It’s once again time to toast matrimonial love for couples approaching the next 12 months of their legal partnership! Your bond had gotten stronger and more comfortable (like two kitties in a bed) from another year of love, learning and life journeys. Similar to a jazz band’s members’ own unique styles creating rhymic music with notes and improvisation, a couple’s 2ndyear consists of a working union by learning each other love language, deepening of intimacy and passion, commitment to servicing each others’ wants and needs and affirming each other’s love.
Traditions of giving or exchanging specific anniversary gifts dates back to the Middle Ages where the major milestone anniversaries were celebrated solely among the wealthy class who could afford precious metals.
As discussed in a previous blog on the 1st Anniversary, there are actually two lists for couples interested in following customs: the traditional list and the modern list. The traditional list records gifts for every year up to anniversary 15, then every five years after. The modern list is considered a catalog of more functional gifts and is listed every year up to the 50th Anniversary, then adhering to the traditional schedule of every five years.
The comprehensive anniversary gift lists not only documents the corresponding anniversary gift, it also catalogs the colors, flowers, and gemstones associated with the particular year. As expected, the longer a couple is together, gifts increase substantially in worth to reward stability of the marriage
Honoring this anniversary should be thoughtful and reflective of the past year, while incorporating the traditions that parallel year number two.
TRADITIONAL – COTTON
Cotton is considered to be more durable than paper which reminds a couple of the required care needed and to not take each for granted
MODERN – CHINA
Representing elegance and delicacy of the marriage
COLOR – RED
Red being the universal color of love, passion, romance and life for most couples exchanging a bottle of red wine or the traditional red roses is most appropriate.
FLOWER – COSMOS/LILLIES OF THE VALLEY
The flower Cosmos symbolizes beauty or peace in your marriage
Lilies of the Valley for couples who may have experienced valleys symbolizes humility, sweetness, return to happiness and brings luck in love – many of the words that a couple will need to be reminded of by year 2.
GEMSTONE – GARNET
The gemstone Garnet represents energy, bringing either serenity or passion depending on the couple and is considered a lucky stone for love, success and business relationships. A customized piece of jewelry (whether a bracelet or cufflinks) made with these gemstones would be divine.
While the 1st celebrates the marital newness, 2nd Anniversaries typically stand for strengthening the bond and foundation of the union
The traditional anniversary gift is cotton and its fibers that represent an intertwining and merging of two lives using adaptability, wisdom, and endurance. Gifting symbols would signify the continuing building and maintaining of the home being built.
Although gifts are still somewhat modest in theme, for a couple seeking out of the ordinary luxury gifts. As of this posting, since most of us are regulated to our homes, let’s provide some over the top creative ways to celebrate 24 months of marital bliss.
· Modern China – porcelain vase to house one of the symbolic anniversary flowers, or a fine china tea set to begin a generational gift
· 100% cotton robes with monograms plush enough to compare with any boutique hotel’s robe
· Comfortable cotton lingerie or other lounging clothing for your planned “in-home spa day, complete with mood music, massage oil, bubble bath, and other items to recreate the last spa weekend retreat
· Cotton draperies, towels, or a hammock for two
· Revamp dining table with new cotton table linen to create a romantic setting for all the take-out being ordered or the new recipes you’re cooking together.
· Revamp your bedroom into a seductive retreat with new bedding for good conversation, good fun, followed by restful sleep. Engage your senses with the feel of superb linens on your bed and since cotton is the anniversary theme, let’s chat about types of cotton sheets and what companies are considered the crème of the crop in the bedding world when it comes to premium cotton sheets.
There are typically three types of cotton sheets
o Percale Cotton sheets – recognized for their signature tight weave that create an elegant or smooth texture
o Cotton Sateen – woven in a satin weave that results in a sheen-like, smooth, and more delicate sheet
o Egyptian Cotton – the most expensive within the cotton sheets family since being made with longer fibers; it can have a matte look, softer, and lasts longer than its cousins. This fabric’s thread-count will be higher since made with finer yarns
Several linen companies that collect high reviews include:
· Parachute Home, relatively newer company hailing from Venice, California provides direct to consumer home essentials
· Boll and Branch – a 6-year-old company which produces100% Organic Cotton Sheets with most of their products sourced in India
· Brooklinen – Brooklyn NY direct-to-consumer home goods start-up with their mission is to offer quality bedding at reasonable prices
· Matouk – a 100-year-old company out of Massachusetts selling exceptional products for bedding and additionally, provides a bespoke service to clients for monogramming and designing custom looks
· Brooks Brothers – an over 200-year-old company out of New York offers handsome cotton bedding collection if you and your mate’s tastes lean into prints and lines. We’re giving Brooks Brothers a standing ovation as well for retooling their production facility to make 150,000 masks per day, as well as gowns to assist in increasing access to protective gear for health care workers battling the spread of the COVID-19. -AJ
Is your or someone you know second anniversary approaching? What unique ideas can be added to the list?
Share your thoughts in the comment section below or on Twitter.
Thanks to the following sites for content source:
Hat Tip to the following Photographers:
Tania Van Den Berghen – Oriental Shorthair
Bottlein – bedroom
TamlyBT – Ring with Garnet gemstone
AlinaCMusat – Lily of the Valley
Goran Horvat – Red Cosmos
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