Birthday parties are probably among the most ancient of celebrations. LiveScience reports that the earliest birthday celebration dates back to ancient Sumer in southern Mesopotamia, the oldest known civilization. Back then, they noted the special date on cuneiform tablets. Today, we mark the occasion on our social media accounts.
Have you ever wondered how the popularity of birthday parties has pushed them toward a cookie-cutter existence? Often, we try to outdo each other by throwing the most bizarre, out-of-the-ordinary event. But when everyone does the same, we are back to being ultimately generic. Whether it appeals to the person for whom we are arranging the affair becomes secondary.
A heartfelt birthday bash for a friend is one that truly reflects and respects their personality. And no, we don’t mean personalizing cutlery and festoons with their name in bold letters. There are other ways to throw a personal, soulful celebration.
1. Carefully Consider the Type of Party
Should it be a grand event that includes all your friends and classmates? Or should it be a more intimate affair that focuses on a few close mates?
It might be tempting to go all out, but not everyone will appreciate a party on a mega-grand scale. For instance, if your friend is introverted, they may find animated and crowded parties draining.
That said, introverts may also be of different types. The Cleveland Clinic notes that social introverts tend to value building meaningful connections with others. Still, they may prefer small group settings over huge gatherings. You could think about a dinner party at your home and invite some of your closest pals. Your friend will likely enjoy this bash much more than if you take them to a loud nightclub.
Even for extroverted people, try to plan a party that aligns with your friend’s interests. Here are some ideas:
- Tickets to a music festival with your friend group
- Going on a hiking expedition together
- A DIY cook-off for a cuisine they enjoy
When you introduce personal tastes and hobbies into the party planning, you will likely throw a much more personalized and memorable celebration.
2. Focus More on the Person, Less on the Camera
Photo or it didn’t happen. This culture has become so popular that many of us click away for hours, hardly taking in the surroundings except through the camera. The average smartphone user clicks thousands of photos every month; no wonder device storage always seems to be full!
At a birthday party, a photography craze may also be driven by a desire to conform to a certain social standard. We want to appear glamorous or on-trend, living a life others can be envious of.
Social media addiction plays a large role in promoting this sentiment. In fact, many parents in the US have actually filed a Snapchat lawsuit that calls out the platform for emphasizing filtered, curated lifestyles and unrealistic beauty standards.
TorHoerman Law notes that such content has led to distorted self-image and poor self-esteem among many young adults. The story is much the same for many other popular platforms, including Instagram and TikTok.
To ensure your friend connects to the party you plan for them, try to prioritize attention and screen-free time. It is even more important if your friend is not the type who enjoys clicking too many pictures or feels too self-aware.
Here’s one more reason to cut down on photos: clicking away might interfere with your brain’s ability to remember. A National Geographic story notes that photo overload can affect how our brains shape memories.
The bottomline? A few pictures can be plenty; you can always set up a photo booth for other enthusiastic attendees.
3. Prioritize Experiences Over Perishables
Throughout our lifetimes, we are a part of many celebrations. Milestone birthdays. Lunch parties at work. Dinner takeout after the baby is asleep. How many perishable gifts do we even preserve or have the capacity to save?
Ultimately, experiences count toward more lasting memories than tangible gifts. This is because experiences are rich in sensory cues: scents, melodies, and shared laughter.
Verywell Mind explains that a popular theory of forgetting is cue-dependent, with many cues based on scents and sounds. Perishable items may not enter our long-term memory until we have a strong association with them. Eventually, we will fail to retrieve them as we grow older.
Moreover, an experiential event is a fantastic opportunity to give your friend heartfelt memories that comfort and delight them over the years. Here are some ideas:
- A garden party with childhood-inspired games for your friend who is a child at heart
- A book club-inspired party based on your reading-obsessed friend’s favorite paperbacks
- A guided tour through a vineyard for that wine connoisseur friend
- A visit to a perfumery for DIY scent-making activities for your creative buddy
A soulful birthday celebration may not look picture-perfect for social media. It may not be the most expensive party your pal has ever experienced. But it will surely be one thing: memorable forever.
Realizing that you mean so much to your friends that they took time out to plan a personalized event is eternally heartwarming.
