Today is the 100th birthday of my ex mother-in-law. She lives here in Jersey but was from England. Tday she received a birthday card from the Queen (they don't do telegrams now), this was a card with the Queen on the front and she actually signed it herself rather than the signature being printed. This afternoon the Lieutenant Governor (Queen's representative) visited her and stayed for a long chat.

This made me wonder what happens in other countries when a person reaches 100. In the States for instance, does the President send greetings or perhaps a State governor? What happens in Australia, Canada and all the other countries represented here at FT?

Because Australia is still a member of the Commonwealth, people here also receive a birthday card from the Queen.

I am fairly certain they also get them from our Prime Minister and Premier (at state level).

I guess I'll find out soon as my grandfather is not far off 100 and he is very fit for his age. He looks decades younger than his real age, still lives alone in his own home and is very independent.

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He looks decades younger than his real age, still lives alone in his own home and is very independent.

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Hmmm. Does he need a housekeeper, maybe?

Ren! You are unbelievable!



How could you miss asking for bank account details??

Ditto to what MG said about recieving cards from the Queen ... and I think that for the 50th wedding anniversary you get one too.

I am not sure about the 50th wedding anniversary but I'll check with my grandfather because my grandmother was still alive when they had that anniversary. I don't know whether they got a card from the Queen because I was living overseas at the time.

Re the housekeeper - he had a much younger neighbour who would have loved the position but grandfather, being a gentleman, wouldn't let her in the house in case the other neighbours talked. He was deadly serious when he informed me that he didn't want to be responsible for ruining a lady's reputation, even if nothing was going on.

I refrained from telling him that, given the significant age difference, the thought that there was anything going on probably wouldn't even have occurred to the neighbours!

MG, if you haven't already done so, check the requirements as these things don't happen automatically (in the UK anyway), you have to apply a few months ahead of time.

Thanks Sue - that's good advice!

As far as I know, all a person gets here when he/she turns 100 is an interview with some local newspaper or news program. No birthday card from the president or state governor.

But it is interesting what they do in England and Australia I didn't know about that.

Oh, but if a woman here who has already had 6 boys, gives birth to another baby boy, the godfather of the baby is the president, (if the family agrees, of course). I've always found this "tradition" very strange.

My grandparents had 7 sons (they also had 8 daughters) so not impossible. Do you mean president of the country?

Yes, Sue, I meant president of the country. If the parents don't want the president to be their child's godfather, they just don't mention anything to the government and choose someone else instead. It's not mandatory or anything, of course. I don't really know if this happens in any other country.

Ah I understand now, I thought you meant they made the Godfather into the president, not the other way about! Phew.

In the US, a person gets a card from the President when he or she reaches 100. I think it's just a stamped signature though.

When my grandfather passed away, we got a very nice certificate from the president thanking him for his service to our country. It also offered condolences to the family. The certificate was stamped with a signature. It's still a nice gesture though.