90th Birthday Celebration

The most important things at a 90th birthday celebration are friends and family. The party brings together family members who may not have seen each other since the last wedding or funeral. A 90th birthday party is a celebration of good times and memories. Be sure to start the planning early so that everyone will have a chance to travel and find a place to stay if necessary. Below are some tips to keep in mind as you plan. You should also be prepared to say something appropriate and may want to consider making a scrapbook for the person celebrating his or her 90th birthday.

I am wealthy in my friends. -- William Shakespeare On his 75th birthday, Winston Churchill was asked by a reporter if he had any fear of death. "I am ready to meet my Maker," Churchill responded. Then he added, "Whether or not my Maker is prepared for the great ordeal of meeting me is another matter." The only way to keep your health is to eat what you don't want, drink what you don't like and do what you'd rather not. --Mark Twain

Timing - Evening parties may seem more special but you need to consider older friends and relatives who might want to come but travel more easily during the day. Unless you are celebrating the 90th birthday at the honoree's house, you should consider having a brunch, lunch or afternoon gathering when friends might feel more comfortable driving.

• Plan a scrapbook and ask special friends and familhy members to write down memories that can be included in the book. Then present it as a gift to the person celebrating.

• Do a timeline that ties significant dates in the person's life to important news events going on in the world at that time.

• Have friends and family help with a list of 90 things they admire and love about the 90th birthday person. This also works for other ages for seniors.

• Gather pictures from over the years and put them in a book. It's easy to make personalized photo books by uploading photos to a website. You can even design the layout using their online systems which are easy and intuitive.

• Create a calendar of memories. Have friends and family write short messages, quotes or memories about the person and keep going till you have 365. Or you could do 12 if you want to just focus on months. Then put these into a calendar that the person can enjoy all year.

• Have a guestbook for others to sign. It may be hard for them to write memories on the spot so when you send out invitations, let them know there will be a guestbook where they can write special memories about the person.

Designate a couple of people to take pictures or hire a photographer. Get a backup person so you will not miss that great family photo when someone's camera malfunctions. Then get enough copies of the photo to share with family members. You will also want to put the other photos in a picture book.

Consider where out-of-town guests will stay. It would be considerate to arrange places for people to stay with family or friends of the honored guests in case they need to spare the expense of a hotel. It is also thoughtful to make arrangements with a local hotel you can refer out-of-town guests to as they will appreciate guidance on what is the most convenient location for them to stay to easily travel to and from the party.

Decorations. Pictures, balloons, flowers and sentimental objects make perfect decorations for an 80th or 90th birthday party. If you want something personal that is relatively inexpensive, make your own table cards from scanned photos.

For more birthday ideas see 90th birthday table decorations Birthday toasts and speeches Senior birthday toasts Middle age birthday toasts Humorous birthday toasts

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