Reaching 95 years is a celebration in itself, so do something extraordinary for the birthday man or woman. 95th birthday celebrations can draw on the wealth of their life experiences and the all the lives of those they have touched. Birthday celebration ideas include parties and gifts that focus on the past and how those events and people make the present so special.
Memory Lane Trip
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If the birthday man is mobile, arrange a trip to the area where he spent his formative years. Plan an afternoon or a weekend for a tour to his hometown or area. Research the area beforehand to discover what places and buildings remain, for much can change in the span of his lifetime. Plan an itinerary that includes the hospital where he was born, his elementary school and childhood home, and his teenage haunts. If the birthday celebrant is sprightly enough and able-bodied, consider a trip to the home country if he is a first- or second-generation American.
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This Is Your Life
This celebration allows for all the important people in his life to show appreciation and to regale tales and stories of his life. Rent a dining hall or book a private room at a restaurant and invite his old friends, family members, business contacts and neighbors to dinner and a presentation. Allow each person to relate how they know him and to tell a funny or sweet anecdote, then have a slide presentation filled with pictures of him and others throughout his life. If he isn't really mobile, see about having the event at someone's home or his retirement community.
Book of Stories
This birthday gift is a variation on the "This Is Your Life" theme, though is less strenuous and better suited for someone who enjoys her quiet. Have family members, friends and others from the community write down personal stories of her, and then have the stories printed and bound. This book makes a fine and sentimental gift, and can be read from each time you visit. Also, have all the grandchildren provide illustrations, both based on the stories and other creations.
Youth for a Day
Discover beforehand what activity, place or even food she misses, and surprise her that day by making her wishes comes true. A wish could be a simple as going to the zoo to see the exotic birds and get a helium-filled balloon, a trip to the arboretum and the experience of a sunny afternoon surrounded by nature, an afternoon at the art museum, or maybe even just a chocolate chip doughnut. Discuss options with her doctor or caretaker before to ascertain which are suitable.