Wedding Anniversary Gifts
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Wedding Anniversary Gifts
Jan 2005
My parents will celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary in June, and I know my
mother expects something from us--four grown children (married with kids). We
are all going on a get-away weekend trip together, where we will go to dinner, but I
am wondering if people can suggest a group gift that we siblings can get/make/
create for them. I was thinking of a photo book from Shutterfly or something like
that. I want it to be something memorable or special, rather than something
expensive and useless. Any and all ideas welcome. We are four adult siblings with
a combined total of nine grandchildren ranging in ages from 2.5 to 13.
Thanks!
Youngest daughter
For my mother's 60th birthday, the year after my father died, my brother and I got
her a gold bracelet with 4 gemstones inset in it --my parents and ours. She loved it
and it really felt like she was wearing something that symbolized our family,
represented all of us together. It was not cheap, but it was beautiful, and we had it
made at 14 Karats, on College avenue. I think, actually, that the idea was theirs as
well! They were wonderful there, and very creative about creating meaningful
jewelry.
Congratulations to your parents on their anniversary! We've done a
couple of things for my folks' big birthdays and anniversaries. One was
a video of old family photos--from their courtship to their grandchildren--
set to sappy music. They loved it! My sister in law in the midwest put it
together through a photo storefront. Another thing that has meant a
great deal to my parents was to set up a special fund at a charity
organization they have supported over the years. In our case it was a
special scholarship for at-risk teens. We got everyone we could to pitch
in, and ended up with a substantial start. They really loved it! And since
then we have made regular contributions to it at birthdays holidays and
anniversaries, as have a few other family members. It's a great, far-
reaching way to give.
Carolyn
I have a suggestion that we did for my grandparent's 50th. It
takes one person to coordinate, but everyone can contribute,
including family friends, regardless of their talents. Send
everyone a square of heavy, pre-washed white fabric and told
them we are making a quilt. The instructions are to decorate
the piece in any way that is meaningful to their relationship
with your parents. It does not have to be fancy, could even be
done with fabric paint. Tell them to leave a 2- inch border
around the edge undecorated. Ask them to return it by a certain
date. The squares we received back we wonderful! Some people
did applique, some painted, some sewed on patches from clubs,
some even took their squares to Kinkos and had a photograph
transfered to the fabric! Once you receive the squares, you lay
them out how you want, them sew them yourself, or find someone
who makes quilts (easy to find on the internet and through
sewing shops). You can even make two squares yourself to
represent the beginning of their marriage and their 50th
anniversary. We made those and put the first one in the upper
left corner and the last one in the bottom right corner of the
quilt. This DOES NOT have to be fancy, just sew them together
(maybe 5 across and 8 down, or something even like that). Then
pick a fabric to sew on as a border around all 4 sides (make
this border as wide or narrow as you need to make the quilt fit
whatever size bed you want), some soft, fluffy cotton batting
for the middle and another fabric for the back. You can hire
someone to quilt the front and back together in a very simple
way, and they are usually quite fast about it! My grandparents
cried and cried when we gave it to them. Even my grandpa! It's
been 20 years and the quilt is still on their bed :-)
Signed: alvarezm
How about professional portraits of the family as a group and
then them alone, them with their children?
Or do you know a lot of their friends? You could ask their
friends to write notes to them including memorable moments and
to send pictures they might have. All of those could be
compiled in a scrapbook.
Linda
My grandparents will celebrate their 50th anniversary this year
as well. After much thought, we have decided to make a video
for them. We are including pictures that capture their lives
together - everything from wedding pictures, to baby pictures
of my mother, pictures of all of us growing up, important
milestones, etc. We are having it set to music - the song they
danced to at their wedding as well as others that make us think
of them.
Another good idea is a homemade photo album.
Jennifer
Hello,
For my parents 50th my sister and I collected reels of 8 mm home
movies as well as meaningful photos and brought it all to a
video producer. We picked out all their favorite music and had
it set to those songs. The result was a phenomenal, touching 18
minutes movie of their life which they really treasured. Also,
we called all their old friends, many who lived back east and
couldn't come to the party(we threw them a big party)and asked
those friends to write stories, vignettes and share memories
about my folks. We collected all those letters and used them to
create an album , nicely decorated etc. They were moved to
tears. Other cool ideas might be an ad in the newspaper, a
mention on a favorite radio station... good luck!
Kathi
For our parent's 50th we all chipped in for a Bose radio/CD
player since my parents would never buy something like that and
their old stereo wasn't working. The best is of course to
spend time with them -- as my father died a few months later.
Music can be very comforting.
Cornelia
My in-laws celebrated 50 years a few years ago. Since they
basically have everything they need and then some, we really
didn't want to get them something that would just end up
collecting dust. We did the usual... fancy dinner reception,
special guests, professional photographer for family portraits,
etc. For a gift, we found a gold-plated long-stemmed rose (it
was at a jewelers that is now closed, but I've seen them around
in gift-type shops). We had a simple charm engraved with their
names and anniversary date and had it attached with a ribbon to
the gold rose. We then took it to a florist and had it arranged
with 49 live roses --- one for each year of marriage. The gold
rose is now a keepsake of the event.
--Signed: Hope I make it to 50!
I think the photo book is a fine idea. Another is to hire a
professional photographer during your retreat to take a
whole-family group photo (and perhaps some smaller groups as
well). Maybe you can scout out (or the photographer can suggest)
a visually striking outdoor location. Get the best one printed
reasonably large and nicely framed.
David
For my parents' 40th wedding anniversary, my two siblings and I had portraits taken
of each of our families. We chose not to frame them ahead of time, because we
knew my mother would prefer to choose the frames herself, but obviously, that
would vary depending on the person. Our parents were delighted. I can
recommend a fabulous photographer who is based in Marin.
Lucy
I think a quilt. If the four of you grown kids are each responsible for one quarter
of it? Maybe photo transfers of the grandchildren? There are several easy to follow
books on the market about quilting and photo transfer. If you are not sewing
people, if you can just get the top together, you can take it to New Pieces on Solano
& they'll put the batting and a back on it and quilt it for around $200 last I checked.
Jenny
Here's what we did last year for my parents. We are 3
daughters, 2 live out of town, one in town. We gave them a
party, used the ''party room'' at their condo, invited 100 close
friends, relatives. We asked everyone to do a memory page and
included a beautiful piece of paper for them to use, and that
we gathered and made into a book. We did a dessert table, had
wine, soft drinks and did a champagne toast. We also took all
the grandkids and had a formal photo taken (altho I wished I
had a video of the making of the picture - it was hilarious to
watch the cousins), very important since they are rarely in the
same city together. And we took alot of pictures at the party
of the family with all the spouses, kids, grandkids and were
able to come up with one great picture of all of us to give
them. We also made a trivia game based on my parents that we
played with the guests, and it was very fun as there were
people from all the various phases of their lives and they
really got into it. We ordered engraved champagne flutes with
their names etched around a 50, to use for a champagne toast
and for people to take home as a gift (and we all have sets as
well). Of course you may not want to or be able to do all of
this, but maybe an open house where people can drop by would be
easy. The memory book we made has been really fun to look over
and alot of out of towners who couldn't come sent pages. The
family photos were almost the most important since we are so
rarely all in one city. Good luck, have fun.
Hallie
it would be neat if one of the grandkids could draw a ''family
portrait'' say with the grandparents in the middle, everyone
holding hands, and each of the families (parents and kids) and
then frame it. a friend of ours got one from a niece on
Christmas it turned out really lovely (more or less the girl
drew colorful stick figures all holding hands but you could
tell who everyone was.) So that might be in addition to
something from you and your sisters but it was very nice, so I
thought I'd mention it.
Chris
Inlaws' 50th Wedding Anniversary Commemoration Gift
2001
My East Indian in-laws (who live in Calcutta) will be celebrating their 50th wedding
anniversary this June. I would love to give them something engraved/embroidered/printed
to commemorate the occasion. I have an image of a large engraved photo frame (into
which we could put their wedding photo/children and grandchildren's photos) or a memory
book that is beautifully bound in cloth. Any recommendations on where to go for a large
frame that could be engraved or a bound cloth memory book? Or other recommendations on
any other appropriate gift? Thanks! Linda
Something handmade might be nice. Brushstrokes do-it-yourself pottery
has beautiful platters that you can paint yourself and personalize. If
you like the idea of ceramics, but don't want to do it yourself, I know
a wonderful potter/artist who could make a custom platter, bowl, tile ??
for you. This is my wedding-gift choice, so I think it would be nice for
anniversaries also. You can email me if you want info. Sharon
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