Thanks for joining us on the journey through anniversaries! I would love to hear your feedback, so please leave a comment if you have any queries, suggestions or enjoy the blog...
Today we are looking at the 1st wedding anniversary which is exciting for couples celebrating this milestone. First of all, congratulations! You have survived your first year of marriage and are hopefully looking to celebrate it with great meaning and love.
Traditionally the 1st wedding anniversary is celebrated with paper and to be honest that probably doesn’t sound that interesting or exciting, so you need to make it more so!
One young lass I know of received a fluffy, fluro coloured notebook for her first wedding anniversary and to say that she was not pleased would be an understatement. Now, while I can see that perhaps the groom discovered that the anniversary gift was paper and that this might fit the “criteria”, it isn’t perhaps the most thoughtful and loving gift he could have come up with.
So, what is a more appropriate and exciting gift that involves paper?
Gift vouchers are a perfect example of a gift that is paper-based. A voucher to the local day spa for some pampering or even to her favourite clothing/lingerie/jewellery shop is worth consideration.
Tickets to the theatre or movies are also popular and something that you can enjoy together.
If you are of the creative mind, custom make your own voucher for a dinner date to your partner’s favourite restaurant and present it in a card.
Thinking a little bit more laterally indulge in a photo shoot for the both of you to mark your special occasion. Present the voucher for the pre-booked photo session in a card (handmade or store bought) and go one step further by getting one of the prints enlarged and framed for your memory wall.
If paper really doesn’t tickle your fancy you might be happy to know that the modern equivalent for the 1st anniversary is a clock. Does your beloved need a new clock for their shed/office/bedroom?
There are some phenomenal "funky clocks" available to suit almost every personality type and décor. It might be a challenge deciding on just one.
So your nearest and dearest doesn’t need a wall clock… a watch perhaps? Casual or dress, funky or classic check out the jewelers for a massive range or if you can’t find something you like there, try online at Just Watches. Here they are offering free delivery Australia wide.
Finally flowers. Each anniversary year has a dedicated flower and for the 1st it is orange blossom.
Orange blossom may not be readily available in your area, but you might like to consider products that use orange blossom such as those from Evodia. Mists, soap bars, hand treatments and candles – divine!
What is the best/worst 1st anniversary gift you have ever given/received?
Do you prefer traditional ideas, modern or a mix of both?
Struggling to find thoughtful, meaningful and perhaps unique anniversary gifts?
Join the Gift Assistant every Friday where we will be looking at each of the anniversary years and the traditional and modern gift themes.
Don't leave it to the last minute and risk a crappy gift - get organised and be happy to give something special to your love!
"Ok, any suggestions for my Dad!!! Age 65, has everything!!! Doesn't fish, sport, drink, has travelled overseas, is active in his church, still works, is fit, learns poetry and funny rhymes and a book is not an options as he is an tutor and reads up to 150 books in a year!! So, is this a challenge?" Clare, Mackay
I recently read on someone’s blog that 65 is the new 45 and by the sounds of your Dad, this could be right!! So, taking into consideration what you have told me here are a few ideas:
Firstly, how about a picture of your Dad with your family enlarged and printed onto a canvas for a personalized work of art. Officeworks and Harvey Norman offer this service starting from just $45 for a 12” x 12” canvas.
Understandably as a tutor he loves reading and so a book may not be an option. Keeping along the theme of reading though you might consider a magazine subscription to a publication like Good Reading Magazine. This is a great, easy reading magazine for when you want to read something but not commit to reading an entire book – or are sick of reading them!
For something to tickle his poetry side why not try a birthday experience and shout him a weekend in Yeppoon which includes accommodation and a Poetry Workshop with Australian Poetry Slam 09. You could present this gift as a “redeemable voucher” in a beautiful handmade card.
Another option is a gorgeous writing pen. The Pen Shoppe in Brisbane has some divine pens available to purchase. They do have some luxury pens that are out of most people's price range, but there are some well priced options as well. You can take this gift one step further and have it engraved, depending on the style of the pen.
Did any of these options tickle your fancy? Can you guess which one Clare opted for? Have a guess and I will post the answer later this week!
Today's quandary is from Matthew:
“My friend (of about 1 year) is giving a performance this weekend. We are not romantically involved but I am looking to show my appreciation after the show with flowers. She has an amazing voice and I'm sure will be awesome, but I am unsure of what flowers to give.” Matthew
Two things jumped out at me after reading Matthew’s message. Firstly that he wants to show his admiration for the performance and secondly that him and his friend are not romantically involved.
Different flowers have very different meanings which is fascinating. The most famous of all would probably have to be red roses, which is renowned to demonstrate passion and a deep felt love, but did you know that they can represent courage and respect?
Yellow roses typically suggests friendship, while pink roses say grace and perfect happiness.
Sunflowers indicate adoration, pride and sunshine while Marigolds apparently suggest cruelty and grief. And to think those pretty, bold colours would represent such pain!
So what does Matthew do? If he would like to follow the traditional meanings of flowers then I would suggest a bunch of white lilies (Lily of the Valley) which says sweetness, humility and return of happiness.
Another possibility is one of my all time favourites which is the Iris that suggests valor, faith, wisdom and “My Compliments”.
On the other hand, some people like particular flowers for their scent, colour and shape and there are no rules about following tradition, so a mixed bunch of flowers within Matthew’s price range would also be appreciated.
You can check out Ready Flowers Australia’s guide for the meaning of flowers and see what your favourite means. Let me know in the comment section below!
I saw this great shirt on Eco Manifesto yesterday and decided that it would make a great gift for a guy. Which brings me to the question of do you buy clothes for gifts? I have two answers for this question – no and yes.
My great Aunt Clytie (who is sadly not with us any more) was renowned for buying clothes for me for my birthday. Amazingly she got my size right and more often than not she picked things that weren’t run of the mill, fad clothes. I still have quite a few of the items she bought me and today still get compliments on them – the gorgeous black lace shirt that I wear as a light overshirt, the white satin blouse with beautiful blue metallic flowers (have to see to understand). There was only a rare occasion when Clytie would get something that didn’t quite suit or was a bit “old” for me.
Buying clothes for gifts can be tricky. Style and taste is such a personal thing and it can all go pear shaped when trying to get it right:
Size - Buying the wrong size for starters can be insulting if you get the item too small or too big. Unfortunately even with so called “standard sizes” there can be a huge variance between brands and styles.
Colour – Choosing the right colour for someone else can be a bit of a dilemma even if you get white, because there are some people who honestly can’t wear it well. The same goes for other neutrals including grey, navy blue and brown.
Style – Unless you have impeccable taste and have watched every episode of Trinny and Susannah or been to fashion school you may be stepping on your gift recipient’s toes by buying them that funky short skirt or glittered gold top. People’s perceptions of their body image can vary with reality considerably, so they may not feel like they can show their “chunky thighs” in the skirt you thought would set off their best assets…
As a general rule I prefer not to recommend clothes for gifts. But! They say rules are meant to be broken and I have indeed bought clothes as gifts. So when is it ok to buy clothes for gifts?
My younger cousin Alison is worse than me at trying to control her wardrobe! She is very much up to date with current trends and styles and she wears what she knows suits her style and age and skin tones. By analysing what she wears and what colours she prefers I have been able to purchase clothes that I think she would like. But, I do one thing that I believe should be a rule when giving clothes as gifts - always include the receipt!
So, back to the question of do you buy clothes for gifts? My advice would be to think carefully about it and ask yourself if you are willing to include the receipt which ultimately shows how much you paid for the item? If not, I would recommend giving a gift voucher instead. If you are sending it interstate, ensure they actually have the shop in their city or town! This allows them to buy what they like, when they like in whatever colour and style they like. Hopefully a win-win situation!
Sometimes finding a gift for someone you know well can be tough. Today's gift issue came from Bronwyn of Mackay:
"Tomorrow is my Mother-in-law's birthday and I haven't got a clue as to what to get her. She lives in a rented unit, so she doesn't have a great deal of space. She will be turning 61, so she is pretty well set up. My Mother-in-law is a diabetic, so food (and chocolate) is out of the question. She loves gardening, but doesn't have a garden." Bronwyn, Mackay.
There are a couple of options that come to mind and I bounced these off Bronwyn. Firstly, is the option of flowers. Most women love to receive flowers and birthdays, births, anniversaries, graduation and Christmas are great occasions to give them. Unfortunately, unless they are artificial, their shelf life is limited - but they are a lovely luxury that should be appreciated!
Another option is to give a mini DIY garden. I offer a small version through Hamperific called "Green thumb" that includes a hanging basket with some herbs, gardening gloves and a spade. The gift recipient can pot their plants up and have lovely fresh herbs close to hand. I suggested to Bronwyn she might like to go one step further and purchase two troughs and a selection of herbs for one of them and some pretty flowering plants for the other. Then her Mother-in-law can create her own mini garden to suit her location. And if she ever has to move she can take them with her.
Finally I enquired about the recipient's hobbies, one of which happens to be reading. It would be wonderful to purchase a great read for the recipient, but as once learnt with my uncle, you never always know if they have read the book! So, I suggested a gift voucher from a good quality bookshop. You could also purchase a gift voucher for one of the department stores where they often have the latest releases at discounted prices, but the selection doesn't seem to be as large as a bookshop.
Some people don't like to give gift vouchers as they say they aren't personal enough. In some cases I would agree, but not always. Personally I love gift vouchers because I can find something I like and this gift option suited Bronwyn as she knew she couldn't go wrong with a gift voucher from a bookshop. Team the voucher up with a great card and present with a huge smile!
Kirsty
Different cultures around the world celebrate different birthday milestones. In South America a girl's 15th birthday is usually a grand affair with plenty of tradition thrown in for good measure. Huge cakes that rival weddings, plenty of beautiful gifts and proud parents ready to see their daughter start their journey into "almost" adulthood.
In Australia we tend to make a fuss of the 18th, 21st and then each decade birthday with some traditional gifts such as keys, glasses and the right to vote being given.
Todays gift question came from Tanya* who asks:
"I have a 16 year old daughter, and want to give her a gift experience package for her birthday. What would be a really good gift experience present for her?"
It seems to me that Tanya has already thought long and hard about what to get her daughter for her birthday and has suggested an experience, which is a fantastic idea for a milestone birthday.
Red Balloon Days is an Australian company that specialises in gift experiences. Some potential ideas for a soon to be 16 year old might include:
*a horse riding trip
*hot air balloon ride with breakfast
*laser skirmish session with some friends
They offer plenty of choice and there is something for just about everyone's taste and budget.
Alternatively Tanya could also suggest taking her daughter and a couple of her closest friends out to a fancy restaurant to celebrate. Get them all to dress up in their formal dresses, hire a limo and meet them there. The experience suggests maturity and elegance that most 16 year old girls would love.
*Name changed for privacy
