Another question had me wondering... do people still do this?
I know the list was updated from 'traditional' to 'modern', but even so, do you do this?
Why or why not?
I don't think I'd end up using 1/2 those kinds of things!! Paper?! I get it, like stationary... but I can only write but so many hand written letters, you know? Crystal? LORD NO, not in my house! It wouldn't last until the next anniversary! I don't know, some of those things seem... silly.
We're not so materialistic, more experience oriented. Maybe that's why I don't think we'll follow the traditional or modern list, but now I'm curious, how many people still do this??
We've been married 8 years and choose from the traditional or modern list. It's just fun to see how creative we can get within those guidelines :)
We're not married yet. Although I have a feeling it might be sooner then later. I would totally do the traditional list, but put my own spin on it. We don't always trade gifts now, but my guy said he would do the list too because it gives him a direction to take...rather then keep getting similar gifts year after year.
Paper - concert tickets, a hot rod magazine subscritpion, etc.
Cotton - t-shirts from his fav speed shop
Leather - new doc martins
Those are specific things my guy likes. Just take the list and apply it to what you and your guy like....not necessarily the norm.
On a side note I tried this with my ex-husband, but he could never remember the anniversary date, let alone follow a list of things to buy.
Good Luck! =)
We don't exchange gifts for our anniversary- we get a sitter and go out for a very nice dinner. A card and a night out... treat in and of itself! I don't know anyone who does this anymore, but it's a nice reference if you're stuck for a gift idea.
I always check the list before an anniversary...coming up on #15.
While I may not have wanted a breakable crystal vase for anniv. #2, I would have recognized the significance & I probably would have placed it in the china closet or put it away until we were in a better position to use/display it--maybe a master bedroom, etc.
Sad when traditions go by the wayside, don't you think? Kind of like how people now thing rsvp'ing to a party is "old fashioned"! Or God forbid, write a thank you note.
p.s. Stationary doesn't "go bad" and if it was beautiful stuff, I'd be glad to have it for years to come!
My husband does! He is inventive and very sweet about it too. For example, for our 1st anniversary, it was paper, and he made me a dozen paper roses. We just had our 9th, which is leather, and he got me a leather pandora bracelet w/charms for our two boys.
I can't say that he's followed it every year, but he tries. =)
Believe it or not we do not exchange gifts for our anniversary. I like being pampered for Christmas and my birthday. Priorities especially with three youngsters...
You know, R. - this has me thinking!! (rot roh raggy!!) When I give gifts for anniversary's I usually stray from the norm....SURPRISE! SURPRISE!! SURPRISE!!!
I typically try to give what the couple needs....or wants more than what the "tradition" or "modern" gift....I think the only exception was my parents 50th...
My husband and I do the traditional gifts and get pretty creative. We've been married 8 years so we've done this every year except the year our son was born since he was born 3 days before our anniversary ;) First anniversary is paper and I got him concert tickets. 3rd was leather (or modern crystal) and I got him a wallet, he got me a photo album with a leather cover. It's fun and like I said you can get creative.
We do not. I normally get jewelry in the form of diamonds for our anniversary...but not every year. And he gets whatever I think will make him happy. But not every year. Some years are tighter than others financially and we just spend some QT time at home with a nice dinner after the kids go to bed. We'll hit 7 in a couple of months...don't even know what that is!
I think buying something useless whether it is on some official list or not is just silly. I suppose if I were a totally uncreative person I might use that list as an excuse to continue being uncreative.
I think the gold and silver anniversaries are important but only because of how long you have to be married, not the actual gold or silver.
I've tried to follow it through the 4 years we've been married, but I've gotten creative with it. Like the 1st anniversary is paper - my husband is NEVER going to use stationary! So I had a custom frame made for some memorabilia he has (the matte is technically paper, right?) and bought a bunch of tickets to the mini-golf place that we go to on vacation for future 'date nights'. But things like crystal, I totally skip b/c I'm not going to buy an expensive impractical gift for him just b/c of tradition.
This has backfired on me though - my husband loves getting gifts and giving gifts, but usually he knows exactly what he wants. So when I came up with a few pairs of fancy boxer shorts for the 'silk' anniversary, he wasn't so psyched since he was hoping for a pair of headphones. Oops.
I guess that my advice would be - you can do the traditions, and really make it fun and creative. But 4yrs into things, I would rather have my husband excited about what he receives for a gift than getting something just b/c of tradition.
However, I really like what someone else posted - saving the money spent on gifts, and getting a babysitter and a night out sounds fabulous!
My husband and I have been married 16 years and we do the traditional or modern gift. The key is to be creative. Give tickets to a concert for paper. Wrap a spa gift card in a towel for linen (it's a stretch, I know). Put the gift in a tin box. Go some place with the gift in the name...Ivory's Place. We have fun with it and look I look forward to seeing how creative we can get.
