a paint by numbers kit, colouring book or a puzzle) with the right tools for the specific activity or a book. This will not only be a great present but also a useful one too, this will be used multiple times and cherished during low moments in lockdown.

7. Scrapbook

Here is the excuse for you to get stuck into something really crafty, get messy with glue, stickers and glittery pens and it's actually going to be considered productive, as this is a keepsake that will last a lifetime. Your loved one would appreciate something that you've spent time doing and they would be able to clearly see the amount of effort that you've put into it. Include all of your favourite memories together. Use photos, tickets and other memorabilia from those unforgettable moments to create a wonderful collection, filled with happy moments for the birthday boy/girl to look back on whenever they want.

8. Order their favourite food 

The birthday boy/girl needs to be spoiled on their birthday, so you could order a takeaway for them from afar (letting them know in advance so they could rearrange their day/food plans). Or you could have a special birthday cake or sweet treat delivered to them. There are plenty of bakery's open that are serving Afternoon Tea boxes, where you get a full set of sandwiches, scones, jam, cream and many other sweet treats included, to make their birthday extra special.

9. Cook/Bake (If you live with the birthday boy/girl)

This is an activity that would be suitable for those who live with the birthday boy/girl. Another gift that doesn't require a large budget, but will be rewarding once completed. You could even bake their birthday cake, if you're quite a skilled baker that is! Otherwise you'll be giving everyone a great laugh instead :) You could really spoil them by cooking them a 3 course meal, including all of their favourite things and making a menu using funny puns or courses using their own name in the title. Act like they're in a real restaurant and get dressed up for the occasion.

10. Decorate the house (If you live with the birthday boy/girl)

This is another activity that would be suitable for those who live with the birthday boy/girl. Decorating the house adds a special touch to the day that they may not have been expecting at all. You could decorate with a special theme, like a specific decade or favourite tv show. There are many sites that provide masks with the birthday boy's/girl's face on and everyone could wear one, which I personally think is a really funny idea and I will definitely be doing it for the next birthday coming up :) Games could be played and set up around the house, try and think outside the box with where and what to play. You could do a pub crawl in different rooms of the house or make a 'nightclub' room where you get funky lights or glow in the dark accessories and play music in the evening.

Thank you for reading! I hope that helps those who were stuck on what to do for your loved ones during lockdown. Hope you all have a lovely day and stay safe! :) Head over to my Instagram @carlylauren_ to see more of my lifestyle content or even if you just want a chat, as I post on there everyday.