FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — Thursday wasn’t just Christmas for a Fort Lauderdale family ― it was the celebration of a century.

Chrissy Brinson rang in her 100th birthday surrounded by a sea of family and friends: those whose lives she’s touched.

“It’s a wonderful, wonderful accomplishment,” grandson Lonnie Brinson said.

More than 200 loved ones came from all over the world on Christmas Day to pay tribute to a woman in a homecoming for a queen.

“We’re all here to celebrate this woman ― milestone, 100 years," granddaughter April Ware said. “I’m so excited.”

Brinson originally hails from Rochester, New York, but has called South Florida home for decades, becoming a pillar of the community.

“This amazing woman, we’re just here to honor and celebrate her,” grandson Curtis Johnson said.

Celebrating a century on Christmas: Fort Lauderdale woman gets big 100th birthday bash

Jason Carter