I don’t know about you, but I feel like I have a dozen birthdays to contend with every month, on average. Of course, it’s a blessing to have so many friends and family, but I’m not Martha Stewart, so I need to keep organizing birthday parties simple.

Here are a few quick and easy tips for the next birthday in your life:

1. Music-themed birthday. For my friend’s 40^th birthday, I created a playlist entirely consisting of songs that came out the year he was born. It was simple and fun to do and added a certain fun nostalgia to the evening.
2. An easy costume party. Costumes can be a lot of work but if you give people a loose theme to work within, everyone can look great…and match. For my sister’s birthday, we picked a “sea theme” and asked people to dress accordingly. (My sister loves the ocean.) Some went all out (including one friend who wore a hat with fish hanging from it). But many simply wore green and blue, which made for a great group photo. Another idea? Pick a movie and make that the “theme” for the night.
3. Dedicated dishes. This is a fun idea: ask people to bring a dish or beverage that reminds them of the person being celebrated. This not only nudges people to be a bit creative but also helps fill the food table. An example? My one activist friend received several spicy dishes that paired well with her fiery personality.

And even if you can’t do any of the above, definitely remember to send your loved one birthday ecards. It’s a virtual party!

The Running Birthday Cake – our newest birthday ecard, created by our truly gifted animator, Tom Wink.