Celebrate your love

The passing of another year together marks the deepening of a couple’s commitment.

To help celebrate these occasions, special gifts are given, one assigned to each anniversary, and each with its own material and symbolic value.

The order of gifts reflects the investment which the couple gives of themselves to each other.

Here are some ideas to help you celebrate your wedding anniversaries:

• For your first wedding anniversary the traditional gift is paper. In modern times clocks are usually given.
• Traditionally cotton was given for one’s second anniversary, nowadays china is given.
• Although leather is the traditional gift for the third anniversary, crystal and glass is now an appropriate gift.
• Should you be celebrating your fourth anniversary, electrical appliances are the more modern gifts given.
• For your fifth anniversary the traditional gift given is wood. In modern times silverware is given.
• In the past, iron was given as a gift for a sixth anniversary, nowadays wood is an appropriate gift.
• Wool or copper gifts were given for a seventh anniversary. In modern times, desk and pen and pencil sets are the favourite gifts.
• Traditionally bronze was given as a gift for the eighth anniversary. Today linen and lace is given.
• On one’s ninth anniversary, traditionally pottery or china was given. Today leather gifts are given.
• Although tin and aluminium were given as gifts for a tenth anniversary, it is now more acceptable to present your significant other with diamonds or jewellery.

Other than giving your significant other a gift on your anniversary, plan something special to mark the occasion.

Do something your partner loves.

Make a real sacrifice and do something your partner is crazy about (that normally makes you crazy, be it a golf tournament or a musical).

The strategy will only work if you maintain a good attitude throughout the experience.

You don’t have to love the activity; just enjoy the happiness it brings your significant other. Or, support your partner in something he or she has always wanted to try.

Renewing your vows is a meaningful way to honour your spouse and your commitment.

A vow renewal ceremony can be a way to recreate the wedding you always wanted, but perhaps couldn’t afford at the time. But it doesn’t necessarily have to be a lavish or public affair.

Consider repeating your wedding vows to your partner as part of a private annual celebration. Light a candle, look into each other’s eyes and reaffirm your love and devotion.

Go on a staycation.

For the financially-challenged, a staycation is a great alternative. Abide by the same standards you would on a vacation to a remote paradise.

Disconnect from the Internet. Put your smart phones away. Don’t touch the television. Focus all your energies on your partner and on relaxing together.

To make it feel more like an escape, pick a virtual destination: mountain cabin or tropical retreat. Carry this theme through to meal selection, wardrobe and atmosphere.