Do you have your wedding anniversary celebration down to a science? We do. For 38 years now Barb and I have taken turns planning wedding anniversaries. She planned our honeymoon and I then began with the odd numbered years. This year is 37 for us and I’ve got a doozy planned…she had no idea.
While it’s obviously great if you’re consistently giving your marriage the recognition it deserves, you might welcome some ways to add some novelty and fun to your next anniversary. Whether you are celebrating 5 years or 50, it’s never too late to try something new.
1. Create a time capsule.
There are several different ways you can do this. One option is that you both collect mementos or other tokens that represent your favorite memories throughout the year. Then on your anniversary, you take turns sharing what you collected. Another way is to create a capsule that you’ll reopen again on an anniversary down the road. You could create it at year five and revisit at year 25, or add something to it every year. It’s a fun way to revisit and relive your favorite memories and capture how much things have changed (or stayed the same) over time.
We have a detailed written record of all our anniversaries tucked into an unpublished book manuscript, 24k Gold Weddings and Styrofoam Marriages. I will send you a copy if you’d like. Just email me at dick@dickivey.com
2. Interview each other.
This is a great way to reflect with intention on your marriage journey. Again, you can get creative with how you do this! Email each other questions and spend some time jotting down your answers, then come together to share them. Or do it completely on the spot – you could even consider recording your interviews to watch again at a big milestone anniversary. Drawing a blank on what to ask? We’ve got some questions to get you started here.
3. Take a photo.
This one sounds pretty basic – there’s a good chance you already do this in some form or another. But have you considered how you can inject some extra meaning into it instead of just another selfie? Maybe every year you recreate your favorite wedding photo or you go back to the spot where you met or got engaged. Think of the cool time-lapse effect when you flip through these photos many years down the road.
4. Work your way through a list.
No, we’re not talking about going grocery shopping or tackling a bunch of chores (although if that’s your thing, go for it!) What we’re referring to here is more like a must-see/do/try list of something that you’re both into or that is meaningful to your relationship. For example, maybe you and your spouse are nature fanatics, so every year you take an anniversary hiking trip, working your way through all of the state parks. If you’re foodies or love wine, maybe it’s all the top-rated restaurants in your area or a list of the special bottles you want to try – you get the idea! It’s a unique way to tie special experiences to memories and be able to track your progress.
5. Plant something.
Whether you are into gardening or not, there is something satisfying about planting something and seeing it sprout up year after year.. If you plant something in your yard or around your house for every anniversary, it’s a beautiful representation of the way your marriage has bloomed and grown. Consider perennial flowers, bushes, or even a tree for a big milestone year! It’s a gift to yourselves that will keep on giving.
The way you celebrate your anniversary will likely vary throughout your marriage. Some years you might have the capacity to go all out, while others you might not have the bandwidth for more than a card and a kiss. By adopting any of these fun traditions, you create a sense of continuity that you can anchor to throughout your years of marriage.
Selected from a blog by PREPARE/ENRICH. Good stuff.
