Quarantine birthday ideas for adults might be painfully difficult to come up with, considering the current limitations on outings and gatherings in Toronto, but just because a birthday celebration is unconventional doesn't mean it can't also be one to remember.

Of course, spending your special day cooped up at home in self-isolation isn't ideal, but why not make the best of the current reality rather than sulking about it?

So if you or a loved one's birthday is fast approaching and will likely be spent in quarantine, here are some ideas to make it a birthday you (and they) will never forget.

Connect with friends and family

There's no question that birthdays are a time to connect with friends and family, and it's especially hard not to be able to see the ones you love on your special day. Thankfully, we live in a modern world with endless technological tools at our disposal — making it pretty easy to connect with loved ones digitally on your birthday. 

Scheduling multiple Zoom, Facetime or Skype calls throughout the day is a great way to make sure you're connecting with the important people in your life. And instead of chatting with people individually, why not gather all of your friends or your whole family together in one call to make it really feel like a party?

If your loved one is about to have a birthday, you can even schedule a Zoom call with a group of people in advance, have everyone get on the call and hold decorations, cards or birthday candles, and sing to the person when they get on the call. It's not quite the same as a surprise party, but it's sure to make that person feel special.

Cake takeout and delivery options 

Making your own cake is a great way to spend a birthday and will likely make it taste even better after you blow your candles out. But if baking simply isn't your thing, there are a variety of options for cake takeout and delivery in Toronto. 

You can always pick up a classic birthday cake from your local grocery store, or you can order from one of the great local bakeries still offering delivery or takeout in Toronto, such as Bunner’s Bakeshop, The Rolling Pin, Sweet Escape Patisserie, Bloomers, Bakerbots, Butter Baker, Chi Patisserie, Velvet Lane Cakes, Sweet Heart Kitchen or Sweet Serendipity. You can also order a frozen cake from beloved wholesaler Dufflet. 

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A post shared by Velvet Lane Cakes Toronto (@velvetlanecakes) on Dec 2, 2018 at 9:06am PST

Party supplies

If there's any year to recycle old birthday decorations, it's this one. An upcoming birthday is a great excuse to go through the boxes in your basement and find all the hidden treasures just waiting to be used for this year's celebration. 

And if you don't happen to have any old decorations stashed away, you can always make your own using whatever you have in the house. Staying home at all times means you can get creative and make decorations using paper, markers, pens, pencils, glitter, stickers and whatever else you have lying around. 

And for those of you who don't have old decorations and don't feel like making your own, you can always grab some decorations from your local supermarket or dollar store during your weekly grocery run. If you're already out of the house doing your shopping, there's no harm in picking up an extra banner and some streamers to make the day count.

Birthday cards

Cards are one of the best parts of a birthday if you're as sentimental as I am, and that's why we should be more grateful than ever for the invention of the internet. 

If you're looking for an easy way to send a birthday card to your loved one without leaving your home, you can always send over a classic ecard. A lengthy sentimental paragraph via text might also do the trick.

If that's not quite your style, you can also go the homemade route and  either send it in the mail or simply drop it off on your loved one's porch. 

But if you're a purist looking for an old-school B-day card, be sure to look in your local pharmacy or grocery store for the card that takes the words right out of your mouth.

Several local card companies are also providing delivery, such as Scout, Pictus Goods, The Outer Layer or Spicy Cards. You can also order a unique homemade card from a local artist through Etsy, but be sure to take into account that deliveries may be delayed, so it's a good idea to order well in advance. 

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A post shared by Outer Layer (@outerlayer) on Apr 7, 2020 at 8:00am PDT

Gift Ideas

Thinking of gift ideas for your loved ones can often be difficult during a regular birthday, so it's even harder when you can't head to the mall and wander around until you see something that catches your eye. 

Thankfully, you can order all kinds of gifts online and have them delivered right to the door of your friend or family member. Why not order a book from Queen Books, Type Books or Indigo to keep your loved one busy during self-isolation, or some natural skincare products from Lush or The Ordinary to help them get their self-care on?

There are also a variety of companies that deliver gift baskets of all kinds in Toronto and throughout the GTA, including Present Day, Bloomex, Hazelton's, Edible Arrangements, Yorkville's, My Baskets and more.

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A post shared by PRESENT DAY (@presentdaygifts) on Jan 22, 2020 at 10:30am PST

Things to do

While a birthday during a pandemic is sure to be slightly less eventful than in a world where we're actually permitted to go out and gather in groups, that doesn't mean a quarantine birthday can't still be filled with entertaining activities. 

If you're trying to think of fun things to do after Zooming with family on your big day, why not consider making masks as part of the Million Mask Challenge.

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Hi everyone. Just wanted to say a huge thank you to everyone who reached out yesterday offering words of support and encouragement. I've decided to put my skills to use and join the #millionmaskchallenge and make masks for frontline workers and volunteers who are in desperate need of masks for protection against this pandemic. // This video shows you how the masks fit and how they are worn. worn. The fabrics have been donated from a local fabric store called @macfabhome and I've also used many supplies from my own sewing school studio. Soon, I'll be looking for more fabrics and supplies and any support or donations would be amazing to keep this project going and keep out frontline staff safe as they try to serve us and keep us safe. // During this time or store is closed and I will post some videos and messages throughout the week for ways to supoort the store also as I know many of our regulars have been asking how they can help. Thank you to everyone. Be safe. Sinéad x @millionmaskchallenge @blogto @irishdesignhouse

A post shared by IrishDesignHouse (@irishdesignhouse) on Mar 25, 2020 at 10:01am PDT

You can also have a dance party with your family, significant other or roommate (or whoever you share a roof with) in your living room, watch your favourite movie, go for a walk in a quiet area while social distancing or order dinner from your favourite local restaurant (and a drink or two). 

However you choose to spend your birthday this year, try and remember that COVID-19 won't last forever — and you'll likely be back to celebrating with the ones you love by the time your next birthday rolls around.