Just as your wedding was a cause for celebration, an important milestone in your life, each anniversary is also a celebration of your marriage. Many couples do pause on this special today to reflect on their marriage and cherish its continued happiness. Anniversaries are truly special events in the life of a marriage and taking time to honor this day will add to the meaningful moments of your relationship. Just consider the following facts and stats as you plan your next anniversary.
The History of Anniversary Celebrations
Researchers believe that wedding anniversaries began to be officially celebrated during the Holy Roman Empire. However, some historians believe the practice dates earlier as peoples would often celebrate the season of their marriage. Many milestones anniversaries like the 25th or 50th are particularly associated with Germanic traditions that date to the Middle Ages.
Keeping It Together
According to the Washington Post “the number of long-lasting marriages has risen.” This certainly makes for a good reason to keep celebrating those wedding anniversaries. The report asserts that three out of four married couples who got married in 1990 or after celebrated ten years of marriage. Marking the anniversary with even small gifts like wedding Christmas ornaments or flowers is a delightful way to commemorate each anniversary.
According to CBS, “The number of couples celebrating their 40th wedding anniversary reached a record high in 2010.” If you aren’t sure how to mark a 40th wedding anniversary celebration, consider gifting a ruby. The fortieth wedding anniversary is known as the ruby anniversary.
Paper
The first wedding anniversary is certainly a milestone. Noted as the paper anniversary, the anniversary of the first year of marriage is certainly a cause for celebration. Many couples reflect deeply before this first celebration. You may create a special tradition that you wish to recreate for each subsequent anniversary such as renewing your vows or looking together at photographs or even a video of your wedding day.
Plan in Advance
While some couples may wait until the last minute to pick of an anniversary card or gift, others plan a celebration long in advance, especially for milestone years like the tenth or 25th wedding anniversary. You may wish to take an anniversary cruise together or revisit the site of your honeymoon.
The Diamond Anniversary
The 60th wedding anniversary is known as the diamond anniversary. If you couldn’t afford a diamond or even a high-quality diamond for your wedding, you might find that this anniversary is the ideal time to invest in diamond jewelry. On the other hand, there’s no law that says you have to celebrate in accordance with anniversary themes, which have only been around this the 20th century in any case!
Anniversary celebrations and gifts are, of course, ultimately personal. You and your spouse should consider how you wish to celebrate each date that marks the occasion of your wedding, the day you spoke your “I dos.” Take time to consider how you want to celebrate this special date so that it’s meaningful for you both.
Jane Washington is an events planner and coordinator. She is also an avid blogger and she likes to share her ideas online. You can read her articles on a better living, family and crafting blogs.
