How to Host a Totally Epic Virtual Birthday Party

You may not be able to wow guests in person with streamers, balloons, party hats and confetti, but that doesn't mean you should pass on decorations. With Zoom, you can upload a custom background, like three festive dogs wearing party hats (pictured above). Explore Canva for dozens, if not hundreds, of colorful virtual background templates. You can even make your own using free images found on royalty-free photo sites like Pixabay.

It's never been easier to create a fun video montage, thanks in large part to TikTok's mobile video platform (and the many editing tutorials on YouTube). Reach out to friends and family for short video messages that can be strung together into a montage. Add in background music, filters and special effects to create the best-ever celebration card. Alternatively, leave the heavy lifting to someone else with Tribute, which collects and compiles the videos for you.

You can't have a party without games. Go old school with Bingo, a classic game that everyone can play on a video chat. Simply ask all guests to print out Bingo cards, then share your screen and open up Let's Play Bingo, which automatically calls out numbers. For trivia lovers, look to Crowdpurr. Guests use their cell phones or tablets to answer trivia questions, earning points for correct responses and time to answer each question. A leaderboard keeps the game exciting and competitive.

Relive the memories by creating an engaging slideshow using photos and videos taken through the years. On the video call, share your screen with guests and play the celebration slideshow so everyone can watch at the same time. It's a fun and easy way to make everyone smile as you celebrate. Online services, like Smilebox and Biteable, make it a snap to create simple and beautiful slideshows with music, transitions and special effects.