90th Birthday Cards - Celebrate!

Turning 90 is a major milestone in life and special attention should be paid to this occasion. When a man I know had his 90th birthday a couple of years ago, the big thing for him was the fact that so many of his friends and family came to the party. The party itself was quite a simple one, with 9 (not 90!!) candles on the cake, little gifts and so on. Let the birthday person know they are appreciated and loved, such as getting people to write or call if they can't be at the party.

1 Include the senior in the planning. They may be more comfortable with a small family gathering than with a large event where dozens or hundreds of people arrive.

2 Include memorabilia from past eras and events. Videos can be created from old photos to make a moving collage. Have younger members of the family recite the birthday person's achievements and adventures, perhaps as pictures are appearing on screen; this will bring on a smile to everyone and will touch the birthday person knowing that the younger people cared enough to understand about the past.

3 Include a "Gentle" Roast and/or Memory Book -- ask everyone to write down something about the birthday person. Sample questions can include:
Embarrassing moment with Martha was _________.
What I remember most about ______________.
A wonderful thing Martha did for me is___________________________.
The funniest moment.
Something the birthday celebrant did to change my life.

4 Get all the family members on board for the event. They should all have a part to play in such an amazing event. Many will have stories to recall and might even have special photos, objects or memorabilia to contribute.

A great idea by a family in Marshall, Minnesota is to begin celebrating 90 days prior to the birthday. You ask people to take 1 or more days, and send a card, note, phone call, or short visit, every day. Start by asking family, including grandchildren, and great grandchildren. Even the little ones can get in on the celebration by sending a coloring picture. A photo of the baby involves even the newest members of the family. Read about how they managed from this link. It looked like a really fun experience, not only for the birthday celebrant, but for all of the family and friends involved!

Turning 90 With 90 Days of Surprises - Newspaper Article

Woman Holding up Cake


Man Holding Up Cake