Best Virtual Birthday Party Idea That You Can Do While Social Distancing and Make Your Party Memorable.

With the help of technology, you can celebrate yours or your family members' birthday party online with the help of made in India video conferencing apps like 'Say Namaste', 'Milan Setu', 'Jio Meet' and 'Blue Jeans'. These apps allow your guests to see and talk to each other on their mobile or laptop screen, the only restriction is that one person can speak at a time, else the voices will overlap, and communication wouldn't be effective. If someone is old school and using a computer, then they would need a webcam and a microphone.

A virtual birthday party has the same items and activities as you would have in an in-person party, but without the taste, touch and smell. The host and the guest participate online, and they celebrate and wish the 'birthday person' good wishes for the coming years. The host can decorate their home and cut the cake at their place while the guests participate online on their laptops or mobile phones and can send e-cards or online messages. This party provides a fun and social environment, and the person celebrating their birthday doesn't feel alone on their special day.

Unlike a regular birthday party where you can invite the guests by visiting or meeting them in-person; in a virtual birthday party, you need to call and inform everyone personally about the date and time followed by a beautiful invitation e-card which you can create on canva.com. The mailer should have clear instructions about the app which everyone would be using and also about the different view options available, mute buttons, and when to use them.

As sitting in front of a screen for long times can be tiresome, it's better to keep the duration of the party for not more than an hour. You should inform everyone about the theme and dress code (if any) in the invitation and can also ask everyone to be ready with any entertaining item of their choice; it can be a nice joke, poetry, song, or dance.

If you have a projector, then set it up in the room which you have decorated for the party or use your big flat-screen TV and connect it to your laptop. This will allow you to relax on your recliner while you can see everyone on the big screen. Check all the electrical instruments and lighting, etc. a day before the party to avoid any last-minute embarrassment. Get all your props and banners to decorate the room in advance and decorate the room at least two hours before the party starts so that you have ample time for other preparations.

Most importantly, you need to lead the conversation and keep everyone engaged while the party is going, because there may be few people who are not used to of a video conversation and may feel a bit awkward in front of the camera. Start with an ice breaker session where every guest would introduce them and how they know you. You can ask the participants to share their views on a common topic like how everyone is dealing with the pandemic and what lifestyle changes have they observed or inculcated in their life post lockdown.

If you have planned to gift birthday favors to the guests, then send those at least two weeks in advance as there may be delivery delays due to lockdown at few places. Keep the virtual party interactive and festive with simple things like everyone raising a toast along with you (can be coke or any other drink of their choice) while munching on some chips or snacks during the party and sing 'Happy Birthday' in chorus (singing slowly to avoid overlapping) while you cut the cake. This way, everyone will get the feel of attending a birthday party.

As we are not used to celebrating a virtual birthday party and for most of us, it's a new experience, so you need to be extra cautious before planning one. Do check a day before for all the people who would be attending the party, check if they have all installed the app and know how to use it. In the morning, send a short reminder message to everyone to be present on time in front of their screens.

Plan an online game in the afternoon with the guests who would be attending the party or have an online dancing session before the party, which would double the fun of your evening party. Share e-cards with the guests before the party during the day so they can fill in their messages and wishes and send it back before the party. You can read these special messages during the party or also post on social media after the party is over.

And certain things which you should avoid before or while celebrating a virtual birthday party are – don't arrange the party in a room which is prone to noise or is near the road. Better to choose a room which is in the interior part of your house. Do not dress like you are cozying at home; no pyjamas or lose tees, get dressed as if you were to go for an actual party. Don't forget to have a power backup and a second internet connection just in case the primary one is down at the party time.

Bachelors often stay alone due to job and career prospects; thus, friends play a crucial role in their life. When social distancing is the new etiquette and work from home the new norm, chances are that you start missing your friends and family even more. Few wonderful ways to celebrate a virtual birthday for bachelors are –

Married men may not be as fortunate as the bachelor's to enjoy a beer party alone with their friends, but then staying with your family comes with its benefits, and your wife and kids helping you arrange the virtual birthday party is one of them.

You can ask the families of your friends and your relatives to join you on the virtual birthday party. Everyone can share their own small stories and experience about you, which makes it an interactive virtual get-together, and your colleagues, friends and relatives get to know more about you. You can also send a beautiful physical card and return gift in advance to everyone a few days before the party.

Though ladies love to chat and gossip over kitty parties, the pandemic isn't giving us enough courage and confidence to continue with our old lifestyle. A majority of people using video calls are women, and it shows that no matter whatever the situation is, they will chalk out a way to express their feelings.

This can be the toughest part as for kid's party means fun, frolic, shouting, games, and gifts in person. It's a bit difficult to make them understand the concept of a virtual birthday party. However, with kids playing online games, watching online shows, and studying through apps, they know that this change is inevitable, and 'online party' is not an alien concept anymore.

The elderly need extra care during the COVID times as they are more prone to the virus due to old age and ailments. You can give them a surprise by celebrating their birthday through video calling as they feel a bit depressed due to all the negativity surrounding the world.

You are all set and geared up for your first virtual birthday party, but what's a party without props and decoration! To ease things a bit for you, we have carefully picked a few birthday props for you, which will bring the necessary glamour in your party minus any huge costs. These budget-friendly items will decorate your room in no time and will make your virtual birthday party a memorable one.

The happy birthday mailbox contains a birthday monkey mirror card, a mini birthday contract, 3 balloons, 1 DIY birthday cake mix, 3 mini candles for the cake, a party whistle, one bottle for measurement, 1 small bottle of cake sprinkler and 30 gms of crunch chocolates. The box also contains a birthday badge, a birthday magnet, five postcards, a personalized photo mug, and a glitter bomb. The happy birthday combo can be ordered from oyehappy.com for Rs. 1,890.

This is an economic prop set if you don't want to spend much on the decoration, yet want a party look in the room. The 20 pieces in black, gold, and pink colours carry Happy Birthday, and other interesting quotes and all of them have wooden dowel sticks attached. The Happy Birthday prop set is available for Rs. 279 on amazon.in.

The solid Happy Birthday letter balloon in gold colour provides a perfect background for a virtual birthday celebration. The 15 inches by 19 inches letter balloons can be purchased from Flipkart for Rs. 188.

The 16 pieces superhero photo booth props are perfect for a kid's virtual birthday party as it provides an added flavor to a superhero-themed party. The colourful and vibrant shapes and images are carved out on quality cardstock and have dowels attached to them. Decorate your room quickly with these props and get a party-ready room. The photo booth props are available for Rs. 203 on firstcry.com.