Australian birthday girls and boys go virtual to celebrate their special day
Australians are not letting the COVID-19 pandemic get in the way of their special day. Here is how the birthday girls and boys are celebrating nationwide this month.
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Drive-by parties, cakes left on doorsteps and toasts raised on video calls are bringing the new birthday cheer as Australians look for ways to celebrate while social distancing.
Families, who previously celebrated in person, are now meeting up online.
Children, who raced about in function rooms or jungle gyms, are now being entertained in a virtual grid on Zoom – with less to clean up.
Birthday presents and custom cakes are delivered contactless to homes, and magic shows and dance battles are performed online.
These tiny moments of joy, like blowing out birthday candles surrounded by loved ones, are not only important, but they may be critical to holding on to any sense of normalcy right now.
And making some small changes to the usual routine are creating a unique celebration while still keeping the mood fun and positive.
The Party People co-owner Dean Salakas said ways to give the day meaning when we’re all limiting contact are absolutely crucial.
“We still need our friends which is why now we’re hearing more and more about virtual parties,” he said.
Virtual events can happen in an instant and everyone’s invited but still need to come with a plan and party supplies.
Mr Salakas said balloons are the most popular item as families celebrate birthdays at home.
“We’ve even seen many people go with a surprise balloon delivery on a loved one’s birthday to remind them that people love them and are thinking of them,” he said.
Party packages for having fun at home are popular from personalised “Happy Iso Birthday” balloons to goodie-filled showbags.
Other retailers are stepping up to ensure children's’ birthday celebrations are worth remembering.
Best & Less is hosting Australia’s biggest virtual party on May 16 alongside Yellow Wiggle Emma Watkins for children across the country celebrating their birthday.
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The event will include interactive games and songs to make every birthday child feel special.
Resourceful parents have also created the drive-by party, in which children wave from cars rolling past the house of the birthday boy or girl.
Natasha Nagle jumped on the idea during the shutdown before her son Kingston’s ninth birthday.
The community responded. The Nagle family found cars honking while blasting happy birthday tunes.
“Kingston was over the moon seeing his friends,” Ms Nagle said.
It also became clear by mid-March that Zara Hewes’ ninth birthday at a venue had to be cancelled.
In order to feel a sense of normalcy, two things were most important to her mother, Abigail Albulario: baking a birthday cake and arranging a Zoom call with Zara’s closest friends and family at home.
Videos, messages and a game of Roblox arrived throughout the day in the family lounge room decorated with butterflies and a birthday banner. Gifts were dropped off by loved ones a week before.
“You do what you can in these circumstances. I am sure she still felt that she had her birthday,” Ms Albulario said.
“It might not have been the same, but at least the right people were there.”
