2016 Aug 13
We’ve just passed the month of weddings, okay, hold that thought. Summer time is the ultimate nakath time for Lankan weddings. Whether it’s by the beach or in a grand hall with flowers adoring walls and ceilings, getting married is kind of a big deal. So are anniversaries! Celebrating an anniversary, whether it is your 1 year or 12 years down the lane, is worth celebrating. Relationships are a lot of hard work and milestones need to be marked and celebrated. It’s a way of thanking each other for putting up with one another whilst at the same time, embracing the memories you have made along the path. However cliché an anniversary might be, celebrations are always in order.
As years go by, perhaps your anniversaries begin to sneak up on you, with you and your loved one seemingly ending up going to dinner and continuing the same anniversary routine over and over again. Or maybe the big date comes and goes but you didn’t do anything because you were on a tight budget and couldn’t think of anything to do with your lady that didn’t cost a fortune. Or maybe you don’t celebrate at all because you somehow seemed to have lost the gist of it.
One thing very apparent with Sri Lankan couples is the harsh reality that with the years of marriage or the years of a relationship climbing its way up, the importance given to the celebration of it reduces. Marriage turns into kids and life is suddenly centered on the household. Think about it, when was the last time you and your husband went on a quiet romantic date all to yourselves? Sure, as teens you both swore you loved each other and would not let anything get in the way of it, but look at it now. When was the last time you felt like everything was right where it was supposed to be?
Not to worry. We’ve come up with a list of amazing ideas you can use to spice up this year’s anniversary. Buckle up people, it only comes once a year.
- Relive your first date
Chances are, this isn’t expensive at all to recreate. Unless you took your lady on a five course meal on your first date of course! Maybe it was at some restaurant or a movie at MC (quite a popular first date location, I tell you) or a walk down independence square, or some fine dining restaurant in some hotel in the city. Whichever it is, your partner is going to feel both special and loved if you can recreate your first date for them. The first date is something we won’t ever forget. The first impressions, awkward gestures, held back conversations, the constant worry that something would go wrong. How fun would recreating that be, huh?
- Watch your wedding video together
Chances are you may have not watched your wedding video entirely. This can be because you found it boring just a few weeks after the wedding when you first got it or because the both of you didn’t find time to sit down and enjoy it together. But what’s the point of having a video made if you are not going to watch it? Your anniversary is a great opportunity to remember that special day, so dust off that wedding DVD and watch highlights together. If you don’t have one, perhaps you have a video of a vacation you took or another memorable occasion. If not, look through your wedding album or pictures that you have taken throughout your years together.
- Pack the kids away
Aha, this is absolutely crucial. You need to pack the kids away if the both of you are to have some peaceful time together. Thankfully our extended family bonds permit us to call up our moms any time of the day and have them look after the kids. “Kids, it’s time to bond with seeya and achchi!”
If you are married and with children, you need a date night. It’s tricky to find time, because it involves the constant guilt factor, but it is absolutely crucial that you find some time to yourselves because you deserve some time away from the constant grinding and hustling.
- Give thoughtful gifts
One thing you realise when you’re in a relationship is the fact that it doesn’t matter how expensive the gift is, if it isn’t of any use to you or your daily activities. What makes a spouse or partner stand out from the rest of the pack is the ability to identify your partner’s needs and wants correctly. Yes, this involves picking out the right gifts.
Here’s a little overview to help you out.
For her:
- Flower Power- You can never go wrong with a bouquet of flowers and some chocolates. Flowers are truly, the way to anyone’s heart.
- Bling + Elegance – I’m sure she’d rather have diamonds around her neck than flower in her hair. Women are famous for window shopping. Specifically when it comes to expensive, fine jewellery.
- Fragrances –Surprise her with her favourite fragrance. Just a heads up, women usually like a fruity fragrance or a floral one.
- Her favourite brands –A woman who’s a shopaholic will always be grateful for the bags, shoes and accessories you get her.
For him:
- Perfume – This is something that applies to both men and women.Don’t go for a floral, fruity smell. Most men absolutely detest it. Go for a manlier, and huskier one.
- Gadgets – Maybe it’s the latest iPhone, if he’s a reader, then maybe it’s something like a Kindle Fire (this option however, will take some time to ship) or maybe it’s something as cool as the Samsung Galaxy Gear.
- Time tellers – What better gift to get him that a watch! Something he’s going to have with him for a long time and probably, something he’s going to wear to work every single day.
I won’t say these choices are thoughtful as they are a bunch of ideas I articulated and out up to help you. How you can make them thoughtful it to dig a little deeper into. Ask yourself, did she tell you her favourite perfume was over? Did she tell you she liked some piece of clothing? Is her raving about a new electronic gadget in stores?
- Spending an evening with no technology
Okay, this probably cannot be done if you both are not married because knowing our mothers, they would go absolutely berserk if we wouldn’t pick up a bunch of their calls, let alone one. Maybe cook something up for the both of you, or play a board game, or even easier, just entirely concentrate only on each other the entire evening. At the end of the date, you would not only find yourself more connected to your spouse, but you will also find you both to be woven into each other on a spiritual level. Who knew some time away from our phones could help you this much?
- Take a road trip together
Galle is officially the most sought after road trip destination, but thanks to our former President and the team, all the beautiful locations on the down south stretch can be travelled to in a couple of a few hours. Grab your lady and take her on a road trip.
If you don’t think your budget is up for it, but want to spend a night there, Airbnb a place. Airbnb now offers some really good places to lodge in at incredible prices. Some locations they have make you question if it really is Sri Lanka.
- Do something adventurous
Maybe you’re an adrenaline junkie, maybe you aren’t. But what better way to remember an anniversary than to do something completely out of thought. Be spontaneous. Drive up to Kitulgala and go white water rafting. Or call up some camp in Yala and go elephant watching with your partner. Our island is a beautiful combinations of all sorts of natural luxuries waiting to be explored. Maybe take a hiking trail to the beautiful lands in Horton Plains or go to Koggala for some Dolphin and Whale watching. The list is endless.
The best way to create a memorable anniversary is to do something new and different together as a couple. Stretch yourselves a bit. New experiences reinforce the shared bond you already have and create strong new memories. The focus is on anniversary ideas for together time at home, getting away or having a wild and crazy new experience together. Just think back to the most significant memories you have right now with your spouse and imagine what new ones you can create!
While you enjoy your chosen anniversary activity be sure to keep a positive attitude and treat your partner like a king or queen that day. Leave all arguments and day to day detail behind. Just celebrate your relationship.
Let us know your favourite memory of an anniversary in the comments section below!
