Last Minute Things to Do on Your Birthday: Ideas to Try

Introduction

As a kid, birthdays were most likely one of the best days of the year. You’d get presents from friends and family and might even have a party at the local bowling alley.

In high school, you might try to have a house party on your birthday, but generally, presents are less common and you don’t want to be seen caring about your birthday.

It’s just an excuse to hang out with some friends and celebrate being another year closer to adulthood.

But in college and adult life, birthdays tend to become less and less important. Don’t worry, that’s not exactly bad news.

After all, arranging a party or even a big dinner can be time-consuming. It may also feel sort of self-aggrandizing.

Meanwhile, the alternative to planning your own party, i.e. a surprise party, is somehow even worse.

So let’s say your birthday is coming up. You don’t want to have a big party, but you also don’t want to completely ignore the day, either.

So what are some last minute things to do on your birthday that can make for a fun micro-celebration? Well, just read on to find out.

Shopping Spree

No matter what stage of life you’re in, chances are you’ve been eyeing something up lately, something you’d like to buy.

Maybe it’s a new coat with those nice patterned buttons. Maybe it’s a video game console. Maybe it’s a porcelain figure of a puppy and a cat holding hands. Don’t worry, we won’t judge.

If you don’t have any plans for your birthday, go ahead and let yourself have a shopping spree.

Don’t completely break the bank, of course, but you should let yourself buy something that you normally wouldn’t.

This is probably the only way to guarantee that a birthday present is something that you actually want. There’s just no possibility for anything to be lost in translation.

So take yourself out, either the day of your birthday or the following weekend. Try on some clothes. Visit a nearby music store and mess around with the guitars, drums, or keyboards.

Let your inner child out for a little bit and allow for an impulse buy. If you truly regret your purchase a few days later, you can always return it.

Fancy Dinner

A nice dinner is probably one of the most common adult birthday options available. How fancy to make that dinner is entirely up to you.

Since we’re talking about last minute ideas here, you probably won’t be able to just walk into a popular restaurant and grab a seat, although mentioning it’s your birthday could help.

Instead, ask yourself about some of your best dining experiences in town, ever. Maybe you loved a little charcuterie place that you haven’t been back to for years.

Or maybe you just want to take a break from your diet and get some greasy food from the nearest diner.

Either way, let yourself indulge more than usual. You can even make a point to order some dessert and bring it home with you to serve as a midnight snack.

Feel free to invite some folks along, but try not to make it a big thing. Just invite a girlfriend or boyfriend, or a close friend who lives in town.

Chef it Up

If you’re looking to save money and don’t want to leave the house to visit a favorite restaurant, then you can always stay at home and cook yourself a nice meal.

Try to find a recipe online that you haven’t made before. If necessary, take a quick trip to the grocery store to pick up the extra ingredients.

While cooking, watch cooking competition shows and delight in the fantasy that you’re taking part in the contest.

Try to be adventurous with your cooking. Don’t let your habits get in the way of trying something new.

Check out this article on some of the best YouTube cooking channels for tips.

You may just find a recipe that opens the door to a whole new realm of interesting foods and dinner ideas.

Movie Night

Sure, watching a movie is nothing all that special, but you can do your best to make a big deal out of the trip to the theater, maybe even dressing up for the occasion.

Find someone else to bring along with you. Go ahead and splurge: buy the overpriced popcorn and candy. You deserve it.

And of course, if the showtimes don’t work for your schedule or the theaters near you aren’t showing anything you’d like to see, you can have your own movie night at home.

Pick out two or three movies that are all-time favorites of yours. Turn the night into a double or triple feature, with plenty of snacks close at hand.

Dim the lights, turn the volume up loud, and soak in the fun of your favorite movies.

Check Out a Show

This suggestion will be a lot easier if you happen to live in a medium to large city.

Basically, the idea is just to be adventurous: check out the local concert listings for that day and pick one that you think you might enjoy.

No, you probably won’t know the bands involved, but that’s part of the fun. Grab a ticket and show up to the show whenever you’d like.

Since you’re not that invested in the musical acts, it’s fine if you’re a bit late or miss the opening acts.

And if you aren’t enjoying the show very much, no problem. Just leave whenever you like and stop by a nearby bar for a quick drink.

Take an Impromptu Road Trip

If your schedule is completely clear for the day, then you may want to consider taking an impromptu road trip to some nearby tourist destination.

If you happen to live on a coast, just driving up the coastline can be a lovely drive that offers plenty to see along the way.

If you’re landlocked, check some websites for local attractions that you haven’t seen before.

Just gas up the car and go. If you want, you can even spend the night at a nice hotel and give yourself plenty of time to relax.