100th Birthday

Difficult one! a lovely silver framed photograph of various youngsters in the family? A bouquet of really special flowers, or an amazing plant, if she is a gardener ?a beautiful silk scarf?

My goodness Marmight your Aunt is a very special lady. We usually stick to flowers for the older family members but I think a photo album would be nice too. There are some good websites that will compile an album from your digital photos.

If she can do the Telegraph crossword would an iPad be a possibility?
Then she could go on FB and follow all the nieces/nephews!
And read the Telegraph online

How lovely Marmight to be early 100 years old and fit and well.

I too was going to suggest a photo of the whole family.

Do The Telgraph do facsimiles of the day of your birth? She might find the comparison interesting .

Photo album of the family?
Subscription to The Telegraph?
What an amazing achievement!

A blank book, handed around weeks beforehand, with words and pictures and drawings from people invited to the party?
Somebody would have to be in charge of organising that.

What a remarkable woman and how fortunate to still have her intellect at such an age.

If she uses DVDs you could get a compilation made up of family photos or videos perhaps?

I know some one who had a Life Book made for her parents, more or less a This is Your Life chronicle.

I'm off to have a look on tinternet, I'll be back.

Good grief, I've just had a look at the price of the Life Book

What about something beautiful in cashmere, lightweight soft and warm?

MY MIl is 102 this year and still loves to be given jewellery especially big beads and silky pyjamas. I hope she has a wonderful day.

My mother lived to 101 and 8 months and she loved new clothes. She had a big party on her centenary and flower arrangements were the favourite things she received but lovely clothes like a new dressing gown were a close second.

How is she about pampering? You can usually find mobile therapists who will come to her home, so a manicure/pedicure, hairdo, make up before the party or a special day out with a massage and afternoon tea. I find as my mother gets older she doesn't want "things".

Thanks for all the ideas - food for thought. I think my cousin is doing the photo book thing and sadly I can't get a Telegraph from her birth date, so some of the other ideas have certainly helped. I would love to have a photo of all her GG nieces and nephews together but sadly half of them are on the other side of the world. Maybe I could get a computer wizard to fuse various photos together. Hmmm, just thinking out loud

You still have plenty of time to get photos from the other side of the world, either by computer, or printed out by post.
When my favourite cousin in Canada had her Golden Wedding I sent some very old original photos to her daughters, who were preparing a family album. They scanned them and sent them back.
Your aunt sounds marvelous for her age.

My DDiL did a lovely 'This is your life' type of book for my DM. She scanned the photographs and used a computer programme. I think you chose your own background and inserted your pictures and text.

You used to be able to buy a lovely frame just for the telegram. We bought one for my Grandmother for her hundredth. It wasn't cheap (about £60 from memory) but it was a beautiful gift and now she's passed on we have it as a lovely 'family heirloom'.

The telegram is actually a card which is a photograph of HM Queen. My mother lived in a village and the local Postmaster came in his "best suit " to deliver it with great ceremony. Really the whole day is such excitement that presents are a " very nice aside". So you really don't have to worry too much about it being perfect.

My father celebrated his 100th birthday on the 10th April. We had two parties, one on his actual birthday in South Wales where both he and I live, and another the following week in Kent where we also have a lot of family members.

He was a regular soldier both before and during the war, so I contacted his old regiment (actually their modern counterpart) and they sent him an engraved plaque with his name, rank and number and the inscription "100 years and still on parade. From your comrades in the King's Shropshire Light Infantry". He was absolutely thrilled with it. Does your Aunt have any similar service history?

He was adamant that he did not want ANY presents for his birthday, but rather asked for contributions to be made in his name to Guide Dogs Wales. If anyone feels that they would like to donate to this worthy cause you can find his Just Giving page at www.justgiving.com/Frank-Greig1/

How wonderful to be 100 congratulations to them all. Our relatives have never quite made that magical birthday, although some have got near.

For an elderly Aunt who was having a significant birthday, we bought her pampering treats from Penhaligans. Not cheap! But were used by HM Queen Mother. The perfumes are all wonderfully flowery and old fashioned. They come in beautiful bottles and can be gift wrapped in a splendid box and sent direct.

She was delighted that we thought she'd still like pampering in her later years! x