Gold, emeralds and diamonds ~ celebrating 50+ years of marriage
Well, all I can say is, that after your engagement; you have to wait a long time to celebrate a wedding anniversary with gold, emeralds or diamonds. It might be quicker to win a 'gold' at the Olympics!
That is if you are going by the traditional anniversary gifts list. The first twenty years are celebrated individually with paper on the first followed by cotton, leather, linen, wood, iron , copper, bronze, willow, tin, steel, silk, lace, ivory consecutively up to the 15th anniversary which is crystal. Then you get to take a break and move on to five year anniversaries - whew, I hear some of you say! The 20th anniversary is china, the 25th - silver, the 30th - pearls, the 40th - ruby, the 45th - sapphire, the 50th - gold and then finally; once past 50 years you are onto some serious bling! If you follow a more modern anniversary gift register, it is fair to say, diamonds are on the list more frequently.
If you have you made it through to 55+ years of marriage; it is time to bring out the jewels! Emeralds at 55, diamonds again for 60, blue sapphire for 65 and platinum at 70. If you are married for 80 years, you are back down to oak - hardly an incentive! And yes, before you ask - there are a few couples who have managed it. Wow! That is showing patience, persistence, forgiveness and fortitude. Definitely some of the qualities needed alongside love for a long and happy marriage. Wilferd Arlan Peterson (1900 - 1995) well-known poem, 'The Art of a Good Marriage' was published in 1961. Peterson was an American author who regularly wrote for a Sunday newspaper supplement. Below are the first two lines and the last two lines and in the middle is a whole lot of good advice about how to be with each other and what to do each other, in your partnership of marriage.* You will easily fin this poem by Googling the title and a whole lot more besides.
Happiness in marriage is not something that just happens.
A good marriage must be created. In marriage the little things are the big things.
*And a whole lot more in between ......
It is establishing a relationship in which the independence is equal, dependence is mutual and the obligation is reciprocal.
It is not only marrying the right partner; it is being the right partner
It's definitely worth celebrating your wedding anniversaries in style as you hit those decade milestone. If you are getting to 50 years of marriage and beyond, it's definitely worth going for gold (excuse the pun!). Plan a magnificent celebration, invite everybody you know and think about renewing your vows or even better, create some new ones to suit the occasion.
Get in touch with me to plan your upcoming anniversary celebration.
Email rachel@lifecelebrancy.co.nz or call me on 027 276 1431
Photo by Diana Roberts on Unsplash