Anniversary Gifts:

I would like to thank everyone who gave me ideas for future posts. Today I’m going to go with Emily’s suggestion – Anniversary Gifts.

I find this a tricky one as the gift should be personal, meaningful and loving. This is a token of a couples love for each other. More than that it’s celebrating the years of life they’ve spent together. This post if going to focus on getting the couple a gift rather than you giving your spouse a gift for your anniversary – perhaps I’ll post on that come mid November.

Traditionally you would give the following gifts:

1 year: Paper
2 years: Cotton
3 years: Leather
4 years: Books
5 years:Wood or Clocks
6 years: Iron
7 years: Copper, Bronze, Brass
8 years: Electrical Appliances
9 years: Pottery
10 years: Tin, Aluminum
11 years: Steel
12 years: Silk of Linen
13 years: Lace
14 years: Ivory
15 years: Crystal
20 years: China
25 years: Silver
30 years: Pearl
35 years: Coral, Jade
40 years: Ruby
45 years: Sapphire
50 years: Gold
55 years: Emerlad
60 years: Diamond

Personally I find some of these silly. Who can wait eight years for an electrical appliance? But it is a good guideline if you’re clueless. You can also put a hint of that in your gift.

Emily wants ideas for a 30th anniversary gift. A frame with pearls bordering it and a photo of the couple in their early years of dating/marriage might a nostalgic and personal gift. Another idea would be to make a mix CD with a song from each year they were married – the first song on the CD could be their first dance. Add an issue of “Life Magazine” from the month and year they were married. You can purchase that at: http://www.oldlifemagazines.com/index.php

I’m big on giving “experiences” as gifts. Is there something the couple has always wanted to do? You could give them cooking lessons, trapeze lessons, dinner for two at a restaurant they’ve always wanted to try or even a formal photo session to commemorate their years of marriage. If the couple likes to drink a bottle of wine or champagne from the year they were married would be a delicious and sentimental gift.

For a one year wedding anniversary a time capsule is a cool idea, especially if you’re really close with the couple. This could even be given by the husband or wide. Fill the tin with your wedding invitation, photos of your first year of marriage, a newspaper from your 1 year anniversary date, or anything else of sentiment. Bury it and dig it up on a later anniversary.

Want to give a small affordable gift? Did the couple get married in a unique spot of have an exoctic or unforgettable honeymoon? Find a beautiful coffee table book about that locale. Did the couple have a signature flower at their wedding? Find a nice candle with that scent and send it along with a card that reads something like “a scent to take you back to your wedding day”.

If none of these ideas work with you please feel fee to email me at chapetx@gmail.com and I would love to help you find a gift that meets your wants and needs.