Perfect Care Packages for your loved one’s 21st

Your 21st birthday is one of, if not the, most highly anticipated one of your entire life. The celebration has got to be absolutely perfect… except these days, big celebrations aren’t really possible.

In years past, these momentous occasions were always celebrated with a night out on the town. Maybe a bar, maybe a club, maybe even a casino, but now it seems like the possibilities are far from endless. 

Still, just because they’ll be staying at home doesn’t mean that your loved one won’t be able to have a celebration for the ages, and they certainly deserve one. Instead, send your now legal loved one a care package to wish them a happy birthday!

Drinks

Obviously, your care package has to include some alcohol. Duh. 

Especially since many bars are closed right now, you’ll want to make sure that your loved one has a little something to get the party started in their own home, which they can now do entirely legally!

Don’t go overboard, because you still want them to be safe with the amount that they’re drinking, and also alcohol is expensive and will take up a lot of space in any care package, but it’s definitely important to include!

There are so many different types of alcohol, and they’re all available options for you to put in this care package. Take your time to choose what you think your loved one will most enjoy on their birthday. Their first drink should be special!

Maybe go with a bottle or two of champagne or wine, something nice, and then build the rest of the care package around that, or a case of beers if that’s more your loved one’s speed. Whichever you think they’ll prefer is the best choice.

If you want to throw in some harder liquor, go with some miniatures! They take up less space, and are often put in plastic bottles rather than glass, which can be a pain to mail, and there are plenty of options— vodka, rum, and tequila can all be found in this form. And with those types of alcohol, a little goes a long way!

Once that’s taken care of, you’ll want to indulge in some other alcohol-themed gifts. Fancy or plastic, champagne and wine glasses are sure to be a hit for this special day. Shot glasses and tumblers, too, maybe even a customized flask. That way they can be drinking in style from day one!

In addition, they’ll need a bottle opener and a corkscrew, just to cover all of their bases and make sure they can actually access the alcohol you’re giving them!

On the other end of planning ahead, you might want to look into some hangover related gifts, either regarding preventing them or dealing with them once it’s too late. Put some gatorade right beside that vodka, or some of your favorite hangover recipes if you want to be more obvious.

Spending your first day as a 21 year old with a migraine would not be ideal, especially not if you had plans to keep drinking.

Hangovers are no fun. In fact, they’re quite the opposite. So while you’re ensuring that your loved one has the night of their life, you might as well also be sure that they won’t be miserable the following day with your care package

And when in morning-after-mode, there’s nothing you’ll need like a little self-care, so look into those sorts of products for your care packages, too. Your head will still hurt if you do a face mask, but your skin will look fantastic.

Decorations

It wouldn’t be a birthday way without some cheesy decorations, would it? If there’s any year to break out the confetti, it’s your 21st.

So, fill your care package with some birthday decorations! That way, even if they can’t go out, they can turn their home into the perfect party location. Hang up those streamers and banners, blow up some balloons, and toss in some noise makers for good measure.

There’s no such thing as overboard when it comes to birthday decorations, and certainly not on your 21st birthday of all day! Throw a pack of balloons into your care package, because honestly, why not? Each one adds to the fun of the occasion.

The more obnoxious the decorations are, the better. There’s plenty of personalized gifts you can get to announce the identity of the one celebrating their birthday, too, like crowns, party hats, and necklaces. Personalized T-Shirts aren’t a bad idea, either!

It may seem tacky, but it’ll at the very least get a good laugh and make them feel appreciated, even if it’s with lame, cheap birthday decorations. Anything you can do to make this birthday feel more normal is a good idea, and this is one surefire way to do that.

There are plenty of birthday specific care packages that you can buy ready made, too.

And if your loved one’s birthday isn’t for a while, there’s a chance that they might be able to celebrate with some of their friends, so you should plan for that, too! Maybe buy some 21st Birthday paper plates and matching plasticware to commemorate the occasion.

Hey, it may make a mess once it’s all spread out, but confetti won’t take up too much space in your birthday care package. And though your loved one may resent having to clean it all up in the morning— especially if they’re sporting a hangover —it’ll be a blast in the moment.

Throw in some candles, too, why not? Either scented ones for around the house or single-use to be placed on a cake directly, they always add to the atmosphere.

Deliciousness

Speaking of birthday necessities, your 21st is no sweet sixteen, but there’s still nothing quite like sweet treats to celebrate. You have to balance out all that drinking with some food, don’t you?

Especially if you’re going to be drinking a lot, it’s important to make sure you’re doing so while fully fed and hydrated, or it could be dangerous. Your 21st birthday is the perfect time to go wild, it’s true, but not so wild that you’re not still safe.

The good thing about delicious treats is that you may feel like you’re indulging, but they won’t be what makes you puke at the end of the night if you’re not careful. If the potential ick you may get from any of these foods going forward isn’t a reason to be responsible, then we don’t know what is.

All thoughts of illness aside, here are a few desserts that will be a welcome addition to any birthday party care package: 

• Cake
• Cupcakes
• Candies
• Chocolates
• Cookies

What’s a birthday celebration without a cake? Certainly not as enjoyable, so be sure to include one— or at least something dessert-like in your care package so that your loved one can satisfy their sweet tooth on their 21st.

And those are just all the ones that start with ‘C!’ Brownies are a good idea, too, or blondies if that’s more your thing. And hey, if the birthday girl or boy prefers muffins to cupcakes and pie to cake, throw those in there as well. It’s all up to you, and you know what they like!

You could even bake them something homemade, but if you’re not too fond of that idea, don’t fret. You can find several options for wonderful baked good care packages.

But while desserts are certainly the best option for celebrating a birthday, any kind of delicious food or snack will do. Snacking while drinking is vital to the experience, after all, and without the proper stocks you could be prompted to go on a late night errand adventure. So you’ll want to send along a lot of food.

Whether gourmet or casual, you can never go wrong with a finger food care package. If your loved one is having a party for their birthday, then it’s perfect to share! If not… more for them!

You could even get them some fruit and cheeses, if your loved one wants to celebrate their 21st the classy way with a bottle of red, white, or rose wine. Chips or pretzels that can easily be shared will likely go better with other kinds of alcohol, though, so it’s really all about what kind of vibe you’re going for here.

And you’ll definitely want to do whatever you can to make sure that the vibe is perfect. Your loved one deserves the world on their birthday! A cohesive theme in your care package just makes it seem all the more thoughtful, but that’s not the only thing.

Last, and certainly not least, you’ll want to include a card! It’s the staple of all birthday gifts, and so of course you must include one in your care package. 

Your message doesn’t have to be overly wordy or emotional— thought certainly that isn’t a bad thing —but just be sure to let them know that you care for them and are there for them. It’ll definitely mean a lot, especially if you aren’t able to celebrate that birthday in person.

Above all, your care package should be personal. These ideas are all well and good, but at the end of the day you know your loved one best, and you know what they’ll want on this special day.