How to Enjoy Your Birthday

Your birthday can be an exciting time of the year, and the best part is you get to decide what you want to do to celebrate. Whether you want to enjoy the day for yourself or spend time with friends, you can plan a full day of fun activities. For a more formal gathering, throwing yourself a party is a great way to get together with friends and family. If you’re feeling down or depressed, remember it’s okay to feel the “birthday blues” and there are ways you can still make your day feel special.

Celebrate with classmates and friends if you’re still in school. You can still have fun and enjoy your birthday, even if it falls on a school day. Many times, your name will be read on the morning announcements or teachers will give you a small gift, such as a piece of candy or a pencil. If you want to celebrate with your classmates, ask your parents if you can bring in a treat to share.

Make sure none of your classmates have food allergies if you decide to bring in a treat.

Take time off work to celebrate, if you’re working a job. Talk to your boss a few weeks in advance and let them know that your birthday is coming up. See if you’re able to take the day off so you can plan different activities and have a free day. Some workplaces will allow you to take paid time off while others may not, so make sure you can afford to take the day off.

Keep in mind that your friends or family members may still have to work even if you have off.

Enjoy your favorite foods so you can plan your meals. Choose foods that you love and don’t get to eat often for your birthday meals to make them feel more special. For example, you may have pancakes for breakfast instead of cereal or sushi for lunch rather than a sandwich. If you have a favorite restaurant, make a point to visit them on your birthday and order a meal.

Ask your parents ahead of time for a special birthday meal if you’re too young to make or order your own food.

4Have a relaxing day at home if you want to lie low for your birthday. If you don’t feel like going out anywhere or celebrating, it’s perfectly okay to just relax on your own. Put on your comfiest clothes, turn on your favorite movie or TV show, play video games, or go outside to get some sun. Invite people over to have a small gathering of friends if you want to enjoy a meal or play a board game together.

5Get together with friends if you want to celebrate together. Spending time with friends is a great way to enjoy your birthday with the people you care most about. Ask your friends if they want to come over to hang out or go somewhere to socialize. While you’re with your friends, thank them for taking time to be with you on your birthday to show them that you appreciate their company.

Don’t pressure your friends to buy things for you or give you gifts if they don’t want to. Remember that you want your friends to celebrate with you, not for you.

6Look for birthday deals at stores and restaurants if you want discounts. Many stores and restaurants offer birthday specials where you can receive a free item or a discount with a purchase. Search online for birthday deals near you and travel to as many as you can to celebrate. Make a list of places where you want to go, and check them off as you visit each one so you can keep track of them.

Try something you’ve never done before to make your birthday feel special. If there’s something that you’ve always wanted to try, take some time on your birthday to go do it. You can choose something major, like skydiving or bungee jumping, or something small, like trying out a new restaurant or visiting a museum. That way, you can remember the experience of your birthday.

8Take a day trip if you want to get away on your birthday. If there’s someplace near where you live that you’ve always wanted to check out, visit it on your birthday to make your day more memorable. You may choose somewhere like an amusement park, the beach, or a hiking trail for your trip. Take the entire day to explore the area so you can make memories and enjoy your time away.

• If your birthday is on or near a weekend, take a longer vacation if you’re able to so you have more time to explore or relax.
• See if friends want to spend the day with you so you have people to drive with.