What to do for DDs 16th birthday?

[FightingFiles]

I'm looking for ideas for DDs 16th birthday.

Obviously it's been a rubbish couple of months for her. We had to go into isolation because of her coughing 2 weeks before schools closed. She missed 'end of term', the worry of GCSEs, and then I sent her to her dad's for a bit as I'm nursing on front line.

It's her 16th next week and we had tickets booked for a show in London she's wanted to see for ages, and a lovely day out planned.

I've now ordered her a Tiffany necklace and I am prepared to chuck some money at this, but I'm so tired and I'm drawing a blank on what I can do. Please help!

Following as same here but for DS who will also be 16. I feel like I want his birthday to be special as he's effectively lost everything and is a bit all at sea (completely understand that he's not the only one, but as a teenager I recall that's how it feels)
My mind is completely blank as everything he wants is effectively out the house

What about cooking dinner. Beautifully cooked and served. Table artistically tablescaped. Not terribly exciting at 16 but it will definitely show that you have put the effort in.

Not many alternatives available.

Can she have a get together with friends via zoom? Play some Jackbox games or something like that?

Such a shame. It's a landmark birthday for my DS in a few weeks too so I know how you feel. Could you buy her a DVD of the show that you were going to see with an iou/theatre tickets attached to it so at least she has got that to look forward to it in the future (presuming you can re schedule the show)? Could you have a local company send around a party tea/afternoon tea on her actual birthday? That might make it a little more special. Hope the day goes well for her whatever you decide.

decorate the house put up bunting, balloons fairy lights etc, have a spa day at home and then make an afternoon tea, nice dinner or takeaway and then a movie night or board games?

Birthday brunch with her favourite breakfast food, decorate the house, walk/games in the afternoon or pamper sesh with face masks/hair masks/nails, depending on what she's into, then her favourite dinner with the table done nicely, background music (restaurant ambiance!), followed by a sofa screening of a film she's not seen but wants to –you can rent off Amazon or find one on Netflix. I'd do popcorn, ice cream and sweets, turn the lights off and pretend it's the theatre or cinema!

This obviously depends how much time you have to prep –we did similar at ours but furlough means plenty of time to think about birthdays.

Oh and we did a present treasure hunt with written clues. Yes, I had a lot of time on my hands. But that was a fun way to kill an hour and resulted in lots of laughter!

Order a piñata.

Arrange a surprise zoom get together with her friends.

Turn the garden into a tropical resort. Mock cocktails, garlands etc

Buy lots of cheap funny silly presents and give one to her every hour or Set an alarm that goes off at different times like big brother, shout the room it's hidden in when it goes off and give her two minutes to find it.

Here are some more ideas:

Order pizza/Chinese/whatever you prefer to eat
Bake and decorate some cupcakes
Watch a movie together
Make her a cocktail
Organise a family karaoke competition
Have a art and craft party at home (what about making bracelets or necklaces?)
Invite some of her friends to a virtual birthday bash (Skype)

Serve some popcorn in bowls, dim the lights and create a home cinema.

Order a personalised card from Moonpig / Funky Pigeon, but be quick as the post is very slow at the moment!
Order a helium balloon from somewhere like this www.interballoon.com/birthday_kids_balloons.shtml
Get some flowers delivered via Interflora or M&S.
Either make a birthday cake or order from somewhere like this www.bakerdays.com
Do a treasure hunt where she has to solve the clues to eventually find her birthday present
Write individual notes with things that you will do with her once this is over - either put each one in an envelope, or put them up around the house for her to find
Play board games
Have jelly and ice-cream
Make chocolate rice crispy cakes
If you have creme eggs and other Easter eggs, do an Easter egg hunt in the house or in the garden (time has no meaning in lockdown)
Make up different (low alcohol) cocktails and make up outrageous names for them

This site has a number of themed escape room challenges and treasure hunts. You buy a download, print it off at home and follow the instructions.

If you organise a zoom party ask her friends to blow out a candle with her and sing happy birthday.

This is all lovely, great ideas, thank you so much

But you've missed that I'm working a million hours a week and she's at her dad's house and I can't see her in case I'm infected. Also I'm on a nightshit the night before.

I've got cards and balloons ordered from moonpig, I'll look into flowers and a cream tea delivery

Looks like I'm going to have to stand at the end of the drive and wave as she opens her present. I'm so fed up with all of this

I think hire someone to manage all this, also arrange some special games for kids to enjoy better. I would love to hire a team from balloonslane.com in New York City.