Celebrating birthdays is an age-old tradition (no pun intended). As long as you are the birthday boy or girl, it can be fun and memorable, but when you’re the one organizing a birthday party – It becomes a stress fest!
With all that mehngai nowadays, it can become a challenge to put together a birthday party that is fun, has people talking for days, and most importantly; doesn’t drain your bank account.
Since most of us Pakistanis are pioneers when it comes to cheap totkas for everything, here are some creative ideas to have the best birthday party without breaking the bank:
Throw a One-Dish Party
Doesn’t matter if it’s a birthday party, housewarming, wedding festivities, or a funeral reception, people will only make their hazri (attendance) for the food.
So why not let them bring their own “unique” dishes? All you have to do is serve the same dishes back to them and then enjoy the leftovers after everyone’s gone. It’s a win-win!
Have a Game Night
Once all the guests have shown up, it is time for the entertainment. Rather than sit awkwardly and talk about the weather while praying for the light to come back since it’s a load-shedding season, you can set up fun games to pass the time.
In order to have fun, you don’t need the latest videogame consoles or a sports complex to bring out everyone’s competitive nature, all you need is a creative mind. Here are some new and classic games you play.
- Musical Chair (A more fiercest battle to sit on the chair than PTI vs PML-N)
- Antakshari or Charades (Always a classic)
- Board Games (Ludo, Monopoly, Sequence, Scrabble, etc.)
- Card Games (Poker, Rummy, Uno, Poker, Blackjack, etc.)
- Treasure Hunt (Just hide some candies as guests wander aimlessly around the house)
- Break a Piñata (The perfect game for guests to blow off some steam by smashing a decorated figure, containing candies, with a bat.)
- Jenga (Sit back and enjoy as your guests go crazy trying to stack blocks on a tower, only for it to fall over.)
Outdoor Picnic
If you don’t have a big enough house to accommodate a large number of guests or simply don’t want to clean up the mess after a birthday party, plan a picnic in a nearby park or beach.
Bring a blanket, pack some homemade sandwiches, snacks, and beverages. You can enjoy the natural surroundings, play outdoor games with friends, and have a relaxing day without having to worry about dirty dishes or decorating your house with pointless balloons and confetti.
A Movie Marathon
Invite your closest friends for a movie marathon at your place. Set up a cozy atmosphere with blankets, pillows, and dim lighting.
Choose a theme or genre, prepare some popcorn, and enjoy a night of movie-watching. Thanks to Netflix and other streaming services, you wouldn’t even have to buy DVDs for the films.
These are some of the best ways you can have a good birthday party without having to spend bulks of cash.
