How can you celebrate a birthday or special occasion in lockdown? Here are just some of the local options for celebration cakes, balloons, gifts and more.
Even though you can’t get together with family and friends for a party, there are still many ways to make the day special.
Here’s a look at just some of the delivery and online services around the area to help you celebrate that big birthday or anniversary.
There are also many more businesses which have branched out to offer delivery services - you can often check by visiting their Facebook page or giving them a call.
Of course, there are plenty of other ways to make the day special too, including a video call - something many of us have suddenly become experts in over recent months!
Celebration cakes, afternoon teas... and cocktails
•Peanut Parties, Wickham Market, near Woodbridge
Fan and Richard Johnson only opened up their business in February, catering for children’s parties - but had to have a quick rethink just a few weeks later when lockdown kicked in.
Richard said: “When all this happened, we had to adapt, so we started to deliver packed lunches and afternoon teas, and we are also doing birthday cakes.”
Fan added: “We decided to do mini cakes, because a lot of older children are upset that their parties have had to be cancelled, but parents still want to make it special for them. There may only be three or four people, so they may want a smaller-size cake.”
Cakes and teas can be delivered to loved ones with a personalised note, free in a 10-mile radius of Woodbridge or for a delivery charge further afield. Call 07927 759225 or visit @peanutparties on Facebook.
•Bakeaholics UK, Norfolk
At just 18, Morgan Lewis is one of the youngest baking entrepreneurs in East Anglia, and has founded her own gourmet drip-cake business.
Morgan bakes and delivers homemade birthday cakes, which are very popular in both Norfolk and Suffolk, and has built a reputation by attending weekly markets in Bury St Edmunds, Newmarket and Mildenhall where her brownie slices, cookies, and cakes proved a hit.
You will need to order celebration cakes well ahead, as she has been inundated with requests.
Delivery is free within three miles of her HQ or available for a small charge on Thursdays to NR postcodes around Attleborough, Wymondham and Norwich, and on Fridays around Thetford, Mildenhall, Newmarket, Bury St Edmunds and nearby IP postcodes. For more details, visit @BakeaholicsUK on Facebook.
• Outrageous Cake Company, Ipswich
Based on the outskirts of Ipswich, in a unit at Suffolk Food Hall, Graham and Tina Weare offer both a collection and a delivery service.
They are taking orders for bespoke cakes, and have just launched a range of set bespoke cakes, with themes including mermaids, jungle, sports, a night at the movies and a mad hatter’s tea party.
As well as cakes, The Outrageous Cake Company has introduced a selection of tray bakes, including brownies, millionaire shortbread and Bakewells. Cookies, decorated cupcakes and Belgian chocolate cake pops are also available for delivery.
Delivery is free within five miles. For more details, call 07805 808362 or visit @TheOutrageousCakeCompany on Facebook.
• Brownbread, covers Norwich, Ipswich, Colchester and a number of other areas
Well-known for their market stalls, Brownbread offers handmade breads, pastries and patisseries across the south-east.
It also offers celebration cakes which can be personalised with your message.
The company said this week on its Facebook page: “Change is hard and there’s been a lot of it recently, so we’re going to continue our delivery service for the foreseeable future, so you can still get hand baked comforts, hand delivered to your door.”
Deliveries are carried out once a week to various postcodes, and delivery charges depend on the size of your order. For full details, visit @brownbreadonline1 on Facebook.
• Simply Cake Co, Norfolk, delivers across the UK
Simply Cake Co is based in King’s Lynn and stocks a range of brownies and slices which can be delivered right to your door in letterbox friendly packaging.
A new offering ideal for a birthday or anniversary treat is a sharing tray (serving up to six) of their gooey brownie, topped with a thick layer of Belgian chocolate, chocolate curls and finished with a message of your choice (up to two words).
For more details, visit www.simplycakeco.com
• Globe Trotter Mobile Bars, Norwich
If you fancy a birthday cocktail or a celebration “tipsy afternoon tea”, it’s one of the options offered for delivery by Globe Trotter Mobile Bars, run by Amy Hargreaves and Steven Cole, from Hellesdon.
The couple are delivering cocktails across Norwich and the surrounding areas, and have also teamed up with Walnut Tree Catering to offer a tipsy afternoon tea, with an array of delicious cakes.
The tea is served with all the cutlery and crockery which will be collected at a later date, so you won’t need to do any washing up, and fruit and Earl Grey tea bags.
Both the cocktail and tipsy afternoon delivery are contactless, with the order left on your doorstep.
For more details, call 07710 833211 or visit @theglobetrottermobilebars on Facebook.
Walnut Tree Catering also do a regular afternoon tea which you can order on 07761 840142.
Balloons
•Balloonfetti Creations, Ipswich
If you’re looking for balloons with a difference, Balloonfetti Creations delivers bespoke balloons for all occasions and is delivering in the Ipswich area.
Its balloon creations include 34-inch giant helium number balloons, balloon columns in both single and double numbers, and personalised bubble balloons.
Owner Issy Burch said: “It’s gone bonkers with balloons during lockdown - it has been really, really busy. A lot of people are ordering surprise balloons because they can’t be with someone on their birthday.
“My husband has been delivering them, and it’s really nice to see the smiles on people’s faces when they see the balloon arrive. We do air and helium balloons, but most people want helium because of the float factor!”
Recent orders during lockdown include a personalised Gaming Controller Balloon and a pink and gold confetti bubble balloon.
For more details, visit @balloonfetticreations on Facebook.
• Norfolk Balloon Boutique, King’s Lynn
The company is offering contactless balloon deliveries and can supply an amazing range of birthday balloon creations, ranging from unicorns and giraffes for children to birthday balloon bouquets for a landmark birthday.
For details and to arrange a delivery, visit @kingslynnballoons on Facebook or www.norfolkballoonboutique.co.uk
• The Party Balloon Company, Ipswich
This party and events business offers a large range of fun designs available for birthdays for both children and adults, including balloon bouquets.
Free delivery for orders over £30 is available within five miles of its Ipswich town centre premises.
For more details, visit @ThePartyBalloonCompany on Facebook.
Food and drink gifts
• Gnaw Chocolate, Norwich
If you want to give a sweet treat as a birthday or anniversary gifts, the chocolatiers are taking online orders for items including boxes of chocolates and batches of artisan chocolate bars.
The bars come in more than 30 fun flavours, using natural ingredients and recipes created by experienced Norfolk chocolatiers.
Free UK delivery is available on orders over £25. For more details, visit @GnawChocolate on Facebook.
• Pump Street Bakery, Orford
For an indulgent gift, you can order bean to bar single estate chocolates, gift boxes of chocolates, bread, cakes and other delicious gifts from the baker, with delivery available UK-wide.
A gift wrapping service and hand written cards to go with your care package are available at the online checkout.
To find out more, visit @pumpstreetbakery on Facebook.
• Tosier, Suffolk
Chocolate connoisseurs Tosier Chocolatemaker offer craft chocolate bars are handmade in their chocolate factory in the Gipping Valley. They are currently offering special self isolation packs of 12 or six bars on their website, which are available with free UK-wide shipping.
For more details, visit tosier.co.uk/
• Marimba
Suffolk-based Marimba is well known for their chocolate melts, which create the ultimate mug of hot chocolate. Their spring collection presentation box, which is only available until June, contains the Colombia 52% dark milk hot chocolate melt, strawberry and mint milk chocolate thins, spring sunshine white chocolate thins, plus lemon and violet creams, rose and raspberry caramels and hot cross bun truffles.
Visit marimbaworld.com
• Norfolk Deli, Hunstanton
You can order a standard hamper or create your own bespoke hampers for birthdays or anniversaries from Norfolk Deli, which uses only local products.
Other gifts available include postable Norfolk gin and cheese boxes, designed to go through the letterbox.
For details, visit @thenorfolkdeli on Facebook.
• St Giles Gin, Norwich
Norwich-based St Giles Gin has created a range of “home isolation packs” of selected gins, plus assorted bottles of tonic for extra-special gifts.
For details, visit www.stgilesgin.com/
• Gifted, Norwich
During lockdown, this gift shop has launched a mystery candy box delivery service, with packages packed with American treats like Cheetos, Nerds and Oreos, available in three sizes.
They come in three sizes, and are available for delivery across the UK.
Owner Aaron Roberts said: “The candy box is a good way to cheer people up and it is a nice experience to open up a box of fun.”
For details, visit Gifted Stores UK’s Facebook page, by searching for @candymailgifted
• Yum Yum Tree Fudge, Bury St Edmunds
There’s free postage when you spend over £40, with various offers available. Varieties range from carrot cake, to sea salted butterscotch and Belgian chocolate, and sugar-free fudge is available too.
For details, visit the website: https://www.yumyumtreefudge.com/
Other gift ideas
Woodbridge Emporium
This independent bookshop is taking orders for books to be delivered anywhere in the UK or Europe, and you can also make a “Book Hug” donation to the NHS at the checkout.
To place an order, visit www.woodbridgeemporium.co.uk
Aldeburgh Bookshop
You can also order birthday or anniversary book gifts from the Aldeburgh Bookshop, to be delivered locally or posted. For details, visit the shop’s website: https://www.aldeburghbookshop.co.uk/
Jarrold, Norfolk
The department store has reopened its website and is now taking orders online for everything from toys and games to books, home wares and gift hampers from the deli, wine and foodhall.
It has a “gift inspiration” section on its website which includes a special “gifts for staying at home in comfort” section, ranging from cushions and throws to luxurious hand creams.
Delivery is available nationally. Visit www.jarrold.co.uk/
Entertainer is offering online birthday greetings during lockdown
Even though you can’t arrange for a children’s entertainer to visit your home, some entertainers will provide a special online greeting.
While he can’t perform at parties, Suffolk-based entertainer, magician and illusionist Robbie James has been making video messages for children who follow him.
He said: “I think it’s very important to try and keep the birthday spirit alive whilst the lockdown is going on.
“I’ve been honoured to be able to provide little magic birthday messages to boys and girls that I was originally due to perform for at their parties.
“Many of them have postponed their birthdays and will still be celebrating later on in the year.
“Remember that a birthday is a celebration of turning a year older and not just about having a party, there are many ways to celebrate at home. Just keep smiling and know that better times are coming, where we can all be back together with friends and family celebrating in the traditional party way.”
Robbie also performed a live Facebook show, Lockdown Live. He is also running an online magic course for children, and is performing Barnsley’s fun house. an interactive online show for children from the Stonham Barns theatre every Saturday morning.
For more details, visit @RobbieJamesEntertainer on Facebook.
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