How to make your long-distance special person feel special on their birthday

It was my best friend's birthday last month and I had planned so many special things for her and she loved all of them. So, I thought to share with you all that how you can make your best friend, family member, boyfriend/girlfriend who are in long-distance (or in lockdown) feel special on their birthday. So, let's get started.

A. Gifts

Gifts are something which everyone loves to get from their loved ones, whether it be handcrafted or even ready-made. Here I am sharing few gifts ideas, you can opt for any alternative that you like.

1. DIY Gifts

You can show your creative art and crafting skills in this one. And even if you are not that creative then 'jugaad' would surely help you. I'm sharing one example of it here with you all. 

I've made a DIY gift box out of scrap. 

•Following are the requirements:

I've used the empty box of a skincare product, a lace, a ribbon, some coloured cardboards, beads, etc which were just laying in the store room. I took few printouts of our memorable pictures.

This is how the box was from inside.

PS:  This box is of really good quality, it have some magnet thing for opening/closing of the box. So, there's no point in not saving such boxes of later use. I always save such good quality things.

•PROCEDURE:

1. I started off with writing few notes and short sentences on the cardboard and cutting them according to the sizes I needed.

2. Pasted the cardboard with glue over the box. I also pasted few photographs on the sides of the box.

3. Next, I glued the ribbon on the circumference of the box from front side.

4. After that, I wrote "HBD RANGO" over the box with beads. Decorated with some flower and petals beads on one corner and a layer of brown beads beside the ribbon covering circumference of front cover.

5. Using the glue gun, I sticked one lace on the inner circumference of the box.

6. To fill the box with a little artistic work, I sticked one end of the broad lace in the middle of the box and pasted the hand-written notes and photographs alternatively at a specific distance.

7. And it's done! Yes, it was that simple. A BEST OUT OF WASTE gift which is super easy. I also added some chocolates and few other gifts. You'll get to know more as you read below.

2. Send gifts through online shopping apps.

The internet has made our life so easy, right? You can send gift cards or anything that your loved one needs on their birthday as a gift through various shopping apps like Amazon, myntra, snapdeal, flipkart directly to their address. 

I bought this silver junk jewelery for my friend.

 3. Customized gifts. 

You can order for customised gifts in shops in your city or even their are many companies on social media who can do this work for you. 

Customised gifts like-

1. Photo printed mug

2. Key chain of their name

3. Customised T-shirt

4. Photo printed pillow

5. Customised bracelet or even neckpiece

I got a customised key chain for my friend.

And, she loved it. Now, I added these gifts in the DIY gift box. You can courier the gift or if you'd be meeting soon then give the gift in person, it's always a better option.

This photo printed pillow is just an another example of customised gifts for you people to get some ideas about it. Well, this one belongs to my mother, it's been ages since she's using it. My father gifted this pillow to her back then and you can clearly see that she uses it daily. This is the power of customised gifts lovelies. Such things always stay close to our hearts.♡

B. Make videos

Creating birthday videos is an art. 

1. A creative group video

Plan for a video along with your friends or family. The birthday person feels really really grateful when you surprise them with a group video. There are as many ideas available all over the internet. You can take ideas from YouTube. I'll tell you what I did. I made two videos with my friends.

1. A simple one, holding paper in hands picture of everyone and combining and editing it. I've shared a glimpse of such a beautifully edited video in my IGTV (@hansika.lathi).

2. A dialogue + dance video, like show in the video that if you are having conversation with friends over what to plan and then getting ready by passing certain objects and dance like if you are in a party. So that even if you are not together, it gives a feel of being around each other. 

 2. Some special videos only by yourself

Make few videos which consist of only you and no-one else. You can do as many things you can for this one like a transition video, some dialogues, shayari, poem, songs or anything that you are good at for their birthday. Your person will feel blessed after watching them.

 C. About posts/stories on social media

There's always something you want to post on your social media for your loved ones birthday. Here are few unique ideas which I did.

1. Birthday Bingo Pictures

Bingo was so in trend back then. You can use it for the birthday as well. All you have to do is combine their unusual habits or your memories together in short sentences or words. I've made your work easier. Here is a template for you lovelies.

 I've shared an example in my IGTV. Do check it out. 

 2. Slideshow covering sweet memories

This one is a usual way of posting for birthdays. You can make a slideshow video covering the pictures and videos of your sweet memories easily. Use editing apps like Inshots, kinemaster, etc.

 3. Creative stories

Uploading pictures/video in a creative and unique way shows how creative you are at making an Instagram/Facebook story or whatsapp status. There are many ideas available on the internet but I'll make your work easier. All you've to do is go to my instagram, check out my IGTV and screenshot your favourite birthday story template. I've shared few for you lovelies. (Don't forget to give it a like and follow me there.)

 D. Send sweet messages every hour

Now coming to what you can do on the BirthDAY. You can send them sweet little messages every hour. I know, it's not at all easy to do this but if you are really into it, you got it. Here, I'm sharing few ideas with you guys.

1. Via text/video/photos 

You can convey your message via text or video or edited photos, whatever you find suitable for yourself in which you are good at, you can opt for that option. I preferred video format.

2. Write poetry

If you are good at writing, you can go for poems or shayari.

 

3. Sing their favourite song 

This can be any one or two messages out of the whole day. You can send them audio or video, whatever you choose. It's upto you. 

4. On the exact same minute (can be their birth-date or their age) 

Now, I know how difficult it is to maintain that particular slot of time to convey your message every hour. No one is perfect, so it's totally fine if you get few minutes late to message them. Do not bang on yourself for this. Okay.

5. Secret messages

Send them some secret messages which are just between you two people. It could be anything you always wanted to tell or confess or even any advice or suggestion. Whatever you feel!

All these are just the ideas that I prefer. You can do some other innovative things as well. 

 E. Prepare special food 

You can prepare their favourite food or bake a cake. Though you are away from each other, this could be just an another way of showing that you love them. So get your hands on cooking and show off your cooking skills. You can even learn how to make their favourite dish. 

And don't worry if you are not at all good at it. You can bake a cake with the recipe I'm sharing with you lovelies. It's really simple. 

•INGREDIENTS:

All you need is few packets of any biscuits you have. The amount totally depends on the size of cake you want. Milk, some powdered sugar and baking powder.

•PROCEDURE:

1. Grind the biscuits in the mixer.

2. Take a container to mix the powder of biscuits and milk. Pour milk slowly into the batter while mixing and keep checking the consistency.

3. After getting an appropriate consistency add sugar and baking powder. Mix.

4. Layer a container with ghee/oil on it's surface so that the batter doesn't stick to it. Pour the batter into the container.

5. You can bake it in oven or even in the cooker.

6. You can do some decoration with gems, chocolates or anything edible.

I hope I explained very well. And if you want it with demo then search for it on the YouTube. There are many similar recipes available.

F. Gift of quality time 

Because time is the best gift wecan give to anyone.

1. Video conferencing 

You can do video conferencing including your close friends and family. Have a conversation, cake cutting, some games like housie or play quiz games or even truth or dare. It'll be a real fun. And the birthday person would be so grateful and feel happy about being around you.

2. Play some online games

You can also play some online games like ludo, chess, carrom, pubg. Oops, sorry pubg is banned in India. Anyways, you can play such online games as well.

G. Prank call 

Last but not the least. Make your person laugh harder on his/her day. Make a prank call. You can use voice changing apps, use some another person's phone number to call them. It will be a real fun.

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I hope you find this post helpful. Do let me know if you follow any of these ideas via email: hansikalathi@gmail.com or DM me instagram @hansika.lathi.

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Thank you so much for reading.

Stay tuned.

Loads of love.