Like good wine, marriage gets better with age - once you learn to keep a cork in it. Gene Perret
Are You Planning a 50th Wedding Anniversary Party?
If you're planning a 50th wedding anniversary party for your parents or close friends, there are a few things to consider. Since gold is the traditional symbol for a 50th wedding anniversary, you'll likely want to incorporate gold into the dcor. You can do that inexpensively with gold ribbon, gold candles, or by adding gold stars to ivory candles.
Although you won't have any trouble assembling a guest list just because the couple has had 50 years to accumulate friends and associates, this is the perfect kind of party for a small, intimate gathering. If you invite 6 or 8 couples, there will be time to go around the room and listen to each other tell stories about the golden couple.
When you are planning a 50th wedding anniversary party, you have to choose whether it will be a surprise to the golden couple or if they will be in on the planning. Unless you are very close to them, it isn't advisable for this kind of party to be a surprise. Women, especially start dreaming about planning a 50th wedding anniversary party much like they once dreamed of getting married in the first place. She or they might have plans of what kind of party they would like this to be.
Did you know you can request greetings from the White House for the occasion? For people who are celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary or their 80th birthday and beyond, the White House will send a card signed by the president for the happy occasion. They ask that you send your request six weeks before the event and they will send the greeting out ten days before the event.
If you have access to memorabilia, a scrapbook detailing their 50 years together would make a wonderful gift. Old pictures, accomplishments, mementoes, highs and even some lows could be chronicled here. A video would also make a great gift as would a video of the party. A short skit based on some aspect of the couple's life together could serve as the entertainment. You also want to leave time for toasts and warn guests ahead of time that you'll be calling on them to toast the special couple.
Presents can be a sticky subject. Some people choose to ask for donations to a favorite charity in lieu of gifts. Some people still bring a gift. There's no right or wrong answer on this. As you are planning a 50th wedding anniversary party, keep the wishes of the golden couple in mind and try to honor any requests they have made.
Send Flowers: The History of a Beautiful Tradition
By Amy Nutt
Flowers make the ideal gift for nearly every occasion. Whether someone has had a baby, celebrated a birthday or lost a loved one, flowers are the ideal gift. The vast range of colors and types that are available means you can literally find something for every occasion. People love to get flowers, too, so that makes them an even better gift. But how did we get started giving flowers?
In the Beginning
No one knows exactly who gave the first bunch of flowers, but it could easily go as far back as Adam and Eve! Toddlers automatically pick wildflowers to give to their mothers, drawn by the colors and prettiness.
We do know, however, that each culture has used flowers for different reasons. In Ancient Greece, flowers were considered to be property of the gods, making them very special. There are accounts of flowers being given as a gift for many thousands of years. The majority of these would have been flowers that where picked wild, plus a few from the garden.
The Language of Flowers
In Victorian times, flowers were used to express more than just admiration or love. Entire letters could be written with blossoms alone! Each flower has a specific meaning, though the exact meaning depends on a variety of factors, including color and size. For example, a red rose means "passion", pink means
"romance" and coral colored roses mean "friendship".
Back in the day, people knew the meanings of all the most common flowers and this made each and every bouquet full of much more meaning. A young man might send a girl a bunch of wildflowers, but it would really be a message in disguise! Even today, some people enjoy learning the meaning of flowers and adding these special flowers to their bouquets. It really adds a whole other dimension to a simple bunch of mixed flowers.
This time period was definitely the most meaningful of all for flower giving. With the extra messages contained in bunches of flowers, it was one of the big gifts of the day.
Modern Flower Giving
Traditionally, men gave flowers to women, but now it's quite acceptable to give a man a bouquet of more masculine blooms, too. Even children get into the act!
Try giving a little girl a bunch of roses for her birthday and you'll make her day.
These days, it's quite common and acceptable to give flowers as gifts. We aren't restricted to simply wild flowers or those available in the garden anymore, either. Now there are tropical blooms and more delicate varieties of flowers available year round. This makes giving flowers a more exciting experience.
With the ability to grow many flowers in hothouses right in country and also the ability to import those that don't grow well in the greenhouses, your options at the florist are stunning. No longer are we restricted to daisies and roses. Now you can select a delicate orchid, bird of paradise or lily for that special someone. It really opens up the realm of possibilities, thanks to airplanes and special technology.
Another modern convenience is the internet, which lets anyone anywhere in the world buy flowers online and have them delivered to a specific destination. You could easily be in the US and have flowers delivered to your mother in Spain! This turns the art of giving flowers into something so easy to do that you don't even have to leave your own home or office. Just find a good website and you can send flowers without ever having to set foot in a florist shop.
Send flowers online, local and International, for any occasion. Surprise your loved ones with beautiful flower arrangements on that special day.
