25 ways to spend these summer months without NBA basketball

11. Balloons

There are very few times when the presence of balloons wouldn’t make the moment better.

It’s difficult to think of situations where balloons are present and it’s not a happy occasion. Birthdays, parties, giving gifts to loved ones. If there’s a balloon, there’s probably a smile close by. They’re harbingers of joy.

So why not make the balloons the focus of the joy? Why do they always have to be the side dish? Just get some balloons, fill them with helium, and go. Tie them to various places around your place of residence, and let them spark a little happiness every time you see them.

A cool thing to do too is when some of the helium leaks out and the balloons start falling you can play a game of keepy-uppy. You can use your hands to keep the balloons off the ground, but balloons are slow enough at falling that you can probably play a game just with your feet instead. It’s harder, but you feel better about yourself afterward.

One word of caution is to be careful with mylar balloons. Those things do not deflate quickly, and if one finds its way to the ceiling of a tall room, that thing might be up there for months. It may still be there after the NBA’s opening night. When the NBA is back, you don’t need that kind of distraction.

Balloons are just good. They’re a reminder of a simpler, more joyful time where a thing floating in the air tied to a string meant that you were having a good day.

Or maybe you can play “House of Balloons” by The Weeknd. That’s also an option.