While most of us spend December 25 solely celebrating Christmas, a few thousand New Zealanders also have their birthdays today.
Noel Allen is one of them and he turned 100 years old today.
After doing it for a century, Mr Allen is used to sharing the limelight on Christmas Day. But today five generations of his family helped him celebrate with a family lunch.
The 100-year-old led by example, still driving himself to lunch. He's just had his licence renewed for another two years.
Mr Allen puts his longevity down to keeping fit by attending weekly exercise classes for the elderly.
He's well known in Christchurch East, so community coordinator Betty Chapman thought it was only appropriate to put on a birthday party for him earlier this month.
The birthday boy turned up to the festivities in former Christchurch mayor Gary Moore's vintage car and even current mayor Lianne Dalziel managed to fit his special day into her schedule.
Mr Allen is used to the attention. He's featured in the newspaper numerous times marking milestones such as his 71- year marriage.
He also got his first card from the Prime Minister, but his second from the Queen.
Reaching 100 is now a goal for his 24-year-old great grand-daughter Bridget.
"He still comes round to my house for dinner. He gets the day wrong occasionally, but he still comes round and he's pretty active so it's pretty cool," she says.
3 News
source: newshub archive
