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5.18.2010

traditional anniversary gifts... what do you think?

so our one-year anniversary is just around the corner (as in, it is THIS sunday!) and i think we have decided that we just can't play along with the whole "traditional/modern" anniversary gift-giving requirements. for those of you who don't know what i'm talking about, here is a chart that tells you what type of item you are supposed to purchase for your spouse each year:


so, traditionally, this year we are supposed to get each other something made of paper. it seems that the usual gift for this year is tickets to something, just based on what all of my married friends have done. i didn't want to go that route because i didn't want to buy US tickets to something because then its a gift for US and not a gift for HIM. if you don't go with tickets, what else can you buy that is made of paper and something unique? books and stationary come to mind, but those are both things that neither of us want or need. once i realized how difficult it was for the first year, i started looking down the list and realizing it was only going to get worse. look at the 4 year anniversary: fruit and flowers. FRUIT AND FLOWERS? SERIOUSLY? i'm sure you could think outside the box and turn that into a trip to wine country because of the grapes that are involved but come on, who really wants fruit and flowers for their anniversary gift?

so now i'm really curious... those of you that are married, do you follow along with these rules? and if you do, i would LOVE to hear some of the gift ideas you have come up with. and if you're not married, do you think you will follow them?

15 comments:

P*P*P said...

Oh goodness -- I hadn't even considered this list until you posted it! I have NO IDEA if my future hubby and I will follow this chart....haha fruit and flowers is kind of silly! :) GOOD LUCK!

The Wife of a Fisherman said...

For our 1st anniversary, I made him a scrapbook of the year. He got me diamond earrings. (I am lucky he didn't look at the chart!)

AMStarkey said...

Congrats! For our 1st anniversary last year- I found a local artist in the place we got married (Newport, RI) and bought/framed one of his watercolors of the location of our wedding reception. The water color was as close to keeping with the "paper" theme. Our 2nd is in Sept and I have NO idea what to do that is creative and cotton themed!

Nicole-Lynn said...

I do plan to follow the traditions..I think they're neat! :) There's so much you can do with paper, put an announcement in the newspaper saying "happy anniversary", gift certificate for golfing, or get your vows printed and framed on paper. :)

Pam said...

OMG! I never even thought about it! Our 1 year is in Sept... I'm going to have to ask around with my married friends and see if they are into the traditional stuff (I'ma guess no). I kinda like the idea of tickets to something/somewhere. I know its for the both of you, but who cares. It's not like it's HIS BIRTHDAY or something. :)
ps. I've missed you.

Kim said...

I'm not sure if we will follow the list or not - we still have a few more months to go before our 1st anniversary. I do like the idea of staying with tradition, but some of those items are hard to find stuff! Flowers and fruit?!? Yikes!

Hilary said...

Paper could be a gift certificate somewhere!! I would've liked to play along, but we decided to take it easy for our first year and just go out to dinner somewhere nice. We're not big gift people if it's not a birthday or Christmas. We may pick up on it later down the line, but I doubt it!

mrs.mfc said...

Hmmmm. I have never even thought about this, although I have seent that chart a million times. I have until October to figure it out. I like the idea of finding creative gifts inspired by the chart!

TracyZLesh @ Then I Got To Thinking said...

Our first anniversary is rapidly approaching as well, and I can tell you we will not be following these traditions :) I think we are wanting to do a trip... we figure, the best gift to each other is more amazing memories!

AussieMumma said...

Hubby and I like to follow this list (well, sort of), for our first year I got him tickets, he got me diamonds- but he made up for that by making some little paper hearts to go with it (hehe), second year is cotton, so I got him a huge canvas from our wedding & some shirts, and he got me Tiffany's & a gift card to a store called 'Cotton on', so as you can see we like to stretch the rules! Good luck :)

AussieMumma said...

Oh and I also just remembered, for our first year anniversary, I got him (well, us really) an anniversary album, where each year you answer all these questions about your life and what you're doing etc and there is also a space to put a photo, I love it- such a great record!

Ashley said...

We just celebrated our 5th anniversary, I wish I had this list 2 weeks ago HA! Thank you for sharing.
-Ashley-

The Adventures of Maverick & the Mrs. said...

I try to follow the usual "traditional" idea, but with a twist. Like this year: It was our 3rd anniversary, so it was leather. Hubby is difficult to shop for, and didn't really need anything made of leather, so instead I got him a really nice Leatherman multi-tool pocket knife. Good luck!

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