A good gathering makes the honored person feel known, not merely observed.

Being the centre of an occasion can be a lonely position. Everyone is looking at you, and none of that proves anyone in the room understands your life. Attention and recognition are not the same thing, and the difference shows up in whether the details are right. Feeling known comes from specifics, not from volume.

If you are arranging something for a person, ask them what they would enjoy rather than deciding on their behalf. Include one moment where they are talked with instead of talked about.