For example, if the centenarian loves gardening, plan the party around fresh flowers and green, vibrant decorations. Print the invitations on sage-green paper and make small bouquets for guests to take home. Or, if they love a particular sports team, use sports memorabilia and photos for the decor and invites. You could always use “100” as the theme! After all, that’s enough of an accomplishment all on its own. Use banners, balloons, confetti, and cake toppers themed around someone turning 100 years old.
Depending on the size of the party, think about using your loved one’s home. This could be a way to make sure they feel comfortable and have anything they might need on hand. Plan on taking care of all the preparations and clean up! Keep in mind the time of year you’ll be hosting the party, too. If it is wintertime, make sure someone can shovel away any snow and lay down salt before the party starts to make the walkway safer.
For something fun, list 10 “did you know” facts about the centenarian on the back of the invitation. Include things like where they were born, surprising facts, accomplishments, or even pet peeves. When picking the time for the party, consider when the honoree is at their best. If they like to go to bed early, an 8 pm party might not be the best idea. [4] X Research source If you want guests to share a story about the person you’re celebrating, put that on the invite, too. You could write something like, “Guests will have time to share stories and memories, so prepare something ahead of time if you’d like to participate. ”
Organize the photos in chronological order, so it’s like seeing a timeline of the person’s life. You could get creative and showcase the photos by decade and include fun facts about that time in history. If you get photos from other people, keep track of who gave which pictures. That way, you can return them after the party.
Include trivia from the year they were born for some extra fun content. Research things that happened in history, what was going on in popular culture, and other facts.
Use the dessert or cake as a way to highlight 100 years. You could make number-shaped cakes or get a fun topper. Pay attention to any dietary restrictions your honoree might have. Depending on the party’s location and size, ask guests to bring along a dish to share.
If the honoree loves live music, hire a band to play some tunes at the party.
If the honoree wants to, have them give a short speech, too. They can talk about life lessons, family, and whatever else they feel is important at this significant milestone.
For added fun, have everyone decorate their room for a party. Balloons, banners, and signs add a festive element to this type of virtual gathering. Sites like Zoom, Google Hangouts, Houseparty, and FaceTime (if everyone has Apple products) work well for these types of gatherings. This is an excellent option if friends and family are scattered all over the world. Everyone can be together even when they’re hundreds of miles apart.
Of course, make sure they’ll be home when the food is delivered.
If people bring cards or gifts, put a large basket out near the road so people can leave them there. People can talk to the honoree through their window if they want. This is especially nice in times when people want to be close, but, for safety reasons, can’t be in the same space. [13] X Research source
Signs are available at some stores that you can purchase and put up yourself, too. It’s a great idea if you think you might want to reuse the props again in the future.
This idea works well for individuals who may not want a big party and for times like COVID, where it’s safest for people to social-distance. Ask people to send all the letters or videos to you directly if you want to collect and deliver them all at the same time.
Pennies Colored glass Photos Buttons Corks Artificial flowers
It would be really cute to make a small booklet with 1 thing listed on each page.
Take some time to write something personal to your loved one. Reflect on what you’ve learned from them, or what you appreciate about them as an individual. A heartfelt message will mean a lot.
If possible, decorate the baked good with 100-year well wishes!
There are alternative types of bouquets you could look into if you don’t like the idea of flowers, from succulents, to cookies, to fruit.
Be sure to buy slippers that have tread on the bottom. You don’t want them to be too slippery! For even more warmth and comfort, give them a heated blanket, too.
If your loved one would enjoy it, have an announcement printed in the local paper. Some news stations love to interview people on their 100th birthday, which could be a fun opportunity for your centenarian.
This is a fun option that works even if your loved one needs to stay indoors for health reasons. The group can stand outside a window or on a front lawn while the centenarian enjoys them from a safe distance.
If going to a physical spa isn’t an option, arrange for a masseuse to go to their home. Or, get some supplies together and spend some time pampering them by giving them a manicure, pedicure, and face mask yourself.
