Photo courtesy of Essie Markov

Homemade birthday cakes such as the one above are a fun way to prep for the special day.

Thanks to the outbreak of COVID-19, pretty much the entire country is on lockdown, or quarantine. Social gatherings of any kind are no longer allowed. So for those with birthdays during this time, “normal” celebrations with family and friends are now kind-of impossible. However, birthdays can still be celebrated, just in a new sort of way.

First off, many restaurants are still open for business. Pizza, Chinese food, Greek food and pretty much every other kind of food is still available, just for takeout or delivery instead of dine-in. Now is a great time to support local restaurants. If ordering takeout, have one of the restaurant workers simply place the food off in the trunk of your car. If you’re having the food delivered for you, the delivery guy can just drop the food on your doorstep and leave. Either way, you would be maintaining social distancing rules while also getting the chow that you desire.

As for the location, eat at home, or throw a picnic. Just make sure that the only people attending are the ones you’re quarantined with. If you’re feeling lonely, you can also start a Zoom call with your friends during the celebration, so that you can all chat and they can sing “Happy Birthday” to you as you blow out the candles. Birthday cakes, like other forms of food, can also be delivered to your house, via Grubhub or Amazon, among others. Making your own cake could also be fun, while helping to fill the time and alleviate boredom.

However, there are some more creative ways to celebrate the special day. People all over the country have been throwing car parades, during which all the neighbors or friends drive by in their cars playing music or holding birthday banners. If the birthday is for a kid, creating a scavenger hunt for them might also be a fun idea.

No matter how you decide to celebrate, remember that being in quarantine isn’t the end of the world. If anything, it’s helping to prevent the end of the world. You can still have fun while stuck inside the house, just as long as you get creative and stay positive.