By Cassie Bays, Graphic Design & Communications Intern

While we might not be able to gather for our usual traditions, we can still celebrate those special days and moments in a new way. Whether you have a birthday, a graduation, anniversary or other celebration, our intern Cassie Bays has compiled a list of ways to commemorate those moments while social distancing. 

1. Go all out with decorations!
   • Balloons—Balloons can be purchased at most grocery stores and can be used even without access to helium—pile them on the floor, hang them in fun shapes or arches, put them up on the walls or ceiling, or even use them to play games!
   • Christmas lights—You might already have these packed away in your closet, so why not break them out to make your celebration feel even more special!
   • Streamers—Get the party started by hanging these bright colored and inexpensive decorations all over!
   • Yard Decorations—Put out a big birthday sign, lawn ornaments like flamingos or blow up decorations, or draw in chalk in the driveway so that everyone driving by knows about the special day!
2. Set up a photo booth!
   • Hang up a tablecloth, streamers, or other decorations up on a blank wall to make your own at-home photo booth. (Check out this link for more DIY backdrop ideas: https://www.kristendukephotography.com/photo-booth-diy-backdrop-ideas/#_a5y_p=1862777)
   • Dig through your closets and Halloween bins to pull out costumes and props for an at-home photo frenzy!
   • Set up your smartphone or camera on a timer and get clicking!
3. Spend time with family—while still practicing social distancing!
   • Ask friends and relatives to send a short video message with congratulations/birthday wishes.
   • Coordinate a time to FaceTime or Zoom live with loved ones to make the occasion special. You can even sing “Happy Birthday” together!
   • If you have friends in your neighborhood, see if they will make signs to hang in their windows or doors on the special day. Then take a walk or bike ride to see them all.
   • Ask friends or family to drop by throughout the day and honk or wave from the front yard! You can even try to coordinate a drive-by parade!
4. Make the day special with unconventional party activities
   • Play board games! You can play as a family or if you have friends that also have the same game, you can play over FaceTime! You could also build a puzzle or Lego set.
   • Plan a scavenger hunt! (Check out https://handsonaswegrow.com/32-ways-kids-can-go-on-scavenger-hunts/ for scavenger hunt ideas.)
   • Have an art party at home! Paint, use playdough, or get a weaving kit from The Little Loomhouse in Louisville. (Kits start at $9.95, email thelittleloomhouse@gmail.com or call 502-367-4792 for more information!)
   • If you have a movie projector (or can borrow one) set up a backyard drive-in theater, complete with blankets or cardboard box cars!
   • Bake treats and decorate them together! If you’re not a natural-born baker, Adrienne & Co. Bakery in Jeffersonville is offering cookie decorating kits for only $14.99—call 812 282-2665 to reserve a kit!
   • Pull out photo albums or photo boxes and revisit old memories together. Find pictures of the person you are celebrating and reminisce about their accomplishments!
   • Karaoke! Make a microphone (or use a hairbrush), pull up Karaoke videos on YouTube, blast the music, and have a singing party!
   • Have a spa day at home. Wear soft robes or blankets, do a facemask, paint their nails, or make a homemade hand scrub together (like this one by Wellness Mama, https://wellnessmama.com/3628/sugar-scrub/).

• Make a backyard obstacle course! (Check out this link for instructions on how to build a pool noodle obstacle course https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/home/craft-ideas/how-to/g1389/diy-kids-activities/?)

5. Celebration Feast
   • Start the day with breakfast in bed or a special celebration breakfast favorites like waffles, cinnamon rolls, or birthday-cake flavored pancakes!
   • Have a picnic—pack up your lunch and head out to one of the great picnic spots at The Parklands for a special picnic lunch. Play some music, yard games, or go for a hike and enjoy the outdoors!
   • Make dinner exciting by ordering take out from a local restaurant, setting up a candlelit dinner, or making a special meal together.
   • Set up an ice cream sundae bar with a bunch of toppings so everyone can decorate their own!
6. Slumber Party
   • If it’s too cold to spend time outside, set up a tent in the living room for indoor camping fun! Make s’mores, roll out the sleeping bags, and play a game of Go-Fish!
   • Build a pillow fort! Pop some popcorn, pull out all the pillows and blankets you can find, and watch a movie in your fort! (Plus you can have fun building it together.) You can even use the Netflix Party Google Chrome Extension to watch movies with your friends. It lets everyone come together virtually to watch Netflix titles on their computers at the same time!