Lockdown Birthdays

The effect of lockdown made for birthday celebrations being slightly different this year. With parties, plans and trips cancelled, those celebrating their birthdays, particularly at the beginning of this rather strange year, were forced to make some different sorts of plans..

I spoke to some of my Suzie Winsor Studio instagram followers to ask what their experience of lockdown birthdays were like.

Rijlke’s friend Issy who decorated the living room with birthday party banners

Rijlke

My 25th birthday was on the 27th of March so we had only just gone into lockdown at that point. I’m not one for making a big deal out of my birthday so didn’t really have anything planned or any expectations but had been looking forward to a few pints with me mates. Which was then obviously not going to happen! 

Just before lockdown one of me best mates (Issy) had moved in with me for a bit as her plans to go to Australia had just been cancelled. I usually live on my own so it was lush to have someone at mine while we weren’t allowed to go anywhere! It was like one big sleepover together! We were both pretty bummed out and anxious but really helped each other out. 

On the day of my birthday me and Issy both put on a nice dress and some make up for the night in. All my extended family got on a big zoom call to wish me a happy birthday which was lovely. And then my closest friends had organised a surprise quiz for me on zoom which was filled with loads of daft and silly rounds and was proper fun. (Bare in mind this was only a few days into lockdown and the zoom quizzes were only just kicking off at this point haha!)

Me and Issy bought cheap bottles of champagne, loads of gin, nice cheese, loads of other good food and a birthday cake. And we spent the night stuffing our faces and getting drunk. The night ended in us dancing round my living room to Talking Heads in our pants at 3 in the morning and getting shouted at by the bloke who lives downstairs. 

Was honestly one of the nicest birthdays I’ve had, I felt so close to all the friends and family in my life even though I wasn’t allowed to see any of them in person! And me and Issy dancing round my living room was so much more fun than dancing round any bar or club I’ve been in for the last few years! 

Rachel’s Story

My birthday was in May, so just after the first lockdown extension. It's just me and my partner with our rescue dog who live in Newcastle. My partner had taken a temp job in a supermarket so had little control over his shifts but luckily was able to request the date off as I was on furlough and didn't fancy spending it totally alone...
My family were incredible and joined in with all my silly requests.I am one of four siblings and my sisters were up for a zoom call, even my brother which meant a lot and I spoke with my parents who live in Edinburgh.
We shared stories as I sipped a new Raspberry gin (sent by my eldest sister) and enjoyed cake for lunch (one of 3 birthday cakes).  

My younger sis came and sat in our garden whilst I blew bubbles and opened presents chatting to her from a distance - she lives less than 5 miles away.

I scheduled a video call that evening with some close friends so we could join in together on Jay's Virtual Pub Quiz live that evening (online, free quiz by a guy in Darwen, streamed on YouTube) which was really rewarding.

Highlights included a friend cycling round dressed as a clown to deliver some gifts and picamix and 3 new bottles of gin.

I must admit, I do like a wee fuss, I love cake and I do love choosing the food to have on my birthday.  We pre-ordered a Fenham Fish Bar and I drank Prosecco and was in bed before midnight, so all in all a good day.  A fab excuse to indulge!

I'd say the hardest part of celebrating my lockdown birthday was the come-down afterwards.
Leading up to the day, I was hearing from people asking what I had planned and then the day itself was full of chats and calls and online communication.  

There was a buzz and a positivity to sharing celebrations with friends and family in a more unconventional way that pretty much died off the day after which left me feeling a bit deflated.
For the week or so afterwards, with nothing left to fully look forward to, I found my mood really declined and I struggled to get back into a more normal routine.

It certainly made me more aware of supporting and celebrating my sister's 30th coming up that next month but making sure she had more to enjoy in the following weeks (we decided to book Alton Towers and took a day trip to Scotland as soon as we were able to cross the border) in order to spread out her celebrations.

Traditions remain important, I blew out a candle and enjoyed cake and drank gin.
Food was a lot more central than usual and less emphasis on presents with most family wanting to send vouchers or money which meant online shopping sprees instead of trips to the shops.
I think overall I was lucky to be surrounded virtually and physically by lots of people, it was just difficult to manage my expectations of the following weeks afterwards once all the plans were done.