Victoria Ivanova
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Everyone celebrates the anniversary of their marital relationship in their own way. Some people only pay attention to round dates; for others, every year spent together is a significant event that they don’t want to ignore. 12th wedding anniversary - what kind of wedding is it, what is given as a gift and how is it customary to celebrate? Let's consider the most important nuances of this event.
Nickel wedding
Any wedding anniversary, including the 12th anniversary, has its own traditions and customs. Traditionally, on a memorable day, the couple remembers everything that they have experienced together over such a long period of time. You may even have to remember certain negative aspects of the relationship. Only the closest friends and relatives are invited to a home celebration. It was considered a special tradition to polish cutlery until it shined. Before guests arrived, the couple traditionally cleaned the house together.
In order to remember the past, you can visit memorable places together, for example, a wedding venue or a first date. A good tradition for Orthodox couples will be visiting the church where the wedding took place 12 years ago. An original method of celebration would be to repeat the wedding ceremony, down to the smallest detail, in order to refresh the relationship.
Another age-old tradition involves family and friends showering the couple with coins. In this case, it is advisable to get nickel coins. In the modern version of the tradition, simple coins can also be used. To fulfill cherished desires, traditions require spouses to exchange nickel rings as the main symbol of the holiday. Dishes and table decorations should sparkle with cleanliness or be made of shiny nickel. Previously, there was a tradition of placing a clean and shiny nickel samovar in front of guests and drinking tea from it together.
Bad ideas for gifts
When choosing what to give to spouses for 12 years of marriage, you should also pay attention to those items that should not be given.
Don't give:
- Knives, mirrors.
- Gifts symbolizing loneliness - paintings, figurines depicting someone alone.
Nickel gifts for a nickel wedding are an original idea to congratulate spouses on their 12th anniversary of marriage. In order for the celebration to leave bright and interesting memories, it is necessary not only to choose the right gift, but also to present it in an equally original way.
Celebrating 12 wedding years
Such a wedding anniversary can be celebrated either in a narrow family circle or organized outside the walls of the house. You can book a table at a restaurant and invite your closest circle. Children of different ages can attend this holiday. Therefore, when preparing this event, it is important to take into account the age aspects and interests of all invitees.
How to choose the style and theme of the celebration
The 12th wedding anniversary is a date that is traditionally celebrated in shades of silver and white. You can decorate the table with silver elements or purchase a white tablecloth to cover the table with a silver edging. The furnishings can be designed in the style of the era during which the alliance was concluded. Taking into account the fact that nickel is a shiny material, you can decorate the celebration in the style of In this option, each invited guest should be given a special role. You can also prepare a special scenario with the participation of all the characters.
Outfits for the bride, groom and invited guests
If there is a thematic subtext of the celebration, it is important to warn guests in advance about the presence of a dress code. This is usually done in the invitation text. If time and finances allow, you can independently prepare the roles and costume details for the guests. Ideally, each prepared element of the dress code will correspond to the intended character; it is not necessary to buy themed costumes for all guests.
Fans of more traditional weddings will enjoy the option of a celebration in a standard atmosphere, in symbolic colors. The girl can wear a white dress, and the groom can wear a matching suit. If the celebration was themed 12 years ago, you can repeat the images of the past to renew relationships. You can support the theme of a nickel wedding with the help of decorative elements of the image.
How to mark?
In ancient times, on almost any holiday and anniversary, of course, no exception, they organized magnificent festivities, set a rich table with delicious dishes and invited as many guests as possible to share their joy.
In the modern world, things are a little different. Few people celebrate at home anymore, because they prefer a chic restaurant or favorite cafe. And there are rarely many people present at anniversaries. Usually these are parents, siblings, aunts/uncles, close friends, and maybe even godparents.
Most likely, by the nickel date the married couple will already have children, which means they need to prepare appropriate entertainment for them.
It happens that a family wants to celebrate the wedding date in question together. This is a good reason to enjoy romance and each other’s company, because when a husband and wife have a child, this is difficult to fully realize.
Lovers can have a candlelit dinner, go to the SPA, a movie, go ice skating or roller skating, and maybe even horseback riding. If finances allow and there is an opportunity to leave the children with someone, then a trip to the sea would be a great idea.
Holiday menu design
There are several options here: you can either design the menu yourself at your own discretion, or entrust its composition to the restaurant where the event will be planned. Often, couples independently prepare their common favorite dish for their wedding, thereby giving their guests a piece of their cordiality and family warmth. Regardless of the purpose and time of serving the dish, it must be stored in nickel containers. The meal can be shared both with guests and in a close family circle with children.
Cake decoration
The main sweet can be prepared without taking into account special requirements. It is best if it can be decorated in the theme of a nickel wedding. The number of tiers does not play a special role, the main thing is that all guests can enjoy the sweetness.
The coating can be ordered from silver and white glazes and alternated in tiers. The second design option could be sweet mastic. The mastic can be decorated to look like real nickel and make the cake the main symbol of the event.
Anniversary scenario with guests
Each couple has many friends and acquaintances who, one way or another, will agree to share this significant event with the couple. The 12th wedding anniversary is an occasion for friends to show their eloquence and congratulate the couple with the warmest compliments and congratulations. You can recreate the ancient tradition with a samovar and family tea. The fact is that samovars and teapots traditionally contain nickel. Food can also be served from cutlery containing the element. In ancient times, it was believed that dishes that were polished to a shine were the basis for peace and harmony in the family.
If the couple still does not have children, then you can take them with you for identity. Since ancient times, people have believed that children's laughter brings the firstborn into the home, even for couples with infertility. Children are especially happy with sweets and chocolate dishes. Just do not take children with you if the couple deliberately refuses offspring or for some reason simply does not like children.
Congratulations to acquaintances and friends
Considering that the main element of the celebration is nickel, it is possible that there will be gifts from relatives and guests that are identical or related in symbolism. If you want to stand out from the crowd, you should choose an original gift for an already established family. Before purchasing cutlery or kitchen utensils, equipment, you should find out in advance about the need for such an element. Perhaps someone already wants to give it as a gift, or the couple themselves bought a worthwhile replacement.
Traditions
A nickel wedding is a kind of milestone for a couple, so the celebration is given an important role and close attention is paid.
It is worth listing the rituals and symbols that will help continue the traditions of the Russian people:
- The anniversary of the event used to be celebrated 6 months after the date of marriage registration. This was due to the middle of the road to a quarter of a century of family life. The border was considered significant. Couples who had not entered into a church union until this moment moved the wedding date, postponing it to this day.
- Family life is established, the couple is considered experienced in married life. Therefore, the table for guests was traditionally set in the house. It was mandatory to invite relatives who assessed the condition of the home. Men, if necessary, pointed out the husband's mistakes in maintaining the house, women appreciated the wife's efforts. The form was humorous, the sayings were prepared in advance, so they were not offended by criticism.
- Twelve years of life is also called the pearl anniversary. The table decoration is kept in cool shades of gray and beige.
- Another symbol of the holiday is precious metal. If there are nickel candlesticks in the house, they should be placed on the holiday table. You need to pay close attention to cutlery, which is cleaned beforehand until it shines. This also becomes an indicator of how well the housewife leads her life.
The wife can wear silver and pearl jewelry when guests arrive, but demonstrating wealth is not necessary.
Gifts for 12th wedding anniversary
Traditionally, guests decide among themselves in advance what each of them will give as a gift or chip in money for a large purchase and appoint someone responsible for it. It is advisable that gifts are not repeated. A modern idea would be to invite a photographer and pay for his services, followed by giving the couple the captured moments. You can give cutlery containing nickel or silk textile items. Options for gifts from guests can be as follows:
- set of nickel cutlery;
- small kitchen appliances;
- large purchase of equipment, previously agreed upon with the couple;
- nickel watch with original dial;
- a set of dishes for hikes and picnics;
- interior items made of natural silk.
If the couple has children, they can give a special gift to the parents. A son may give his father a small set of tools containing nickel. And the daughter can embroider the design on silk fabric herself or with the help of her grandmother.
But still, the main gift will be the time that the spouses will be able to spend alone with each other after the holiday. For example, you can spend a weekend in a village far from civilization. Close relatives should also prepare and surprise the couple with an unusual surprise on a memorable day.
What can parents choose?
Children also usually contribute to the congratulations process. Of course, they are not earning money yet, but they are quite capable of saving from their pocket money or doing something with their own hands. Postcards decorated with silk ribbons look very touching. Parents will also be touched by a homemade flower vase and a poster with words of wishes. Older children can bake a simple pie or prepare salads. You can pamper your parents with breakfast or hang balloons with the numbers 12 everywhere. What is done from the heart is always valued above all else.
Joint gifts to each other
On such a date, paired gifts to each other will be very useful as a sign of sincere love and unity. Gift options may be as follows:
- bracelets with nickel decor;
- For coffee lovers, a coffee pot designed for 2 cups is suitable;
- silk robes or home suits for couples.
It is worth remembering that gift options are limited only by the imagination and modesty of some couples.
Gifts for wife
Gifts for your wife can be as follows:
- nickel earrings or rings;
- nickel figurines with special meaning;
- photo frame;
- utensils with prior approval;
- nickel bracelet;
- jewelry made of silver or nickel.
It is worth remembering that not all girls will adequately respond to kitchen utensils, considering such a gift as an insult. Therefore, before taking such a step, it is worth finding out your spouse’s opinion on this issue in advance in order to avoid conflicts on a memorable day.
What to give your husband
Standard cufflinks and other gift options on such a day will not please every man. Jewelry should only be given to a true connoisseur. A girl can give her husband one of the following gifts:
- nickel lighter or cigarette case;
- an ashtray made of the same material;
- ring with symbolic engraving;
- a souvenir commemorative coin that will delight numismatists;
- nickel writing sets.
It is worth remembering the courage of every day we live together. It is by celebrating such dates that you can gradually learn to appreciate love and love yourself. Celebrating their 12th anniversary, the couple can truly appreciate the journey they have traveled together. And it is important to understand that sometimes you need to say out loud even too obvious things to make it easier to love each other.
Gifts from parents
If parents are invited to a celebration, the gift should be selected taking into account the interests and wishes of the young family. The standard option is nickel glasses, which are popularly a symbol of the hearth. Such gifts will help preserve the memory of their parents among the younger generation. You can give glasses special significance with engraving or special decoration.
