Out of everything you can count on in life, birthdays are one of them. Even if you don't necessarily celebrate yours, you get a birthday once a year. I'm one of those people who loves going all-out for their birthday. I try to fill up the entire month with fun activities, visiting family, and planning the best party ever. If you're birthday-obsessed like me, you know that there are certain things about birthdays that millennials think about.
It's different now than it was growing up. Back in the day, you likely used to have one big party with your friends, complete with balloons and the most delicious ice cream cake. This was a time before social media posts and receiving texts from everyone you know on your special day. The biggest thing on your mind may have been what kind of presents you were hoping to get.
Now, millennials have other things filling their heads. You might look at this list of 10 things, and find yourself saying, "same," because just like birthdays are universal, so is everything else that comes with along with them. If your birthday is right around the corner, let me be the first to say have the greatest day, and I hope everything is as smooth sailing as it can be.
If you're a party person, the first thing you need to decide on is the perfect venue that fits your personality, and your entire crew. Consider asking coworkers and friends for suggestions. And when it comes down to it, the day is all about celebrating you, birthday queen, so go with your gut!
It always seems to be the people I haven't talked to in years who wish me a "Happy Birthday" on social media. You're grateful for the nice words, but not sure if this opens the gate for an awkward catch-up convo. You may typically settle for the simple, "Thank you."
Now that you're in your 20s, you wonder if presents are still actually required for birthday parties. You don't necessarily want to buy a present for every party you go to. But if you must, you usually end up getting a bottle of wine (if you're 21 or older).
I don't know about you, but I'm always looking for a way to turn my birthday into a birth-month. From my point of view, you're just giving yourself something to look forward to — and there's definitely nothing wrong with that!
You've been there before when you're just not feeling like going out, but your friend is having a birthday party. You should go, but you had the longest work week ever and your couch just looks super cozy. Don't feel bad, we've all been there, and I know the struggle can be real.
Once you've planned everything for your party, the next step is inviting everyone. The go-to is creating a Facebook event or sending out a group text. The only problem is choosing who you really want to invite. You definitely don't want to exclude anyone, but you also don't want to invite every single person you know. (Also, don't even get me started on the maybes. It's just too much.)
In my personal opinion, every birthday deserves to be better than the year before. Sometimes, it can be hard to outdo yourself, and you just have to have fun regardless.
When you're 21 or older, the go-to birthday party may be at one of your favorite bars where everyone can chill and have a good time. The same scene can get a little stale after a while, and everyone's birthday parties begin to blend together. You want something that's a little more you, but coming up with a unique idea takes a lot of planning.
Real talk: you may be on a budget, and therefore, have to scale back a bit on your party planning. It can be a real struggle when you're trying to throw a the party of your dreams, but have to do it on that in-your-20s-shoestring-budget.
I personally love waking up on my birthday to a ton of social media notifications from friends and family. You likely feel the same, and love when someone makes it a point to show the world just how much they care about you.
