Despite the restrictions caused by the pandemic, my husband and I did our best to plan a first birthday for my daughter that we and the whole family could enjoy! So, if you're interested in reading out we planned my daughter's first quarantine birthday, keep reading!

Invitations are must for any party, even ones held online! Therefore, I made invitations for the party using an online tool called Canvas. Canvas is an awesome resource for anything design, from invitations to birthday cards, and more! You don't need any special design or web skills to create really cute designs! The theme of my daughter's first birthday was Miffy, and I wanted a lot of pink and rose gold. So, I created person invitation that followed the color scheme!

Since baby girl is only one, it's important that we still stick to an agenda and schedule. So, I made an agenda that listed the times and events that would be taking place. This got everyone excited for what was to come and also what to look forward to! Since we would be holding some Japanese traditional first birthday activities, I also sent along a little explanation card along with the agenda. 

Since it was a quarantine/e-birthday party, we did not  need to splurge on a ton of decorations. We decorated one wall and table that could be seen on the screen. We bought the majority of the decorations from Daiso, which is an awesome one hundred yen/one dollar store! We bought a few balloons, a banner, and some flowers that matched the theme. Next year, I will also try to send small party favors and hats to the guest in advance. That will add to cohesiveness of the party.

I made the mistake of using Line Video Chat, which failed us in the very beginning. I recommend using Zoom or Google Hangouts for group video chats. I also had to use my phone, which then prevented me from taking pictures. So, if you can, use a computer to host the party or a dummy phone that is solely dedicated to recording. If you do use a phone, try to use a tripod to keep everything steady.

I had asked my family to purchase presents beforehand so that my daughter could open them on camera. While my daughter hadn't a clue as to what was happening, it was nice to have all of the cards, presents, etc. ready to be opened and enjoyed in front of everyone. 

My daughter gets overstimulated so quickly, especially since we don't give her much screen time. So, she was so mesmerized by the screen and due to all the talking, usually on top of each other, she got tired quickly. So, keep that in mind if you are hosting an e-party, and don't forget to set boundaries and rules. Don't hesitate to ask people not to screen shot, to take turns talking, mute their mic if they have side conversations, etc. because by the end of the e-pary, baby girl was a bit overwhelmed. 

While we would have loved to show my daughter's vibrant personality and put on a show, she's still only one year old and was quite confused about it all. So, we just tried to let her be herself and we didn't push her to show off all of her skills or keep showing off for the camera. We did two traditional Japanese events, but the rest of the time was just her playing and being cute for the guests!

After the party ended, I sent out e-thank you cards to all of the guests. I think it would be nice to send a thank you card with highlights from the party since it will be hard for your guests to take pictures.

Overall, I think we planned the perfect one year old, quarantine birthday! It was only an hour with half the cost and effort, and none of the cleanup that comes with a traditional party! I think she enjoyed the cozy atmosphere and while I'm hoping for an in person birthday party next year, I don't mind planning a quarantine party again!