Neighbor stories

Neighbors Celebrate Socially Distant Birthdays During Coronavirus

Written by Shannon Toliver

As people are staying home to help slow the spread of the coronavirus, neighbors are finding creative new ways to celebrate life’s special moments. See how neighborhoods across the country are coming together for unforgettable birthday parties all while staying safely apart!

Vicente’s Treasure Hunt

To make Vicente’s 4th birthday a day to remember, his parents crafted an indoor treasure hunt complete with a living room transformation into a homemade pirate ship. But much to Vicente’s surprise, the real treasure was his San Francisco neighborhood that serenaded him from the street below their third-story apartment. Mom, Trish, asked neighbors on Nextdoor to help her sing Happy Birthday from a safe social distance. More than 40 people showed up on rooftops, balconies, and in the streets with an unforgettable birthday surprise for this 4-year-old. Watch the neighborhood sing to Vicente here:

Nathan’s Birthday Scavenger Hunt

When Nathan turned 7 during quarantine, this Castle Heights neighborhood in Los Angeles came together to make sure his day was still full of surprises. Neighbor after neighbor posted colorfully decorating signs in their windows, front lawns, and even parked cars wishing Nathan a happy birthday. Some even left small gifts, along with gloves to pick them up with. Nathan and his parents rode their bikes for hours finding dozens of homes with socially distant birthday surprises. Mom, Anna, says it was Nathan’s most memorable birthday yet and shared on Nextdoor, “We will never forget your kindness, and please know that we will be paying it forward; kindness is contagious, too.” 

Miles’s Drive-by Birthday Parade

When 6-year-old Miles from Mogadore, OH had to cancel his mad scientist themed birthday party, his parents posted on Nextdoor to see if any neighbors would be willing to drive by and honk their horn to wish Miles a happy birthday while keeping a healthy social distance. To their surprise, dozens of neighbors drove by dropping off balloons, candy, decorations, and presents resulting in a parade that Miles claimed was “way better than a birthday party!” Check out the video of his birthday parade here:

Maxwell and Riley’s Social Distancing Party

Twins Maxwell and Riley recently turned 3 years old. It was a bittersweet day as Maxwell has a rare neurological disease called SLC6A1 and this may have been his last healthy birthday. Mom, Amber, wasn’t going to let this day simply pass by, so she posted on Nextdoor letting her Denver, CO neighbors know that they would be decking out their front yard with balloons, signs, and holiday decorations, throwing dog biscuits, placing cupcakes at a safe distance, and dressing up as the twins’ favorite character – Peppa the Pig. The socially distant party was a huge success! Neighbors walked by while Amber, Maxwell, and Riley passed out party favors using a selfie stick. Amber shares that the family made tons of new friends and what could have been a very sad day for their family turned out to be one of the best.

Ryder’s 7th Birthday Honk

In El Dorado Hills, CA, Rande organized a neighborhood “honk” for her son Ryder’s 7th birthday, and their Nextdoor neighbors did not disappoint! The family was blown away by the birthday love as neighbors drove by all day long sending wishes and sometimes even presents for Ryder. See Ryder and his sister dancing along to the honking cars on this unforgettable day: 

Baby’s First Birthday Cake 

As a healthcare worker who is self quarantining, this New Orleans mom almost gave up on baking a cake for her baby’s first birthday. In a last ditch effort, she posted on Nextdoor to ask if any neighbors had extra cake supplies. A neighbor generously dropped off cake mix and frosting on their front porch so this baby could indulge in some celebratory sweets!

These neighbors prove that even during challenging times, all you need is a bit of creativity and a neighborhood to rely on. Do you have a birthday party coming up? Let us know how you will be celebrating in the comments below!

Note: for up-to-date information on the coronavirus (COVID-19), refer to official sources such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.


To connect with your local neighborhood, please login at www.nextdoor.com

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2 Comments

  • On June 6th my son will be 8 years old and with the quarantine and the 6depart I need to do the neighbor birthday party birthday from my son so I’m hoping that you could help me out with this is going to be 8 years old and he lost his dad like four years ago

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