What do you get when you turn 100? Beyond the Birthday Card

The number of centenarians in the U.S. is projected to more than quadruple over the next three decades. As more people than ever reach this remarkable milestone, many wonder: What do you get when you turn 100? While there isn't a single universal gift, this achievement comes with unique recognition and a deep celebration of a long life.

Quick Summary

Turning 100 can bring formal congratulations from heads of state, recognition from local communities, and an outpouring of personal celebration from family and friends. This momentous birthday is less about a single material gift and more about the honor of a century of life, wisdom, and experience.

Key Points

• Official Recognition: In the U.S., a letter from the President is available upon request for those turning 100. Similarly, the British monarch sends greetings to Commonwealth citizens reaching this milestone.

• Lifestyle is Key: Beyond genetics, many centenarians attribute their longevity to healthy habits, regular exercise, maintaining a social life, and a positive outlook.

• Personalized Gifts are Most Meaningful: While physical items are common, the most cherished gifts often include personalized memory books, handwritten letters, or simply the invaluable gift of time with loved ones.

• Plan for Financial Longevity: As the centenarian population grows, financial planning for an extended retirement is increasingly important. Many financial systems were not designed for such long lifespans.

• Community Celebrations: Formal recognition often extends beyond national leaders to include local government, newspapers, and community organizations, all of whom may wish to honor the centenarian.

• Record a Life Story: Honoring a centenarian often involves capturing their rich history and wisdom through recorded stories, which becomes a treasured family legacy.

Official Greetings and Formal Recognition

For many centenarians, one of the most cherished forms of recognition is a formal congratulatory message from a head of state. This tradition acknowledges the significance of living a full century and serves as a public honor for an individual's long life.

United States Presidential Greetings

In the U.S., any citizen celebrating their 100th birthday is eligible to receive a congratulatory message from the President. To arrange for this, a family member or friend must submit a request to the White House Greetings Office. The request should include the honoree's name, address, and the exact date of their birthday. While it's a simple process, it creates a powerful and personal memento of the milestone.

Royal Greetings for Commonwealth Citizens

For citizens of a Commonwealth realm, such as the UK, the monarch sends congratulatory messages to those celebrating their 100th, 105th, and subsequent birthdays. The process involves providing proof of the celebrant's age and citizenship. For UK residents receiving a State Pension, the process is often automatic, with details passed directly to the Anniversaries Office.

Local and Community Recognition

Beyond national leaders, many state and local governments, as well as community organizations, celebrate their centenarians. These might include:

• City or town proclamations
• Features in local newspapers or newsletters
• Events hosted by senior centers or veteran organizations, such as Philadelphia's annual Centenarian Celebration

The Gift of Longevity: Insights from Centenarians

While official recognition is nice, the most important 'gifts' are the factors that lead to such a long life. Research into centenarian populations consistently points to a combination of lifestyle, genetics, and environment as the key to reaching 100 in good health.

Centenarian Lifestyle Habits

Centenarians often share common habits that contribute to their longevity. These are not necessarily drastic life changes but rather consistent, healthy choices made over a lifetime.

1. Maintaining a Healthy Diet: Many centenarians favor diets rich in fruits, vegetables, and whole foods, often aligning with a Mediterranean or similar unprocessed diet.
2. Staying Physically Active: Regular, moderate exercise, like daily walking, is a common practice. It helps maintain strength and cardiovascular health.
3. Prioritizing Social Engagement: Cultivating and maintaining strong social connections with family and community is a recurring theme. This helps combat loneliness, which is linked to health issues in seniors.
4. Managing Stress: A positive outlook and finding healthy ways to cope with stress are often cited as keys to a long life.

The Role of Financial Preparedness

An often-overlooked aspect of reaching 100 is the financial planning required for such a long life. As the centenarian population grows, financial and support systems are being tested. Many centenarians report wishing they had planned more for retirement and saved earlier. Some tax benefits or deductions may be available to older adults, so it's wise to consult with a financial advisor.

Here is a comparison of centenarian financial wisdom versus modern challenges:

Aspect	Centenarian Wisdom	Modern Challenge
Saving	Start early and live simply; avoid debt.	Retirement systems were not designed for 100-year lifespans; savings may be exhausted.
Spending	Living below your means was crucial for financial security.	Many risk outliving their savings due to rising costs and longer lifespans.
Guidance	Often self-reliant or guided by traditional advice.	More complex financial products require professional guidance; many centenarians wish they had a financial advisor.
Planning	Long-term planning focused on a shorter life expectancy.	Requires specific planning for a potentially 30+ year retirement beyond age 65.

The Most Meaningful Gifts and Celebrations

For those organizing a 100th birthday, the most treasured gifts are often not material but experiential and sentimental. They honor the life lived and create new memories.

• The Gift of Time: Simply spending quality time with the honoree is invaluable.
• A Memory Scrapbook: A collection of photos, stories, and letters from different eras of their life can be incredibly moving.
• A Card Shower: Organizing friends, family, and even local community members to send cards can create a flood of well-wishes and happy memories.
• A Living History: Recording the centenarian telling their life story provides a priceless family heirloom for generations to come.

How to Obtain Formal Greetings and Ensure Recognition

Ensuring a centenarian receives their due recognition is a simple process that requires some advance planning. Here's a guide:

1. Determine Eligibility: Check if the individual is a citizen of a country with a formal recognition program (e.g., U.S., UK). Other countries may have similar programs through their government websites.
2. Gather Required Documents: Collect the celebrant's full name, address, and date of birth. For royal greetings, proof of citizenship and birth may be required.
3. Initiate the Request: Submit the request well in advance to allow time for processing. For U.S. presidential greetings, you can use the online form on the official White House website.

This simple act can make a significant impact on the honoree's special day. For U.S. citizens, the official White House Greetings Office provides a straightforward process for requests, which can be completed via their website: White House Presidential Greetings.

Conclusion: A Centenarian's True Treasure

Ultimately, what you get when you turn 100 is not a single item or a fixed amount of money, but a profound sense of achievement and a moment of powerful reflection. The true rewards are the accumulated memories, the wisdom gained, the love of family, and the honor of reaching a milestone that few achieve. The formal greetings, community recognition, and personalized gifts are simply tangible reminders of a century well-lived. This milestone isn't just a birthday; it's a celebration of an extraordinary journey and a testament to the power of human endurance and spirit.

Frequently Asked Questions

What do you get when you turn 100 in the US?

In the United States, you are eligible to receive a congratulatory letter from the President. Requests for this special greeting can be made through the White House Greetings Office.

Do you get money for turning 100?

There is no federal program that provides a cash payment or specific monetary gift for turning 100. Any financial considerations would be tied to existing retirement benefits or other financial planning.

How do you request a presidential letter for a 100th birthday?

To request a presidential greeting, submit the honoree's name, address, and birth date to the White House Greetings Office. Requests should ideally be made a few weeks in advance of the birthday.

What are the common health habits of centenarians?

Many centenarians share common lifestyle habits, such as eating a healthy, unprocessed diet, engaging in regular (often moderate) physical activity like walking, prioritizing good sleep, and maintaining strong social connections.

Can a non-US citizen receive a greeting from the President?

Presidential greetings are typically reserved for U.S. citizens. However, citizens of other countries, particularly Commonwealth realms, have their own systems for royal congratulations or other forms of recognition.

Is living to 100 becoming more common?

Yes, while still a remarkable achievement, the number of centenarians in the U.S. and worldwide has been growing and is projected to continue increasing in the coming decades due to advances in health and living standards.

What are the best gift ideas for someone turning 100?

The most cherished gifts are often sentimental rather than material. Personalized items like memory books, recorded oral histories, or organizing a simple gathering with family and friends are often highly valued.