subject: Choosing And Buying The Perfect Wedding Anniversay Gift [print this page] According to some historians, the practice of giving anniversary gifts corresponding to the years of marriage is an ancient custom. It may date back as far as the Middle Ages. In those days, anniversary gifts were given based on the commonly-held beliefs about the magical properties of some substances.
Thus the classical (or traditional) anniversary gift list was born. It detailed the specific gifts that should be given for wedding anniversaries based on the number of years the marriage had achieved. As the years grew, so did the monetary value of the gifts.
However, the gifts given in the Middle Ages were very different than those we give today. They celebrated only the most significant landmark anniversaries, such as the 10th, 25th, and 50th. Sometime in the 1930s, a list was composed that assigned a material to each of the anniversaries from one to 100.
The first anniversary, for example, called for a gift of paper in the traditional anniversary gift list. This wasn't expected to be an actual piece of paper, but rather something that involved paper. A framed piece of art makes a wonderful gift that also happens to involve paper.
Somewhere along the lines, another list of anniversary gifts was born. This list is today called the "modern" anniversary gifts list. The items on the modern list are somewhat more common of the types of gifts we would give today.
Whereas the fifth anniversary used to call for gifts of wood, today we would give silverware. The tenth anniversary once called for a gift of tin or aluminium, but today we would give gifts of leather.
Many of the gift suggestions have changed significantly from the first list to the second. The eleventh anniversary would have once brought gifts of steel, but today we give fashion jewellery.
One of the best aspects of the modern list is the ready accessibility of most of the suggested gifts. The traditional list called for creativity in finding a great gift the incorporated the material named, but the modern list makes it simple to find what you need.
If you are shopping for an eleventh anniversary, for example, fashion jewellery is easy to find. However, the quality of the gift should be considered. Beautiful handcrafted necklaces will be far more welcomed than very cheaply made costume jewellery. Many wives would consider a stunning pearl necklace as the very definition of the perfect anniversary gift.
Whether you are buying a gift for your spouse or for another couple celebrating their anniversary, the recipient's tastes should always be your first thought when choosing a gift. Even if you can't afford to give solid gold jewellery or the finest pearls, a piece of beautiful handmade jewellery can be just as effective.
No matter which anniversary you are buying for, remember that there are no hard and fast rules of gift-giving. If you have the perfect gift picked out, don't wait until the corresponding year on the list. Give it with joy and it will be received with the same.
by: Winston Murray
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