We all want the seniors who use our facilities to stay healthy and live long, don’t we?
I imagine many senior and welfare facilities hold birthday parties to celebrate.
Gifts are prepared for the birthday parties, too, and I’m sure the seniors are pleased.
Birthdays are wonderful at any age, but when a senior turns 100, you really want to express your heartfelt gratitude.
So this time, we’re introducing handmade message boards (shikishi) for seniors celebrating their 100th birthday.
We’ve also gathered ideas you can apply to the shikishi and recommended birthday message cards.
Please use this article to create and give a lovely shikishi.
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Celebrate by hand! Appropriate shikishi boards and message cards for a 100th birthday (1–10)
Hand-drawn illustration card
How about sending a handwritten message card that conveys warmth and kindness to an older adult? On a single sheet of construction paper, draw illustrations using colorful pens.
If you think about a rough layout in advance, the process will go smoothly.
Draw things like a birthday cake, a gift box, and candles.
In the center of the paper—or another prominent spot—write a message expressing your gratitude or congratulations.
It’s also a great idea to design the card using the recipient’s favorite colors and items.
Try making a handmade birthday card that lets your creativity shine.
Colored paper for a name poem
A name poem, which hides the person’s name within the text, is a gift many people appreciate.
It’s the idea of presenting a message on a decorative board, with each sentence starting from the letters of the person’s name.
If you weave in their personality and character into the lines, it can become an even more memorable present.
It also sounds fun to come up with an original piece for an older adult celebrating a birthday.
For the creator, it’s sure to be a rewarding gift to make.
If you’re able, writing it in brush calligraphy or with playful lettering will enhance its decorative appeal.
Three-dimensional! A shikishi decorated with seasonal flowers
Decorative shikishi boards featuring the birthday person’s birth-month flower or their favorite flowers would likely be appreciated as room decor.
They’re easy to make: first, leave space for the flowers on the shikishi board and write your message.
Then attach flowers made from tissue paper.
If making the flowers is difficult, you can glue on artificial flowers from a 100-yen shop with a hot glue gun.
You can also buy a glue gun at a 100-yen shop.
To hang the board on the wall, attach a string to the center of the back—and it’s done.
The finished piece looks very luxurious and makes a lovely decoration.
Handmade card with a bouquet
Doesn’t receiving a bouquet lift your spirits no matter how old you are? Here’s a birthday card idea inspired by bouquets.
Prepare some colored cardstock and decorative paper.
Cut both into squares and fold them into triangles.
Cut the cardstock in half, sandwich it with the decorative paper, and fold it into thirds to form a bouquet.
You can use the leftover cardstock as a message card.
Make the petals by cutting origami or washi paper that’s been folded into triangles.
It would be lovely to design it with the recipient’s favorite flowers!
A heart full of kindness and a bouquet of flowers
For a 100th birthday celebration, a message card is a thoughtful, understated gift that’s sure to be appreciated.
A pop-up card with a bouquet and heart mechanisms is a great choice because it offers a delightful surprise and a touch of elegance when opened.
Although it looks intricate, it’s easier to make than you might think—give it a try.
Start by creating the pop-up bouquet, then make four of the heart mechanisms.
When unfolded, the heart mechanism looks like a four-leaf clover, which is very cute.
Write your message inside the heart mechanisms, and you’re done.
Photo in a cut-out window
This is a message card where you insert a photo into a cut-out window and give it as a gift.
Create it using a photo that features the birthday celebrant—an older adult, a family member, or a friend—as the theme.
First, fold the card in half and cut out a shape you like in the center.
If you make a fan-shaped window, adding Japanese-style decorations is recommended.
You can also attach washi paper or tissue paper to the inside of the card to make it more festive.
Finish by writing a congratulatory message around the photo, along with flowers and chenille stems (pipe cleaners).
Try incorporating the birthday person’s hobbies into the design when you make it.
Pop-up cake made from washi (Japanese paper)
This is a birthday card that expresses a fluffy cake sponge using washi paper.
It has a distinctly Japanese feel, so it’s a great choice for gifting to seniors on their birthdays.
First, draw the cake layout on the base sheet and cut it while making folds.
When you open the card, a three-dimensional cake pops out to the front.
Next, attach pieces of washi paper to create the sponge, whipped cream, and fruit.
Tearing the paper into random sizes, like in a collage, helps convey the cake’s fluffy texture.
Finally, add candles and a message to finish.
Try choosing a theme—like matcha or strawberry—before you start crafting!