9 Ways To Celebrate Special Occasions During Lockdown

From big birthdays to special achievements, we all know that celebrating is a bit difficult at the moment. But it’s not all doom and gloom! Luckily there are ways you can still make some days just a little bit more special. We called upon the Sorted community over on Twitter to find out how you’re celebrating during this unusual period, and you really came up with the good stuff! So here are just a few ways you can make the most of your time and still celebrate the important moments from home.1. Turn On Your Video!Video calls are a great way to get your loved ones involved in special occasions during these strange times. For those special meals you want to share with others, try planning the menu ahead of time and sending it around to everyone in advance. Dial in and have everyone eat the same thing at the same time - it’s almost as good as being together… 2. Share Your MealsOne of our absolute fave ideas from the Sorted community: take a video of your meal and send it to family and friends, then send them the ingredients so they can make it too. You can rotate as well - take turns to send round ingredients and challenge each other to make new things! 3. Try Something NewOne of you suggested making a special cocktail for the occasion - and we are totally behind that idea! Alternatively, mark the special occasion by cooking up something different. The ‘Show It Off’ Pack is bursting with new chef-worthy meals that’ll impress your flatmates or family and won't break the bank! 4. Do It Yourself With a Restaurant Food KitIt’s been such a tricky year for businesses, but restaurants have really stepped up to the plate with DIY food kits! They’re a nice way to bring just a bit of the restaurant experience to your home, and are super fun to make with your lockdown buddies too. From pizza to ramen to poké bowls, there are so many different options out there - check out our YouTube reviews for a helping hand making a decision! 5. Or… Cook Like Your Favourite Restaurant At HomeAnother top tip from you lovely people! If you fancy a bit more of a challenge, why not try recreating one of the dishes from your favourite restaurant? It’s a great way to make dinnertime a little bit more special, and hopefully you’ll learn something along the way. Check out the Cook for Charity cookbook for exclusive recipes from chefs and restaurants. 6. Go All Out - With a 3-Course Meal!3-course meals aren’t just for eating out! Bring the fine dining experience home by serving a family meal with a starter, main and dessert. We’ve done the work for you on this one - the ‘Course You Can’ Pack contains recipes for all 3 courses of your meal, plus we’ve included prep and serving instructions to help you breeze through timings, cooking order and plating up. You can thank us later!7. Get Out the Fancy ChinaOr the fancy cutlery, or the fancy linen napkins, or the fancy wine glasses you bought and never used… Whatever it is, you can easily step up your mealtime game by adding a few nice touches to the table set-up. Another great community suggestion? Try lighting candles every now and then to switch up the atmosphere, and make a restaurant-vibe playlist to create the perfect mood. 8. Dress To ImpressYou may be at home, but why not mix it up with something fancy every now and then? Make like Jamie and chuck on one of your jazziest shirts, or wear some jewellery you haven’t worn in a while. It feels nice to get out of the loungewear you’ve been wearing for the past 72 hours (or is that just us?). 9. Mix Up Your MealtimesIf a 3-course meal just isn’t for you, there are loads of other options that’ll take your midweek grub up a notch. Why not try putting together a sharing platter for everyone to dig into? We’ve chucked a few ideas into the ‘Sharing is Caring’ Pack - try the Indian-inspired parsnip biryani or the veggie mezze platter, or even better: make a real occasion of it and have everyone build their own Mexican elote tacos! Want more meal inspo? Check out the Sorted Club: Packs app.