Years ago, you know you will give the best life you can make to your daughter. You would help her improve and be the best version of herself. She would become a woman who stands out and chases her dreams with her skills and talents. Her 18th birthday is a day you’re nervous about facing. It’s the dawn of a new and independent era in her life. But you’re also excited to see how she developed over the years.
You might have spent months, maybe even years consulting different sites for the best birthday ideas for your beloved daughter. If you were to throw a party, your planning board might have been filled with possible outfits, themes, and every factor involved in the process. Everything might have been going well until the pandemic happened, and you had to pause your plans.
You might have felt frustrated because the chances of throwing a once-in-a-life celebration for your child have become slim to none. Your daughter might have felt like a significant part of her teenage life was taken away. She might have loved to relish her entry to adulthood in the presence of loved ones. But meeting them and gathering for a celebration is a risk many do not want to take.
Don’t fret, though. You can still plan for and celebrate your daughter’s coming of age. Even if unconventional or unusual, you can make the affair meaningful for your daughter and her loved ones. Know what you can do.
Making Coming-of-age Rituals
You can commemorate your daughter’s coming of age using meaningful ideas. For example, you can ask her to drink her first alcoholic beverage when the clock strikes midnight. You can have glasses for the rest of the family and have them sing for her with a cake in their hands. To add a bit of a festive feel, don’t forget to decorate your home with balloons, banners, and lighting. You can even pick the colors that your daughter likes.
It’s also the best time to have her try something she has always wanted but couldn’t because of her age. For instance, have her drive on her own if she’s adequately trained. Another is letting her off your financial support if she has the means to support herself. This way, you can also teach her about safety and independence.
Giving Gifts
Instead of simply giving her gifts, add a quirk by making her search for them around the house. You can make the activity into a treasure hunt reminiscent of her childhood and give her notes containing riddles that lead her to her presents. Make it more memorable by incorporating childhood milestones into the clues. This can be the time she first stood up or first walked by herself. You can do it one gift per day, with a total of 18 days, or a grand treasure hunt in a single day.
For gift ideas, they need not be grandiose. But if you are prepared for it, like the budget for the canceled party, you can opt for a valuable asset such as a necklace with Swarovski cystals instead of things that can wear down over time. Giving her something valuable is like a rite of passage for her to assume more responsibility in her life.
Other gifts you can consider that might be more appropriate for her disposition include aromatherapeutic candles, a pair of on-the-go shoes, a makeup palette, a bag she can use for work, and a self-help book. All of these things can help her through her journey to become a full-fledged adult.
Creating Tributes
Do you want her other loved ones to send her their love as well? Message her friends and your close relative; request videos of their birthday messages. Ensure that they send those early enough so that you still have enough time to compile them into a single video. Make sure to edit and enhance it before the viewing on her birthday bash. You can provide a copy of the file so that she can keep it along with the other gifts she received.
Your daughter’s 18th birthday is as important as any celebration you have with your loved ones. Remember that for this milestone, it’s the thought that counts. Celebrating her past achievements and the future she will embark on should be filled with care and support. She may not fully appreciate how you made sure to have the whole family there and that they congratulated her. But in the long run, her memories of it will always be something she can treasure.
