I have a lot of birthdays coming up, one of which is my boyfriend's. If you have a friend's or significant other's birthday coming up too, you may be wondering how to celebrate. You'll get them a nice present and perhaps even throw a party. That is great and fun, but what about trying something different? I'm thinking of unique twists on the whole birthday game, and this is what I've come up with so far:

1. Surprise party.

It's a classic. You gather friends and family and plan something special for the birthday boy or girl. That's great, but what if you took it up a notch? I remember one time when my friends decided they would hang out and throw a party without inviting the friend group. Instead of letting their friend know beforehand, they contacted their friend's parents and had them help pack bags. Then, they showed up on their friend's doorstep and "kidnapped" them for a sleepover. This is a fun twist on a surprise party! Ask some friends or family to help make sure their schedule is clear before you do this. Knock on their door when the time is right, and sweep them away to a fun weekend trip or sleepover.

2. Donations.

Everyone loves getting something on their birthday, but sometimes people love giving too. I'm not saying you can use this as an excuse not to find something for them, but this is a really special way to bring joy to your friend/boyfriend/girlfriend and someone else in need. Why not raise donations for a charity that person likes and give in their name to that charity? If your friend loves to give and help others, they'll appreciate this idea. You could donate time, money, food, or even blood if it's what they'd like to do. There are so many opportunities to give, from community projects to missions across the ocean. See if your friend is interested!

3. Birthday cake.

I've talked about unique ideas for parties and gifts, but there's one thing that I haven't given a suggestion for: cake. Birthday cake is iconic! You could go to Walmart and buy a premade cake, or you could even bake one yourself. That's all good, but if you want to do something a little more exciting, you could turn it into a party game. You could have a decorating competition to see who can make the prettiest (or most goofy-looking) cake. You could even have someone pick out weird ingredients you have to draw from to use for decorating. The opportunities are endless for party games that make birthday cake more fun!

It's always about the birthday person, so do something that you know they'll love and appreciate. The classic gift and party is great, and I'm sure they'll love it, but sometimes it's fun to do something different and special for your special person. What do you think? Were these tips helpful? Are you thinking of some other ideas inspired by these? Whatever you decide, have fun and be safe!