Birthday Skint!

Skint mates putting a stop to birthday plans? Sick of having your birthday and Christmas wrapped into one? Same, I feel you. Having a birthday in early January can be a task to get all your friends together.

Here are my top tips for getting the most out of your birthday this January:

Make plans before Christmas

A bit late for this advice now, admittedly but at least you’ll be set for next year: make sure you get your plans in your friends' diaries early. This way, you’ll know numbers in advance making it easier to plan the details after Christmas. If you’re still struggling to get everyone together, split your friend group in two and hold separate events so you can celebrate with everyone.

Keep it low budget  

Since we’re all scraping by after Christmas, I’ve found it’s best to keep things on the cheaper end of the scale. You still want to do something fun and a bit special, it’s your birthday after all; some of these are fab ideas:

Hard Rock Cafe London Old Park Lane - enjoy a set menu at an iconic restaurant filled with rock'n'roll memorabilia and hearty American diner food, with two or three courses available  

Frameless – Immersive Art Experience - walk through four different artistic genres with fully immersive soundscapes with over 45 pieces of artwork including iconic pieces from world famous artists

Up at The O2 - brave the heights and scale the side of the famous O2 dome for views like no other over the London cityscape

The Ultimate Cheese Crawl - a must for any cheese fiend, try local and artisan cheeses as well as firm favourites

Indoor activities

Indoor activities are essential for a January birthday celebration. Ideas such as bowling, crazy golf, an arcade, and the firm favourite bottomless brunch are all great options for a way to get everyone together in the new year. Make sure these are all booked in advance.

Invite friends over

A unique and cheap way of making sure your pals will want to celebrate with you is hosting a themed evening. Get everyone's culinary skills on show with a potluck and spend the evening with a themed event. Grab some paint by numbers, host a video game tournament (Mario Kart anyone?), themed cocktails or a PowerPoint night featuring your mates' hot takes, special interests, or anything they are passionate about. I’m planning a throwback to our school days with a Kahoot quiz all about me for my friends to answer with prizes up for grabs!