Anniversary Gifts - Fifty-Fifth Anniversary
By: Michael Russell
In case you’re not aware of this, the anniversary list makers more or less gave up after anniversary number 50, except for the five and ten year anniversary marks from that date. So from here on in you only have to worry about what you’re going to get your spouse for anniversaries 55, 60, 65, 70, 75, 80, 85, 90, 95 and 100. Yes, they actually ran this chart all the way up to anniversary number 100. You have to wonder if anybody ever got to celebrate that one. In any case, this year you’re celebrating your fifty-fifth anniversary and it’s your job to get your spouse something made out of emerald.
For those of you who aren’t familiar with emeralds, it’s what the Emerald City of Oz is made out of in the Wizard Of Oz. Don’t worry, you’re not going to have to buy your spouse a whole city, but you may want to think about taking out a second mortgage if you’re going to buy a gift that’s really going to knock your spouse’s eyes out. So the question is, just what do you get for this special occasion?
Because of the great expense of this gift, the list makers have actually made what they call the alternate modern gift, since the modern gift is the same as the traditional gift. Because emeralds are basically green, what the list makers came up with is to buy something that’s green such as green clothing, lingerie or art glass. Yes, it’s the cheap way out, but let’s face it, not everybody who reaches their fifty-fifth anniversary is rolling in dough. So if money is an issue, this is a good alternative for you.
For those who can afford the real traditional gift, there are some things that won’t require you to get a loan from the bank or sell your first-born.
One very unusual gift idea that people have been using is to send the happy couple to Ireland. Why? Well, don’t the lucky leprechauns wear green? Isn’t green the color of the Irish? Yes, it’s another work around but by no means is it a cheap one. A trip to Ireland, depending on where you live, can be quite expensive and if the happy couple hasn’t had a chance to travel much, this could be the perfect gift. Of course that doesn’t mean the happy couple has to wait for one of their kids to get this gift for them.
Of course, if you want to continue with the alternate emerald theme, there are lots of things that are green that you can get such as some landscaping done on your yard, or maybe a membership to a golf club. Use your imagination. Just think green and you’ll be fine.
And yes, you can always just go out and get an emerald. If you’re planning on doing this and money is an issue you can go with the less costly emeralds like peridot. Even though this is a very special occasion, be practical. Emeralds are very expensive.
Michael Russell
Your Independent guide to Anniversary Gifts