“How long ago it was!” think about the couple, who feel like they got married quite recently. But in fact, 5 years have already passed. This day will be a pleasant holiday for a relatively young family. Plus, you can take stock of the days you have lived together and determine for yourself priorities and goals for setting the right course for the ship called family, sailing on the sea of everyday life, ups and downs and troubles. After all, having reached the five-year mark, a married couple has all the makings to overcome even more difficult milestones holding each other’s hand.
Why is the name of the 5th wedding anniversary “wooden”?
A tree, in most cultures of the world, symbolizes the world and life itself. For some peoples of the world, trees were symbols of the unity of the material and spiritual worlds. During this time, a couple of young lovers usually turns into a fairly strong and loving family. A wooden wedding is an occasion to remember the common goals and obstacles that the couple went through together during this time.
They say that if a child appears in a family, then the family tree bears fruit. That is why the wooden anniversary is considered one of the most durable and sincere.
What wedding is celebrated on the fifth anniversary?
A married couple who has crossed the five-year mark of marriage will have to celebrate their new wedding on a proper scale. What is a five-year wedding anniversary called?
The first wedding anniversary has the simple name “wooden wedding”. Some couples receive information about the name of the 5th anniversary with disappointment.
Of course, such a squat name does not have the sparkle of a silver or golden anniversary, the chic of a garnet or crystal anniversary, or even the variegation of a chintz wedding.
But in the name of the fifth anniversary lies the power and hardness, strength and stability of the tree.
Having gone through the stage of motley feelings and disagreements of the first anniversary, the instability of the paper period, the psychological risks of the leather anniversary and the vulnerability of the flax stage, the family managed to take root and turn their relationship into strong and powerful branches of the family tree.
But only the family, which by the fifth anniversary is no longer respectable to call a “young couple,” knows how much effort had to be made to remove all the rough edges and splinters.
They can be proud of relationships that have been polished to smoothness, that have not become duller over the years and have not become covered with the moss of everyday life.
Often, by the time of the five-year wedding, the first fruits appear on the family tree.
Children's infectious laughter and joint responsibility for the well-being of a new young life made the spouses more reverent and caring.
How long the family hearth will burn, or maybe slightly smolder, depends only on the reciprocity of feelings and patience. And it is important not to allow the flame of passions to spread to the tree of love and burn down the established and strong wooden walls.
What is a critical family mark?
For many, a 5-year wedding anniversary is considered a milestone, after which a couple becomes truly strong. Over the past years, the spouses have managed to study each other almost completely, both from the side of personal relationships and in terms of everyday life.
In general, if you study popular beliefs, there are several most important family “lines”. These are the dates of 3 and 5 years of marriage after marriage. If a couple is able to overcome them, albeit not without misunderstandings and minor quarrels, it means that love will live forever.
Rituals and traditions for a wooden wedding
Ancestors carefully observed established traditions and rituals. Perhaps this is why one of the main traditions of a 5-year wedding anniversary is planting a tree together. It is ideal if the spouses not only plant together, but also choose a tree and a suitable seedling. If a couple lives in a country house, it is best to plant a tree on their site. Such a ritual will allow you to find a natural patron and protector of the family hearth. Naturally, the tree will need additional care. But the tree will reward you for your attention with strong protection of your family and home. Many couples do not know which tree is best to choose for planting. Experts advise paying attention to a number of the following options:
- apricot protects a couple from the appearance of a third party in a relationship and is considered a strong family talisman;
- birch helps to have healthy offspring, makes the house cozier and warmer;
- hawthorn brings luck to the couple;
- elm is considered a strong talisman for winners, suitable for couples with high ambitions of any kind;
- Cherry renews relationships and gives romance. Suitable for couples who love to travel;
- the pear attracts luck and fortune to the couple;
- oak provides the couple with reliability and gives confidence in their partner;
- chestnut protects and cleanses from feigned negativity from envious people;
- maple tree will help cope with emotional stress and overcome a crisis in relationships;
- Rowan does not allow the will of others to interfere in the relationship, making the couple independent;
- the plum will become a reliable family and spiritual talisman that unites souls;
- the apple tree is suitable for young and sensual couples who want to maintain passion and sexual attraction;
- with the help of ash you can connect the spiritual and material worlds. Suitable for couples in which each partner cares about both his own development and the improvement of his other half;
- alder, as well as willow, should be chosen by couples who value trust and sincere love;
- with the help of juniper you can ensure eternal life for the soul;
- with the help of trees with fruits, you can ensure healthy offspring, good health and sexual attractiveness for your partner;
- exotic plants will give the couple new emotional and physical sensations.
A wooden wedding does not dictate the strict planting of real trees. A couple may well purchase a flower or other plant in a pot; it is important that it is a symbol of wood and nature, natural life. Another creative way out of the situation would be to order a special wish tree. Usually such a tree is framed and has a convex 3D format. Some couples may decorate special trees or places in park areas with ribbons of wishes.
In ancient times, families usually updated their dishes for 5 years of marriage. Moreover, it is desirable that the husband carves it out of wood himself, and does not buy it second-hand. With such a ritual, he showed the level of skill and diligence as the owner of the house. The responsibility for decorating the manufactured dishes fell on the shoulders of the wife. In this way, the girl showed the beauty of a woman’s nature. Another ritual that existed in ancient times was the burning of flax figurines that were presented to the family on their 4th anniversary. This marked the final milestone passed and a new level of relations. And also burning the past, especially of a negative nature.
Traditions
- For such a wedding anniversary, the husband must personally make a necessary and valuable gift for the chosen one. It is necessary that the present be made of wood, preferably red. Thus, he showed his wife his abilities;
- the wife, in turn, varnished her husband’s gift. This, according to tradition, represented the delicate bond between a man and a woman;
- before celebrating their anniversary, a married couple planted a tree together, which symbolized their long and strong love;
- the guests decorated this tree with multi-colored ribbons with wishes for the husband and wife.
In the modern world, few people pay tribute to traditions, but if you want to at least somehow honor the old wedding customs regarding the fifth anniversary of marriage, then plant any other plant at home in a pot instead of a tree.
What to give for 5 years from your wedding day
5 wedding years is an occasion to give gifts that will be useful both to the family and to individuals. One of the most practical and symbolic gifts for the wife is wooden jewelry. When choosing, you can take into account the cheat sheet given above. Jewelry can be made by hand and have different designs: from simple to intricate plots with mystical overtones. You can complement the gift with a wooden box and a sincere postcard.
When choosing a gift for your spouse, it is important to remember his hobbies. The selection is wide, ranging from a Jenga board game to a wooden accessory for a business or car.
Often, after 5 years of marriage, a couple has children, who should also be pleased on an important date. If a couple has a daughter and she is already old enough, you can give her the first plant that is easy to care for, for example, a money tree. For boys, a win-win option would be a gift in the form of a wooden toy of their favorite theme.
Competitions
After a hearty feast, you can entertain your guests with fun games.
Competition program options:
1. “Tree” This is an interpretation of the famous game “crocodile”. The first participant conceives a tree and “shows” it. The rest are guessing. The one who guessed correctly receives a small sweet prize and becomes the new presenter.
2. “Match House” Everyone is given 3 boxes of matches and 1-2 strips of plasticine. You need to create a souvenir house from this material as quickly as possible. The one who has created the most beautiful craft receives a prize - a figurine of a brownie. The house itself is given to the spouses as a keepsake.
Possible gifts from guests at the holiday
If the spouses plan to celebrate the date in a friendly or family company, then it is logical to expect memorable gifts from the guests. And guests need to choose smart options that will be useful to the strengthened family. If guests don’t know what to give their spouses, you can choose one of the following gift options:
- wooden dishes, trays and other kitchen utensils that are always useful to families;
- products of artistic format in the form of wooden figurines or tapestries;
- you can give an original gift in the form of a wooden watch or a perpetual calendar;
- amulets, trees of happiness, fortune cookies in a wooden box can serve as symbolic gifts;
- gifts of a more significant nature can be wooden furniture or various interior items;
- you can gift a trip for two or a joint memorable photo shoot with a certificate;
- wooden equipment for sports and travel, if the couple is interested in the listed topics;
- a gift for a trip to a thematic museum-reserve, weather conditions permitting.
It is important to consult with the couple before giving gifts of a significant or symbolic nature. Not everyone may like such gestures from guests, and if the gift concerns religion, then it is better to leave the choice of gift to the couple. Since faith and the choice of amulets is a personal matter for each partner.
Gift ideas for husband and wife
Gifts should correspond to the name of this anniversary, so spouses can present each other with various wooden gifts.
The spouse can give her beloved husband something that will please him, namely:
- a beer lover will appreciate a wooden beer mug, painted or decorated with carvings;
- a carved stand for pens and pencils will appeal to those who often use them at work;
- If you are a husband who is interested in artistic woodworking, you can give him a set for wood burning or carving.
This list is far from final, because choosing a gift is an individual matter. Perhaps your spouse will be pleased to receive a smoking pipe, chess or backgammon, a massager or another wooden gift as a gift.
When choosing a gift for his wife, the husband should also take into account her preferences.
It is unlikely that the spouse will be happy with a gift that will turn out to be useless and will lie somewhere in the back of the closet or chest of drawers until it is given to someone.
If your wife loves and wears jewelry, you can give her beads, a bracelet or earrings made of wood. But if her style is jewelry made of precious metals, then you can give a gift made of gold, but be sure to pack it in a beautiful wooden box or casket.
A lover of indoor plants will appreciate a living tree or bush in a beautiful pot or tub.
How to celebrate a wooden wedding
The fifth wedding anniversary is an event that deserves to be celebrated more lavishly than previous years. Some couples choose a method of celebration such as a repeat wedding. This method will diversify relationships, refresh romance and help overcome the crisis. It will also serve as a renewal of the oath of allegiance, which can help ensure loyalty to each other. If you look at the solution to this issue from a historical point of view, you can celebrate a wooden wedding in several rooted ways.
Traditional version of the holiday
This method involves celebrating an anniversary in nature. Ideal if you manage to go out for a barbecue or spend time in the forest. It is very important to be able to balance your desire for solitude and going out into nature. On the eve of the event, you need to do something together that will have to do with wood and nature. The couple gives each other those things that will connect them. There are a wide variety of gift options, the only condition is that it must be wooden.
A more convenient holiday option
This method is optimal either for busy couples or for those who prefer a home environment to outings in nature. With this approach, the ideal solution would be the same re-enactment of the wedding that took place 5 years ago. Or a quiet family atmosphere with a romantic continuation in the evening. You can invite your closest friends and relatives as guests. Or most of those who were at the wedding 5 years ago. With the help of a home celebration, you can strengthen family ties and kinship between generations, and renew friendships.
Wooden anniversary in eco-style
The 5th anniversary is closely related to the theme of nature, so this decision for some couples is non-standard and obvious at the same time. The day before the celebration, you can arrange a ceremonial cleaning of the nearest forest area or your own plot if you live in a private house. Next, the selected trees are planted. A bicycle theme is ideal for a photo shoot. The event ends with a themed dinner made from high-quality and environmentally friendly products. And then you can set yourself new goals, namely, to live well until the 10th anniversary of your married life.
How to organize a celebration
It is customary to celebrate an anniversary in pleasant natural conditions, creating a warm homely atmosphere. You should think in advance about the location of the celebration, holiday treats, a scenario, and always an original cake in a wooden style, and also send out an invitation to guests to celebrate 5 years of married life using a wooden theme. Invitations made on flat wooden blocks with scorched text will look creative and original. You can also use parchment paper by rolling the invitation into a tube and tying it with string.
Photo of a wooden card for the 5th wedding anniversary
You also need to take care of small gifts for guests, for example, wooden souvenirs, key chains, and coasters.
Treats are usually served simple, but satisfying and nutritious. Folk cuisine, kebabs, and red wines are very popular at such events.
vases made of wooden twigs with simple wildflowers, sections of tree trunks on which you can serve and treats, bark products, barrels, wooden pots or an armful of firewood by the fireplace in winter will look appropriate and cozy Small wooden things with deep connotations: a horseshoe, spoons, beads, boxes will bring happiness, prosperity and joy to the house.
Photo of a wooden spoon for the 5th wedding anniversary
An original decoration will be family photo collages in wooden frames, starting from the day they met, decorated with inscriptions, for example, “Married for 5 years,” “Happy 5 years,” “Five years with your loved one.” The decor may also include tree branches on which you can hang inscriptions and photos. In workshops it is worth ordering the inscriptions “Family”, “Happiness”, “Love”, the names of spouses and a separate large number “5” carved out of wood. They can be used for a joint photo shoot, and subsequently to decorate the interior of the house.
It’s also a good idea to come up with an original status about a wooden wedding anniversary, for example, “Our first five-year plan is overfulfilled!”, “Family life is a solid 5” or “5 years have flown by like 5 days - happy hours don’t watch!”
