15 Years of Living Together: Anniversary Features and Celebration Ideas
The fifteen wedding anniversary is considered very important in the life of the spouses. The husband and wife have already lived together for more than a dozen years, most likely, they acquired their own housing and children, survived infant and other crises and finally entered a calm rhythm of life. Unfortunately, the amount of romance by this moment is already significantly decreasing, which means that a crystal wedding is the very signal that it is time to "refresh" feelings, celebrate a significant date for the couple and please each other.
What is the name of the anniversary?
The crystal anniversary of living together takes place 15 years after the wedding. By the way, the "crystal" in the name appeared only recently, before the anniversary of married life was called glass. In both cases, the name is due to the fact that by this moment the essence of marriage becomes as graceful, beautiful and transparent as this material. However, the state of family life turns out to be no less fragile and vulnerable, capable of cracking and even breaking from any awkward movement.
Relations, on the one hand, have already been formed, but on the other, they can easily collapse, therefore, spouses during this period need to treat each other more carefully and preserve their family hearth.
The Japanese call rock crystal "frozen dragon breath". It is a higher power that unites what was, what is, and what will be. The same applies to spouses - they already have a common past, present life and plans for the future. In addition, already in China, rhinestone personifies the comfort and harmony of the house, so using it at a holiday will attract money and happiness to the house.
More about rhinestone, you can add that it helps to make family relationships clean and remain faithful. In nature, this mineral is observed in the form of a hexagonal prism, and a man and a woman discover new facets in each other year after year.
Traditions and customs
As a rule, a crystal wedding is celebrated in a fairly crowded circle - both friends and relatives receive an invitation, both those who attended the first wedding and those who appeared within fifteen years. The main tradition of this day is the destruction of old mirrors. It is believed that the object that the representatives of previous generations looked at has accumulated enough negative emotions and suffering. Therefore, getting rid of mirrors, you can sort of "zero" the situation and get rid of the sorrows of the past. At the end of the celebration, it is also recommended to break the glasses from which the spouses drank champagne, as well as other unnecessary dishes and all cracked, lined or aged objects.
On this day, a married couple will generally have to try to eat and drink only from crystal - this is done for good luck. Another tradition of the crystal anniversary is the placing on the table of a new service as a symbol of a new page in life, the purchase of decorative crystal objects for the home. The main colors of this day are called beige and white, so they will be used in decor, costumes and even in gift wrapping.
In addition, it should be mentioned that the crystal anniversary is the last annual holiday - then the spouses will begin to calculate the intervals of five years. Therefore, the fifteenth anniversary of living together should be taken seriously and given the required time to prepare. As with any anniversary, spouses should reflect on their actions and mistakes they have made. According to tradition, in order to say goodbye to all insults, in the morning both spouses need to wash themselves with clean spring water or with ordinary boiled water with ice.
It would be nice to forgive each other and start a new life stage together, dream and make plans for the future. In addition, a wedding is the very moment when it is worth performing something long-delayed - for example, buying a car, going on a picnic together, or finally choosing a country for your desired trip. Another interesting idea is writing and speaking vows of love and loyalty. You can voice them alone with each other or solemnly in front of guests.
How to celebrate a date?
You need to celebrate a crystal wedding with relatives and friends, therefore it is recommended to rent a cafe, restaurant, country house or banquet hall for the celebration. It is better if there are round tables in the room, and the decoration will include fresh flowers, decorative and balloons. We must not forget about crystal vases with flowers, light tablecloths and unusual glass figures. The entire hall had to be designed in the same style.
The atmosphere should be cozy, so you should give preference to pastel colors and unobtrusive details. Since the company will be of a rather active age, it makes sense to invite a presenter who will determine the direction of the event and, if desired, hold games or contests. Of course, live music is always appreciated at a crystal wedding.
Summer anniversaries are often celebrated outdoors with traditional barbecues, sports games and swimming. If not too many guests are expected, then you can invite them to an amusement park, bowling, indoor skating rink or other interesting place. The "bride" is advised to choose a beautiful pastel dress or an elegant trouser suit. A narrow straight skirt with a chiffon blouse also looks decent. The "groom" should ideally follow the dress code and also choose a suit in light colors made from natural fabrics that echo the outfit of his wife. It will be great if his image resembles the outfit he wore at a real wedding.
The menu depends on the preferences of the spouses themselves and on whether the celebration is themed or a classic meal in a restaurant. Therefore, anything can be found on the table, from sushi to hodgepodge, from pizza to caviar sandwiches. A cake, by the way, is not at all necessary - original cupcakes, personalized cookies and cakes are much more suitable for a modern company. The table setting should contain crystal objects reminiscent of the fifteenth anniversary. As a rule, glasses are chosen from crystal, but outdated salad bowls from the times of the USSR are set aside. Of course, crystal can also be replaced with ordinary glass.
It is worth noting that if a couple on this day wants to be alone, then you should not start big festivities, but only limit yourself to a romantic pastime together. Spouses can sit together in a cozy restaurant, go to the cinema or theater, or even take a trip, leaving the children with relatives. If the “newlyweds” decide to be at home together, they will be pleased to review archived videos and old photographs and discuss the most memorable moments of the past years. In addition, on this day, the song that played at their wedding must be performed.
Gift ideas for spouses
On wedding anniversaries, it is customary to give gifts made from the material that symbolizes the given anniversary. Therefore, a crystal wedding, perhaps, is considered the most simple in terms of preparing presents - it is enough to purchase something crystal or glass: dishes, souvenirs or interior items. As a gift to friends, you can prepare a cocktail service, a set of glasses, salad bowls, a beautiful vase with flowers, an exquisite figurine, a crystal box or something similar.
Of course, it is not forbidden to present traditional gifts such as bed linen, household appliances and money in an envelope. Relatives can also order a joint portrait of the newlyweds or edit a film about them.
A simple but pleasant gift from friends will be a bouquet of delicate roses for your spouse and a bottle of cognac in a crystal decanter for your spouse. Pair symbolic glass figurines or crystal brooches for good luck. For example, it can be swans, symbolizing loyalty and love for life. In addition, any gift for two is appropriate - cinema tickets, a certificate for a joint master class, a hookah with a glass flask, or a ticket to a modern holiday home.
When kids prepare congratulations for parents, they can make touching postcards with wishes, applications with rhinestones, write a poem, or choose a photo album and fill it with family photos. Girls and boys are able to knit some talismans or prepare a romantic dinner or dessert for the festive table.
For a spouse personally, a man is advised to purchase some kind of rock crystal jewelry, a crystal mirror, perfume in a glass bottle of an unusual shape, or a table lamp with crystals. It would be nice to have an engraving on the gift containing important words or the date of the wedding. And of course, you cannot do without a luxurious bouquet. A wife can pick up an engraved crystal ashtray for her husband, a set of whiskey glasses, a sand painting on glass, a bottle of collectible wine, a crystal chess set, or an interior piece reminiscent of his hobby. You can even purchase a fish tank, a beer mug, or a crystal tie clip.
A romantic gesture would be to buy two crystal candlesticks or two champagne glasses. An even greater gift will be the organization of a romantic evening by one or the other half of the couple, or a morning surprise - coffee in bed and a room decorated with colorful balloons with congratulations.
All gifts should be wrapped in beautiful paper of pastel shades with patterns, for example, beige, creamy or ivory.A few words should be added about the choice of colors. It is best to present your wife with exotic orchids that embody peace and harmony within the family. Bouquets of roses are always appreciated, the color of which can convey the subtlest shades of a husband's feelings towards his wife.
Flower arrangements in baskets or hat boxes are quite popular today. Their advantage is the fact that there is no need to worry about the vase and the periodic change of water - inside the container there is a special vessel with a solution that saves the plants from drying out.
For what to give your husband for your wedding anniversary, see below.
