Celebrating a landmark birthday is one of the most quintessential life events one could have; but what happens when those plans are brought down by a pandemic?
The hustle to host was put indefinitely on hold on March 17, 2020, when San Francisco issued a stay-at-home order to curb the spread of COVID-19. Rae Sweet and Ali Siminson both recall birthday celebrations in the early quarantine, shortly after COVID-19 precautions were put into place.
A “quarantine birthday” balances the tradition of commemorating another lap around the sun with staying safe in self-isolation. Whether it’s buying a plant or ordering pastries to go, the end goal is to limit exposure with friends, family and strangers.
On the anniversary of the shelter-in-place order, Sweet and Siminson both express their mindset approaching celebrating a second birthday in quarantine.
