By Lori BODNAR, intern

With the COVID-19 pandemic and stay-at-home order to “flatten the curve” by promoting social distancing, people have had to reimagine birthdays, holidays and weddings to find innovative ways to celebrate momentous events. For example, many churches live-streamed Easter services or had an Easter “car parade.”

On April 10, La Crescenta teen Katie Lee had her Sweet 16 birthday. Her mom, Kimberly, wasn’t about to let this auspicious occasion pass with a whimper. She planned a fun and safe way to celebrate her daughter’s special birthday with a surprise drive-by parade. Over 25 cars participated in the parade, despite a gently falling rain. Katie was able to see her friends who honked their horns and wished her a “Happy Birthday”… all while maintaining a safe distance. Many of Katie’s friends held posters with special birthday wishes, and some even decorated their cars with balloons or birthday banners for the festive occasion.

“I knew we couldn’t have a traditional Sweet 16 birthday party, but I still wanted to celebrate Katie and her special day,” said mom Kimberly. “I had seen others on Facebook do ‘drive by’ parades for elderly relatives who felt lonely [because] they were isolated alone at home. But it wasn’t until my sister mentioned someone in her area doing a birthday parade that the wheel really started turning.”
Kimberly said she “loved” seeing the genuine smile of surprise on Katie’s face adding how “amazing” it was to see the number of people who came out of their warm homes to roll past the Lees’ driveway.
“It was the people who really made the birthday parade a bunch of fun,” said Kimberly. “Friends and family went out of their way to show my daughter that she is loved and worth celebrating.”
Katie’s surprise was obvious.
“I usually have an idea about when people are going to surprise me, but this was well hidden,” she said of the drive-by celebration.
And since gifts are a major part of a birthday, many people found creative ways to give gifts to Katie while maintaining a safe distance.
“The two cars driven by our more seasoned friends used a broomstick or crutch as an extension out of the car door to hand Katie a little gift bag while maintaining proper distancing. How clever!” said Kimberly. Other cars of people with non-breakable gifts threw their presents into the driveway where Katie was standing, waving at all of the friends in the “birthday parade.” A few people even threw balloons, candy, or confetti from their cars, maintaining the celebratory feel.
But more fun was in store for Katie.

“Katie requested a ‘made from scratch’ double-layer cake with homemade chocolate frosting,” Kimberly said. “She blew out the candles and ate dessert with grandma in La Cañada over Facetime.”
Though Katie was traditional in the way she extinguished her birthday candles, during these pandemic times some people have been extra-cautious and used creative approaches to blowing out birthday candles including clapping their hands to extinguish the lit candles or even using a blow-dryer to blow them out.
Folks are reminded that in addition to a myriad of videoconferencing technology there is another way to celebrate or connect to loved ones and family: go old school and simply write a letter to stay in touch or celebrate a birthday.

WWII veteran, Lt. Colonel Sam Sachs from Lakewood, had to cancel his planned 105th birthday party celebration due to COVID-19. So he is asking for people to send him a birthday card, addressed to Lt. Col. Sam Sachs, 4340 Conquista Ave., Lakewood, CA 90713. All mail will be set aside for a few days then opened with gloves by the senior living care staff. Sachs served as a paratrooper in the army in WWII and is hoping to get at least 105 birthday cards. The senior living home also plans on having a birthday party parade for him on April 26th.