Despite the Coronavirus pandemic, the world keeps turning, birthdays happen and we all still need to party, give gifts and show our love for friends and family. This is how to throw a fabulous party, lockdown-style.
Set your date and write your guest list
First you’ll need to check if all of your guests are available. Oh, actually, you don’t need to do this. It’s a lockdown. They are definitely all available. So, with your date set and your guest list ready, it’s time to plan the party. Whether your friend is a karaoke queen or a bake-off fan, you can plan a party that celebrates them and makes them feel special.
Choose your party theme and get friends and family to chip in
We’ve already had a few lockdown parties in the Patchwork team, and so we’ve set up a few templates to help you do the same. Vera’s birthday bake-off was a huge success. Everyone baked their own birthday cake, poured themselves a drink and joined a zoom call to sing happy birthday and watch her open her camera gift from us all. You can use Patchwork to ask guests to help with the party in different ways, from sending out party packs so that everyone can decorate their own space, to suggesting songs for the birthday playlist, and of course chipping in for a special gift.
Surprise them without leaving the house
For her birthday we surprised the lovely Ellie with an Abba themed virtual Karaoke party. Her friends sang Dancing Queen, showered her with messages of lockdown love on her birthday patchwork and she had her very own Karaoke machine delivered to her door by Lucky Voice. Everyone chipped in a little bit for the gift, and put in their song requests for Ellie to sing. It really made her smile. And no-one had to leave their house!
Get really organised and book a party host
Group calls on Zoom and House Party can be chaotic, so if you want your party to be stress-free and fun, we highly recommend booking a host (celebrant) to oversee things and ensure everyone gets a turn on the mic! Our friend and celebrant Zena Birch is the absolute best and will make sure that things feel relaxed and natural, but are actually carefully thought through and planned.
Planning your own party during lockdown?
Get in touch, we’d love to help! Whether it’s a virtual party you’re planning, or you need some inspiration for the perfect lockdown gift, we’ve got loads of ideas and are always happy to chat. All of our party templates are completely free to use. A 3.6% commission is taken on cash gifts collected through your patchwork. You can read more about our team here and about our fees here.