10 Things to Do on Your Birthday
- Paint and Wine
If you enjoy wine and have been thinking about getting a new painting for your living room, a painting class could be the perfect combination. Spend your birthday painting with friends and family or by yourself for some fun.
Look for popular painting and wine classes in your area, such as “Paint and Sip,” “Sip and Paint,” or more localized classes. You’ll typically get a complimentary drink, and you can purchase more drinks as you learn to paint.
If you’re up for it, you can book a special class and choose exactly what you want to paint, or you can check out what’s available on your birthday and pick something that looks fun. Many offer a variety of themes, from fun Disney scenes to replicas of Bob Ross paintings. You can even find content featuring your favorite animals, phrases, or mythical creatures.
Even if you have no painting experience, these classes make you feel like an expert, showing you simple techniques for achieving specific effects and guiding you through the process step by step.
- Travel for Freebies
Have you ever seen those videos about all the free stuff and food you can get on your birthday but weren’t sure how to start? Hundreds of companies offer free food or drinks on your birthday.
Some larger chains include:
- Arby’s – 50% off any sandwich or wrap
- Applebee’s – Free dessert
- Auntie Anne’s – Classic pretzel
- Baskin-Robbins – Free scoop or discount on birthday cake
- Buffalo Wild Wings – Birthday wings order
- Culver’s – Small sundae
- Dairy Queen – BOGO Blizzard
- Olive Garden – Free dessert
- Panda Express – Exclusive birthday offer
- Subway – Free 6-inch sub and cookie
- The Melting Pot – Free chocolate fondue for two
- Waffle House – Free waffle
And there are more places, plus your local restaurants and bars might offer their own discounts. Note that for most, you’ll need to sign up at least a few days in advance, so when you have some free time, register for everything in your area and plan your visits.
Besides food and drinks, some companies offer discounts on their products, such as Bath & Body Works, Best Buy, Disney, IKEA, Ulta, Sephora, Victoria’s Secret, and World Market.
You could spend the whole day touring your city and nearby cities to get as many freebies and discounts as possible. Bring a friend or two if you enjoy socializing.
- Visit a Medium
Whether you’re a believer or not, getting a reading can be entertaining. You can find a medium who uses a crystal ball, palmistry, or tarot cards to predict your future. If you’re up for it, you can even purchase your own tarot cards or palmistry guide and practice with your friends.
Regardless of your beliefs, visiting a medium is an interesting experience. Think of it like when you and your friends used apple stems to guess the name of your future boyfriend, or those apps that determined compatibility based on your names.
It might give you some fun hopes or push you to turn certain things into reality when you decide you like the sound of your future.
- Donate or Volunteer
While your birthday is all about you, there’s no reason you can’t use this time to help others. If you’re passionate about a cause or issue, such as ending hunger, helping elderly people meet their needs, or educating children, seek out local charitable organizations.
Some may not accept volunteers for unique services, but you can always donate. If they do accept volunteers, you can gather a group of friends to start cleaning up trash, distributing food, or even gardening.
Sometimes, donations don’t have to be monetary. For local food or animal shelters, see what else they might need, go to the store to stock up, and bring it back. It won’t take too much of your time and can make a big difference to others.
You can ask people to donate to local charities around your birthday instead of giving gifts. Then, even if you don’t have money yourself to provide, you can ensure the charities get something.
Volunteering can even be fun. Take dogs for a walk or spend time with cats. If you enjoy socializing, you might like talking to people while serving at a soup kitchen or finding an excuse to be outdoors during tree planting. Volunteering doesn’t have to be hard work or exhausting.
- Get Away from It All
If you’re a parent or have a demanding job, you might just want some alone time on your birthday. So go for it. Book a hotel and spend the weekend alone, doing nothing but having fun.
Many think the cost of relaxation is high, but it doesn’t have to be. If you can’t afford a trip, just book a hotel in your city or a nearby one. You don’t have to tell anyone where you are, and you can easily switch off your phone and ignore everyone.
Whether you spend the weekend shopping or just casually browsing social media, it’s okay. Just enjoy yourself and give your mind and body the time they need to rest and rejuvenate.
Who knows, after a peaceful weekend, you might feel refreshed…either way, it’s just a bit of time.
- Hire a Chef
Private chefs often seem extravagant. They’re usually quite pricey and unnecessary. But on your birthday, you can make an exception. Find a private chef to make their signature dishes for you, or cook something you’ve always dreamed of eating again but find too complicated to make yourself.
You can hire them for a meal, or see if they’ll plan your entire day’s meals, from breakfast to dessert. It’s like going to an all-day restaurant, but you don’t have to deal with servers or other people around.
They can cook for you or the whole birthday party. Many of them can even provide snacks for you and your guests during the gathering. That way, you don’t have to worry about cooking for everyone and cleaning up afterward. You can truly relax and enjoy yourself on your birthday.
- Visit Long-Unseen People
Do you have friends or family living in another state or country? Consider taking a few days off and using them to visit. You can go see a new place or revisit an old one and reconnect with someone you haven’t seen in a while.
If you’re close, you can surprise them by visiting, or you can plan ahead and create a full itinerary for all the fun things you want to do. Plan out restaurants, activities, events, and time for shopping or relaxing.
While exploring a new place is fun, you can also use this time to relax and spend quality time with loved ones. You can also use this time to plan future adventures together, like them coming to visit you, or meeting in a middle location. It could even become an annual adventure.
8
. Indulge Yourself
Birthdays are meant for indulgence. You’ve made it through another year. Whether it was good or bad, whatever happened, it’s worth celebrating. Go to that expensive restaurant you never had a reason to go to before, or buy all your favorite desserts.
Most people feel guilty about activities they enjoy buying or doing but often find they can’t justify spending money on. When your birthday rolls around, use it as an excuse.
Buy some luxurious body scrub to make your skin feel silky smooth, or get some nice new golf clubs, even if you have old ones that work just fine. You’ll feel a little better and get a guilty pleasure you’d otherwise deny yourself.
While sharing is caring, whether you want to indulge others or just enjoy it yourself is up to you. Don’t let anyone guilt-trip you for buying them things. After all, it’s a treat for you.
- Do Something from Childhood
Do you miss childhood birthdays? Maybe you miss the big celebrations with lots of people, the uniquely fun cakes, or the games you used to play.
Now that you’re an adult, there’s no reason you can’t revisit those moments. Go buy a piñata and let your heart soar, or hunt down an old board game you used to play at thrift stores.
You have no reason not to relive childhood memories. The only thing stopping you is your potential awkwardness or the time it takes to get everything set up.
You’d be surprised how beneficial acting like a child again can be one day. Whether you’re 30 or 60, you can take time to relive those memories. Maybe you can use this time to remember people who attended your birthday events but are no longer around, like your parents, siblings, or old friends.
- Start Something New
Have you been wanting to start a new hobby but never taken action to really get started? Use your birthday as an excuse. Use it as a chance to renew and try out new habits and hobbies that are often put on hold.
If you’re unsure what new thing to try, there are plenty of options. You can try dance classes, painting, gaming, fishing, martial arts, start a podcast, begin writing a book, trace your family tree, learn calligraphy, try cooking or baking, become a gardening pro, or start learning photography.
Your birthday is a day to celebrate you, so why not use it to try something you’ve always wanted to do? Whether it’s a solo activity or something you can do with friends, it’s an opportunity to explore new interests and expand your horizons.
