Fun Birthday Ideas: 21 Fantastic Ways To Celebrate
“To me, old age is always 15 years older than I am.” — Bernard Baruch.
It is that time of the year, and maybe you are ready to go all out and celebrate another year of life. On the contrary, you may be someone who hates birthday celebrations and treats them like any other day. So, here are some birthday ideas, whether you love your birthday or not!
Birthday Ideas for Adults
If you are like me, planning a new idea for your birthday can seem like another task or chore on your to-do list, but here are some fun birthday ideas that should help get you started!
Once your big day arrives, you can spend the morning collecting all your birthday freebies from shops and online and worry a little less about party planning.
These birthday ideas are primarily for adults, but a few in this list may be good birthday ideas for kids.
Wine tasting
You could have a group of friends over, purchase a few bottles of wine and have friends bring different types of charcuterie boards. A fruit board, a dessert board, a comfort food board, you name it.
If you love wine but don’t like all of the sugar, there are healthier brands of wine that you can purchase, such as FitVine, and you can use their store locator tool to find their product near you.
Another way would be to purchase a wine subscription to deliver new wines to your door every month. Winc is a brand that offers wine subscriptions allowing you to try new wines every month, and they have an introductory offer for first-time users; if you don’t know what wines you like, like me, giving this a shot may add some fun to your party!
Dress Up
I know this one sounds like it may be childish, but I’ve seen it done, and it looks pretty fun. You can create a theme and tell everyone to dress up to match that theme.
For example, you could have your friends dress up as your favorite celebrity, and each friend wears different outfits to look like that celebrity.
Your dress-up night can also be movie-themed, and guests can dress up as characters from that movie.
Host a murder mystery night
This one may be a little creepy for some, but if you are a true-crime junkie like many people, this one may be an excellent idea!
You can order a kit to solve a murder with friends using a kit you can purchase online or at your local Target store. It is called “Hunt a Killer,” You and your friends get to be detectives for the night and figure out “who did it.”
Movie Night
Movie night can either be at your home, and you can binge-watch a series of movies or create a list of your favorites and include the wine night as mentioned above.
Another way of doing movie night is to rent out your local movie theater theaters like AMC offers theater rentals where you can purchase group snacks, pick one of the movies available, and have the whole theater for your guests and yourself.
Group getaway
Renting out a hotel for the night with a few bedrooms on the beach or near a destination spot would be a great way to have fun and relax without doing a significant clean-up as you would at home.
A solo trip
You may want to make a short trip that feels luxurious but on a budget. You can use sites like Priceline and take advantage of their price breaker deals to save up to 50% on a hotel. Another site that helps you save money on vacation is Scott’s Cheap Flights; it shows you deals on flights based on the airports closest to you and destinations you may enjoy.
Karaoke Night
You can buy some Bluetooth microphones that connect to your tv and play a youtube video of karaoke songs with lyrics. Then, decorate the food areas with your favorite genre of music centerpieces to add to the theme.
Wine and painting night
Many places are popping up that teach painting classes and serve you wine simultaneously. You can go solo or take a group of friends to paint the assigned art introduced for your chosen night.
Game Night
Pop the champagne and find an adult board or card game that will have you laughing or keep you on the edge of your seat. Like this one, “Freedom of Speech” is similar to the fan-favorite “Cards Against Humanity,” where you fill in the blank to the prompt card with something funny; the difference with the freedom of speech game has a button you press!
“I should have known that” trivia is another one that may be fun, challenging yourself to see what new fun facts you can learn.
Zip lining
I did this for a friend’s birthday one year. A group of us did a ziplining obstacle course, and we got a workout in and got to put our athletic skills to the test. You can either do an obstacle course where you walk across a rope while being attached to the zip line above, or you can find some that just let you slide from one tree way down to the next.
Catering
If you don’t want to go out, do you want to have your favorite cuisine for your birthday? Catering is a great way to have your favorite restaurant delivered to you and save some money by getting catering discounts.
Virtual Reality Gaming
Fun fact virtual reality therapy is a technique used to treat anxiety in people with social anxiety. However, it is more commonly known for its video gaming aspect, where you can put on a headset and tap into a game as if you are actually in the game. You can do this often at an arcade place like Dave and Busters or purchase a headset on Amazon to do at home.
Fitness classes
I get it this may not be how everyone wants to spend their birthday, but for those who like to be physically active and want to try something new, this one’s for you. There are ways to quickly try new kickboxing, barre, yoga, meditation, and other health and wellness classes with sites like ClassPass. Exercising can be a great way to help reduce stress and increase your feel-good hormones to help your birthday be truly satisfying!
Casino night
Get a table and cards and create fun prizes for winners like gift cards, free car wash, etc. The game night could be an excellent option for an over-the-hill party.
Birthday Party Ideas for Kids
Birthday party themes can make your kids’ party unique and memorable! Get a themed pinata with their favorite character, and half of the work is already done. Okay, maybe not half, but you have a great starting point with their birthday party decorations! Celebrate your kids’ next milestone in life with these birthday ideas that are sure to please!
Bounce house party
There are bounce house rental options that come to you either at a park or your home and depending on where you live, there may be some bounce house locations. In addition, there are trampoline and bounce house stores you can go to and bounce indoors in bounce houses if you don’t want to have a party at home.
Rock climbing
With a quick google search or doing some research on Groupon, you can find rock climbing for kids or some fun odd ideas.
Groupon adventure
Groupon is a great way to develop birthday ideas for adults and children. Local businesses post their services, and you can find fun ideas like ax throwing, wine tasting, massages, spa days, and more.
Aquarium
You may be able to find discounts on tickets for kids, and you can take them to your local aquarium or kids museum. There may be a variety of animals and activities available for kids, and the tickets are low in cost.
Zoo
A trip to the zoo for your little one’s 1st birthday will give you many opportunities to take pictures of their big day! A zoo trip is an excellent option for older kids, and it’s typically more affordable than amusement parks and other outings.
Arts & crafts
Print out some online printables themed with your child’s birthday, or pick up some coloring books at the dollar store. I highly recommend the mess-free coloring books that only allow them to color on the paper; they are a parent’s best friend! Then, buy another pack or two of stickers at the dollar store, and your little ones will be content for hours.
Birthday Gift Ideas That Make Them Feel Appreciated
If you are celebrating an upcoming birthday for someone and trying to find the perfect gift, here are some tips. By following these clever tips, you will be giving your loved one a gift they will cherish for a long time.
Gifts
If you want to inspire your friends to try a new restaurant or local business, a gift card is a way to add a little adventure to their routine.
A more personalized gift could be a gift basket with small items that will help them create memories or their favorite snacks or self-care items for their health and wellness.
Do Something for Them
If you know their love language is an act of service, giving them a tangible item may not be the best gift. Offer to babysit their kids, or if the gift is for a child, then purchasing lessons for the sport or activity they are learning would be more satisfying.
Throw a surprise birthday to show that you put some thought and effort into their birthday celebration.
Make something handmade for a best friend you know well.
Spend the Day With Them
Take your friend on an outing or if this is your birthday request, ask for a day exploring the town with you. Making memories is something you can hold in your mind for a lifetime and enjoy repeatedly.
“The most precious resource we all have is time.”- Steve Jobs.
Physical Touch
I’m not going to recommend a hug, but you could offer a free massage depending on your massage skills and the relationship with the person whose birthday it was.
Massages work as a natural muscle relaxer to ease pain and stress and cover the physical touch aspect without your friendship becoming slightly awkward. Although this is somewhat of a tangible gift, it will help them release tension and think of you.
Write About Them
Write a poem, book, or song describing your relationship with the person and what they mean to you. You can remind them of the memories you have made with them and what they add to your life.
Hire a custom artist to create a beautiful display of your words or perform the song you wrote for them at the party!
Summary
Many birthday ideas involve small celebrations and larger parties for adults and children and low-budget adventures through local and Groupon businesses. Whatever the birthday person’s way of feeling appreciated is, start from there and make it your own!