There are 34,576 private schools in the United States, serving 5.7 million PK-12 students. While your child may be back in class, hosting a large indoor party with their friends from school might not be wise.
We know that flu viruses can survive on hard surfaces for up to 48 hours. And while it's unlikely that you'd contract COVID through shared surfaces, the possibility of transmitting the coronavirus is higher with indoor gatherings among unvaccinated individuals. Instead of taking the risk for your child's special day, why not throw a drive-by birthday party? This way, the whole family can attend safely.
Here are a few tips for throwing the ultimate drive-by birthday party.
Invite the Whole Family
One of the beautiful things about hosting a drive-by celebration is that the whole family can attend without any risk to anyone involved. Go ahead and invite everyone you know as if you were having a pre-COVID, in-person party. This will give you a nice long parade of people to really show your child how much they're cared for.
Create Custom T-Shirts
Custom t-shirts for the whole family are always a fun addition to a celebration. In fact, the custom t-shirt printing market is estimated to be valued at $6.9 billion by 2027. Put together a fun graphic or even just some words on your child's favorite color and give your parade a uniform. Plus, the shirts will be a good reminder of the day, even years down the line.
Set up Signage and Decorate Cars
Nothing catches the eye like balloons and a huge lawn sign. Additional decoration ideas include things like sidewalk chalk or even a specially decorated chair for the guest of honor. There are many yard sign companies out there who can help make your vision a reality.
You can also go the extra step and suggest that parade-goers decorate their cars, either in general birthday fare or in line with a theme that your child enjoys. You can tie balloons to mirrors, write on the windows with chalk markers, use hand streamers and banners -- whatever you want.
Hand Out Goodie or "Party-for-One" Bags
One of the best parts of going to a party as a kid is taking home a little bag full of surprises. You can theme your goodie bag as well, either with the theme of the overall party or with a theme that goes well with it -- for example, a Sherlock Holmes-themed party with a bag of clues and candy.
You could also step it up a bit and hand out a small box or bag packed with that car's share of things. For example, a "party-for-one" box might include cupcakes, paper plates, napkins, water bottles, popcorn, a small toy, and an activity for the kids. These bags and boxes can be handed out carefully or set on an easily accessible table.
Don't Forget the Birthday Presents
What party is complete without a few gifts? Granted, after so long in lockdown, you may just be glad to see your loved ones' faces again. Still, most people will want to bring something for the birthday kid, even if it's something small. They can either set these gifts on the lawn or in the driveway. Alternatively, they can mail them in before the parade.
So there you have it: all sorts of tips to help make this year's birthday the best yet, even with COVID still a concern. Stay safe out there and party on!
