Romantic Ideas for a First-Year Anniversary

Gifts

The traditional first anniversary gift is "paper," and this is a category which can be interpreted quite liberally. A book, a framed watercolor or a pair of concert tickets would all fit the theme. The modern gift for a first anniversary is "plastic," which can be found in anything from costume jewelry to a new smart phone. Peridot is the first anniversary stone, and would make a handsome gift set in earrings or a tie tack. Pansies are the flowers associated with the first anniversary; give a beautiful silk scarf or tie hand-painted with the blossoms, or plant a flat of them by the front door if they're in season.

A first anniversary is a time to look back on the highlights of your relationship, and one way to do that is to recreate some of those highlights. Bring her a bouquet of the same flowers she carried at your wedding, or have a boutonniere made up for him that matches the one he wore on his tuxedo. Burn a CD of the songs that were played at your reception and slip it into your beloved's car stereo before the work commute. Re-live your first date; if you no longer live in the city where you met, do some research beforehand so you can recreate the date as closely as possible.

Create a friendly game of "Stump the Spouse" by adapting a board game you already own, such as Trivial Pursuit or Apples to Apples. Replace the question cards that came in the game box with cards you've made yourself; these cards should contain questions all about the two of you and your marriage. Provide a mix of easy questions (such as "What was the first movie we saw together?") and hard questions (like "When your spouse was 5 years old, what did she want to be when she grew up?") Take turns deciding what the winner's prize will be.

Couples are often under a great deal of stress when they are planning and carrying out their weddings. As a result, they may spend most of their honeymoons decompressing instead of relaxing. Other couples spend so much on their weddings that an exotic honeymoon simply isn't in the budget. Celebrate your first anniversary by taking the honeymoon of your dreams -- or at least booking a weekend in the Honeymoon Suite of the nicest hotel in town.