5-Year Marriage Anniversary Gift Ideas

[Twiggy]

I just had my first anniversary the other month. We don't have kids yet, but our neighbor has a child with similar needs as yours, so can totally understand where you're coming from there.

I personally just found a website (Hell maybe even wikipedia) that listed what type of gift you're supposed to give each year. First year was paper so I drew a big A3 picture and framed it for her, even though everyone knows I'm the worlds worst drawer, but she loved it.

Someone up above mentioned 5yrs is wood. Outside of the highly obvious sexual joke to be had, I'd try and either carve something, or go down that line if you can.

[smoothfun]

Maybe a divorce would make her day...or yours...
I'm just joking man , I couldn't resist.
Do you play any musical instruments or have friends that do?
Seranade her , you guys must have a favorite song.Get a package of sticky notes , pay attention , write clues that lead to a romantic spot in your home that you've prepared.Make the notes personal , romantic , humorous , etc. , have the music playing for her arrivall , rent a tux and have a bouquet of red roses in hand + something made of wood , maybe a carving that she would admire/appreciate.Mood lighting is a huge bonus , champagne/wine(good stuff...not "baby duck") , now ask her if you may have this dance and wing it from there.
Can't believe I'm giving away this valuable info but , you are a "dobberite"!
So you don't have to spend a shitload of money on crap , invest those dollars in a nice tux , good beverage , entree plate from a quality food establishment , etc.
This way you get to stay at home with the kids , maybe have a sitter on site to give you some time to pull off the above agenda but , your wife will be at ease knowing she's there for the kids if needed , good-bye worry & tension.
You need to make time to do this , that's the real gift , the fact you took/made time to do this for her , that's what she wants more than anything , a gift that you've thought about , a gift you've taken time to "make" for her , something personal.
Trust me this shit is gold!

[One87]

Looking for advice from the married crew.

I've got a 5-year wedding anniversary approaching.
Need gift ideas... $200-$300 range.

My wife is not really a jewelry person.
We have most of our appliances.
And I'm not buying her a kick-ass day at the spa where I'm stuck watching the kid all day.

{scratching head}
Ideas?

5 years... Give her some "wood."

Seriously, go 50 First Dates on her...

You need to pre-plan. Either buy a dress or pick one of hers out. If the latter, take her dress, that you want her to wear, along with your suit, to the cleaners. Pick them up and have her dress laying on the bed with a note to be ready by a certain time...

When you pick her up, in your suit, act like it's you first date. Walk up to her and introduce your self, then, walk her to the vehicle and open the door for her. On the way to dinner, to the place you ALREADY made reservations for, the smaller the place the better - not so many people around, preferibly a place that allows you to bring your own wine, make small talk by asking her where she is from, where she went to school, if she has sibblings, etc. Whatever you do, keep the focus and conversation on her. When eating, if other people are there, just keep your eyes on her the entire time - make everyone else disappear. Eat everyone of her words up! And then when you finally get home, give her a night she WON'T forget.

[Loch]

As useless as I am on this topic...

I'll go with the "try to remember something they said they wanted during a throwaway conversation".

Sometimes when it's just an aside things they secretly want, but would never ask for, slip out. This does require both listening and remembering but sometimes these random memories payoff. Kind of a hit and miss, but never hurts to slip through the memory banks.

Barring that I'd say err on the side of sentimental and personal.

Meh, what do I know though.


ps. If you really have balls you can try my dad's routine... he only ever does a card and dinner for anniversaries and explains this with 'if you need this one day of the year to know that I love you then we are already in trouble'... or something like that. Hey, the man has been married for now almost 40yrs, so he might be onto something...

[Bomm Bastic]

Ok P7, after reading through all response and your replies I think I may have a solution:

1. Big bunch of wild flowers with sappy poem/ note
2. She has to have a fav movie - rent it.
3. She has to have a fav restaurant - order take out
4. Bottle of vino
5. Put the kid to bed and get your barry white on, if ya dig ( wink- wink, nudge- nudge)

And if all else fails remember, nothing says "I love you" quite like a bull whip, shackles, and a gimp suit! (but don't forget the "safe word")

[3rtpaper]

My wife likes to pick out plants in the store.
Then I dig the holes.
I plant them.
I water them.
I weed them.
So... no.

We seem to be in the same boat, my fiance does the same... add to that list..
I ask if they are sun or shade which she doesn't know
I research to find if they are sun or shade
I have to find a place to plant them
I mulch them
I don't get recognized for my constant weeding/watering efforts

Good call on not going that route.

[Pengwin7]

I'll go with the "try to remember something they said they wanted during a throwaway conversation".

...

Meh, what do I know though.

Damn... perhaps you know more than you think.
You've triggered what could be a grand idea... (and I'm running out of time)...

My wife loves 4-5 websites, one of which is this thing called "Pinterest". I think girls go on and just "like" stuff. If I can get into her account (which I should, at home) and look up her stuff, then I should be able to find something.

Anybody have any experience with Pinterest?
Is it possible that when I log in I can find all my wife's "likes"?

[Twiggy]

Anybody have any experience with Pinterest?
Is it possible that when I log in I can find all my wife's "likes"?

I don't use the site, but isn't the point of those sites to be able to see what a person likes? Like if you looked her up just as an anonymous it would show you all her likes, without having to hack in? (I'm not saying hacking it is wrong for the record, just if you can get the money without entering the vault, all the better!)

[wendelclark17]

He about you pay a professional/semi professional photographer to do some pics of the two of you and the kid?

[Loch]

He about you pay a professional/semi professional photographer to do some pics of the two of you and the kid?

Nothing says I love you like this website: http://awkwardfamilyphotos.com/

[burnsy00]

For $300 find someone who will cater a later dinner for two when the 2 year old is in bed....spend $100 on the cook/chef (depending on when the anniversary is you might be able to find a student chef looking to just impress you with freshly learned skills and do it for nothing more than to pad a esume-or half price)...$100 on food supplies and a nice bottle of wine and its summer time you should be able to find a musician in a city that would take $50 to play a violin or cello or something for an hour or two during the night...with the last $50 buy something practical that will get used a few times a week or everyday like a newer hairdryer or hair straightener or something that she may not even realize that she needs an updated version of but it will show that you are paying attention to what her needs are....just saying...

I have been with my wife for coming up on 6 years but married for 3 years on August 8th like Bomm but one time she was having a crappy day and her hair dryer fried that morning so I took our oldest son to the store that evening after school and brought her a new one...not top of the line but functional. She was pretty happy with it because it showed her I was listening...she doesn't always want to hear my thoughts on the Leafs absolutely robbing Boston in the Kaberle trade or whatever but she tries to listen, it works both ways.

[Pengwin7]

Well, I think I've got the plan.

Step 1) Can't go wrong with the pictures, that was good advice from everybody. As I've said, I'm highly likely to pick the wrong picture... but if I go with several pictures, from the past 5 years, she can always pluck out the ones she doesn't like and replace them. Stalked the wife's Pinterest and found this. Fairly simple - buy big frame. Drill in some eye hooks. String high-tensile wire or rope. Clothespins. Photos (which I'm shifting to my zip drive tonight, best of last 5 years). Done. (Tomorrow's lunch & Saturday morning).

Step 2) Flowers. Always, always, always gotta have flowers. Save some cash on the frame, which means I can also splurge on fancy ass flowers.

Step 3) Sweet card. We buy them these days (too busy) and it's a mutual thing. But a nice note and a little small drawing/doodle is always a nice touch.


Plus, her birthday is early September and I'm going to knock-it-out of the park by getting her the only dress on her Pinterest - BAM.

Thanks for the advice guys - really appreciated the help!!!
Wish me luck!

[Loch]

Plus, her birthday is early September and I'm going to knock-it-out of the park by getting her the only dress on her Pinterest - BAM.

Thanks for the advice guys - really appreciated the help!!!
Wish me luck!

Just so long as you nail the dress size... though I suppose that only really matters if you have grown attached to your nuts.