Decide What to Do on Your Birthday Outing

Are you having trouble deciding what to do on your birthday? The possibilities and factors can sometimes be overwhelming--this article may help you get over these worries and make the birthday party fun and enjoyable. Birthdays can be most meaningful occasions and are usually spent with people who are the closest to us. Work to have an outing that brings out the best in you and your friends. Also, do not ditch any of the special trappings of the birthday party tradition. Live up your birthday, and ask your friends to help you do it up well!

Steps

Thinking About the Who

  1. Invite people who you are comfortable and/or close with. This includes the people who both love you and who you really love. Make a list of your friends and friends that you would like to share your special day with. The people who come are going to be the most meaningful part of your special day. [1]
    • Twenty somethings report that there are 8-10 people who they feel close enough with to share emotional support. Thirty somethings give the number between 5-10, typically. Write down a list of the people who you feel that support from. [1]
    • You may want to let your close friends bring a friend or two. This might make the group more diverse while also keeping it a more intimate and meaningful celebration.
  2. Do not invite acquaintances just to fill up space at your party. Facebook makes it easy to invite a great big group of people to a get together. However, it can be difficult to estimate how many people will truly come. Additionally, being around many acquaintances on your birthday that you do not feel very connected to can end up making you feel more lonely on your birthday.
    • This is not to say that there can be no acquaintances at your party. Having a few acquaintances there might be good for the group because they are new people. However, be intentional about the acquaintances you invite, and only invite a couple of people you do not know well.
  3. Text/email your list of close friends to find out if they are free. Do this about four weeks before your event. [2] Tell your friends what day(s) you are thinking of getting a celebration together and ask them if/when they would be free. Ask them what days and times work best for them. Based on who responds and when they are free, you can start to think about what to do. [3]
    • If you want the group to be a little bigger, ask your friends if they would like to bring a friend or two to the outing. Ask them to get back to you when they know whether they will be attending alone or with a friend so you can plan accordingly.
  4. Consider the group dynamics for an outing. Talk to a couple of your closest friends. Tell them that you want to have a birthday celebration with your close friends. You can start to brainstorm who would be the best to get together for a celebration. You want to make sure that the group dynamics will mix well, and your friends might have good input for how that can work out.
    • Consider having two different celebrations for you birthday. You can get brunch with one group of your friends or family in the morning, and go out for dinner and dancing with the other group, for instance.

Thinking About the What

  1. Decide how much you will ask your friends to spend. How much money will you realistically be asking your friends to contribute to the outing? A celebration can cost as little as ten dollars per person or cost over a hundred dollars per person. So consider the budgets of you and your friends.
    • Write down a break down of your night and the approximate varied costs. Include transportation costs, ticket costs, drinks and food.
    • If you and your friends make different amounts of money, ask one of your close friends how much money they think is appropriate to ask your friends to spend.
    • Your friends are going to make your birthday great. Keeping everyone within their budgets will help everyone focus on your birthday and not their pocket books.
  2. Go out big. If you and your friends have enough money to go out, consider doing something fun like going to a spa, going camping, going a concert, going to a destination like Vegas or going to a sports event. [4]These kinds of events are great because they can be very memorable and last for several hours or days. This will keep everyone together and occupied for a good amount of time. These activities can also do a good job of bonding people and entertaining everyone.
    • Buying your tickets in advance will also simplify matters for planning.
    • Plan transportation there and home. Designate a couple of drivers and have everyone get together before and after at a central location for food and/or drinks. Pick a nice restaurant or bar to go to before/after the event.
    • If you have one friend that may not be able to spend the same amount as the rest of the group, consider asking a few friends to pool the money to buy your friends’ ticket to the event.
  3. Keep it frugal. If you or your friends have tighter budgets, consider having a house party, barbecuing or picnicking at the park. Choose a friend to DJ the event and put up a few balloons and streamers. It is easy to make a birthday seem well put together if you plan for a few key details.[5]
    • You can still make this birthday feel rich if you make it a potluck or tell everyone to bring their own alcohol.
    • Bring a Frisbee, ball or card game. Having a simple game is a good idea to pack, even if it doesn't get used by everyone a small group of people might want to play.
    • You can also find a free music or art show to attend together. Get together before/after at someone’s house. Ask everyone in advance if they can pitch in 10 dollars for pizza and/or inexpensive drinks.
  4. Consider the season. For example, if you want to do something outside in winter, consider including a bonfire. Or if you are doing something in the summer, think about asking your friend with a pool to have your party at their house. If you can incorporate something season appropriate into your event, it will make it more fun and memorable.

Making it Special

  1. Ask one of your friends to take pictures for the celebration. Ask them if they will post the pictures to social media and tag your friends. Some people get a big kick out of social media. Appeal to these friends by making sure your celebration is being documented.
  2. Have balloons, party hats, confetti, sparklers or streamers at your celebration. These little touches will make it seem more like a birthday party and are inexpensive to add. Ask one of your friends to be in charge of setting up the decorations.[6]
    • Remember that these decorations will be a hassle to pick up but will be totally worth it.
  3. Have one of your friends make a special drink for the occasion. For example, if you are going to a Beach House concert, have one of your friends make beach themed drinks. Having special little themed things will help make the day feel even more fun and special.
    • Be careful not to drink too many special drinks on your birthday. It can be easy to drink more when you are excited. Remember, do not drink so much that you cannot engage with everyone and celebrate the day or night fully.
  4. Make sure you buy a cake and candles! No birthday is complete without a cake. Or make or buy your favorite sweet treat! Do not forget to buy the candles. Find the right number or fudge it in a creative way. For example, make the 51 shape out of candles.
    • You can delegate this task to one of your close friends, siblings or parents.
    • Have someone else put the candles on the cake and bring it out.
    • Plan on the time of night you want to bring out the cake. You do not want to forget! You also don’t want everyone to forget. So tell everyone what time you will do the cake.
  5. Sing the “Happy Birthday” song. If there is an instrument around someone can play, bring it out and play it with the song. Have your friend take pictures. Blow out all the candles at the end of the song and make a wish!
  6. Talk about the past and the future. This is a chance to take stock in the course of your life and what you have accomplished and made it through in this past year. Take advantage of this time to reflect with your close friends. Talk also about this upcoming year and what you hope will happen to you by this time next year.
  7. Thank your friends. Make a point to talk to your close friends one on one, at some point in the night. Tell them that you are grateful for their friendship and that you appreciate them celebrating your birthday with you. Let them know that they are what is making this day the most meaningful, and give them a hug!

Related Articles

  • Celebrate a Birthday in Spring

Sources and Citations

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 http://www.esquire.com/lifestyle/sex/a36296/how-many-people-should-invite-to-birthday/
  2. ↑ http://www.marthastewart.com/264257/birthday-party-planning-101
  3. ↑ http://www.succeedsocially.com/invitingpeopleoutexamples
  4. ↑ http://lifestyle.allwomenstalk.com/extremely-fun-ways-to-celebrate-your-next-birthday/8/
  5. ↑ http://lifestyle.howstuffworks.com/event-planning/birthday-parties/5-affordable-birthday-party-locations.htm#page=
  6. ↑ http://www.babble.com/babble-voices/10-simple-ways-to-make-birthdays-extra-special/
Retrieved from "https://kipkis.com/index.php?title=Decide_What_to_Do_on_Your_Birthday_Outing&oldid=304114"