Ways To Celebrate Birthdays Right Now When You Don’t Feel Like It

My wife asked me a question that has been haunting me since last week. What do I want to do for my birthday?

I honestly hadn't given it any thought, but this Saturday will mark another year I've been on this side of the dirt. I know birthdays are supposed to be celebrations, but I don't feel much like celebrating.

This year has been tough on every single person that I know. In one way or another, we've all had many struggles. Then, there's the pandemic. My wife and I both found out we have family members who have recently tested positive, or are being quarantined because of exposure to other family members who tested positive.

Also, while pretty much everything has "reopened," there's still restrictions on capacity, social distancing and masks to worry about, and limits on the sizes of some gatherings.

Planning to celebrate a birthday in 2020 hasn't been as easy as "pick a place, and invite everyone," for a long time.

With all of this in mind, I did some digging for ways to celebrate a birthday when someone doesn't really want to, or can't. Here's what I found:

• Cook a special meal
• Take them to a restaurant and keep it casual (no pots, pans, songs, and birthday brownies)
• Simply wish them a happy birthday, and leave it at that
• Get them a card, or make it yourself
• Spend some time talking with them. Hang out with them. Just don't make it about their birthday.

Personally, I think I'll be pretty happy with a "Happy Birthday" and leaving it at that. A party seems out of the question considering the number of people my wife and I know who have tested positive for Covid-19, and with a 3 month-old baby at home it probably wouldn't be a great idea.

I might just go to one of my favorite restaurants in town for a quiet, late lunch and then take a nap.