Anniversary Gifts - Twenty-Fourth Anniversary

March 6th, 2010 by Dale Kentucky | No Comments »

If you’re wondering what the modern anniversary gift idea is for your twenty-fourth anniversary, since there is no traditional gift until next year, this one may come as a bit of a surprise. Yes, this year’s offering is one of the more unusual gift ideas you’re going to find in the world of anniversary gifts.

This year it’s time to get your spouse into music and not just listening to it out of the stereo. No, we’re talking about making some music on his or her own. If you haven’t figured out what this year’s surprise gift is, it’s musical instruments. This may very well open up a new world to you, unless of course you’re already in a musical family. So let’s touch on that scenario first.

Let’s say your spouse is an accomplished musician. If that is the case, most likely he or she has had their instrument for many years. So there is no reason that you can’t get them a new one. Yeah, I know, pianos, if that’s what they play, are expensive but isn’t your spouse worth the expense? Of course, if your spouse plays something like a flute or a trumpet, then we’re not talking about too much money and a new flute or trumpet might be a welcome surprise.

What if your spouse doesn’t play an instrument at all? Well, this may be the perfect time for them to start. The one thing you want to keep in mind here is that you don’t want to spring for an instrument that is going to be too hard to learn. There are a couple of reasons for this. One is that as you get older, it’s harder to learn new things. Also, when you’re an adult and working you don’t have as much time to practice as when you’re a kid and the only thing you have to do is go to school. So keep these things in mind when you’re choosing your spouses new musical instrument.

One of the easiest instruments to learn is the drums. It doesn’t require hitting any “right” notes. All you have to do is keep a beet. If you decide to get a drum set for your spouse, you might want to start with a simple three or four piece set and work your way up from there. A three piece set consists of a bass drum, snare drum and one tom. The high hat comes with it and is not considered a piece. You might also want to get one symbol for them to splash on.

After the drums, you might want to consider one of the following: Flute, guitar, electric keyboard or trumpet. These are some of your easier instruments to learn. Stay away from things like violins, which take an incredible ear to learn to play.

If you don’t know what to get your spouse, a gift certificate to a music store where they sell musical instruments will do. This way, your spouse can pick out whatever he or she wants.

This year’s anniversary gift could be the start of something new and exciting in your lives together or, it could just be the beginning of a lot of noise. And you thought the kids caused a racket.

Michael Russell

Your Independent guide to anniversary-gifts-guides.com/ Anniversary Gifts

German Wedding Traditions

March 6th, 2010 by Dale Kentucky | No Comments »

Most citizens in the United States are aware of the traditions related to marriage in the U.S. June is the favorite month for a wedding. “Something borrowed, something blue”, the “groom’s party” for the parents and wedding party, a “dowry (perhaps)”, it is “unlucky to see the bride in her wedding dress before the ceremony”, the father of the bride making that long trip down the aisle with his daughter, and men, let’s not forget the “stag party”!

But in Germany the preferred month for marriage is May. The traditions related to marriage in Germany are many and vary by region. Also, some of the younger generations may not practice the following wedding traditions any longer.

Eheringe (Wedding rings)

During the engagement period both the bride and groom wear a ring on their left hand. After the wedding they wear the wedding ring on their right hand. Usually the rings are gold with no diamonds.

Brautkleid (Bride’s attire)

In Germany, as in the U.S, the bride wears “white”. But in Germany brides wear either very short trains or usually none at all attached to their wedding dress. If veils are worn they are of fingertip length and typically never worn over the face as in the U.S. Often in place of veils a flowery headband with ribbons is worn. Other accessories included may be a Diadem (Tiara), a little draw string purse and gloves. The custom is for the bride to dress at her home or her parent’s home and then drive to the ceremony.

Brautigams Kleidung (Groom’s attire)

The groom usually wears a black suit or a smoking jacket (dinner jacket)

Die Standesamtliche Trauung (The Wedding)

Before a church wedding the bride and groom will have been married in the Standesamt (Registry Office) by a registrar which is most often in the Rathaus (town hall). A witness is needed for the bride and also for the groom.

Die Kirche-Hochzeit (The Church Wedding)

Together, the bride and groom will enter the church and walk down the aisle. Because it is not legal to have only a church ceremony, the couple will have already been legally married by a Standesbeamte. Unlike in the U.S. it is not customary for there to be bridesmaids, groomsmen or flower girls.

Andere Deutsche Traditionen (Other German traditions)

Brides often carry salt and bread as an omen for good harvests and the groom carries grain for wealth and good fortune.

Before the wedding the bride’s possessions are transported to her new home. These may include linens she has collected, a cradle into which a doll has been secretly placed, and for the wedding of a farm girl, her parents second-best cow.

Hochzeitslader

This Bavarian tradition has an official inviter clad in fancy clothes decorated with ribbons and flowers going door to door extending a personal rhyming invitation to the invited guests. Guests accept by pinning one of the ribbons to the Hochzeitslader hat and by offering a drink or two at each stop. Should the invited guests be numerous and the Hochzeitslader be of the nature to accept the offered drinks he may need a day or two to complete his duties!

Junggesellenabschied (Bachelor Party)

Some weeks before the wedding the groom and his male friends go to a Kneipe (pub) to drink and have fun for his last time as a single man.

Polterabend (Wedding Eve)

At a party on the evening before the wedding plates and dishes are smashed to scare off evil spirits. Only china can be used. Anything else would bring bad luck. The bride and groom have to clean up everything. This is to indicate that they can work together.

Hochzeit-Schuhe (Wedding shoes)

Another tradition is for the bride to collect pennies for years to pay for her wedding shoes in which to insure that the marriage “gets off” on the right foot. The bride’s mother would place some dill and salt in her daughter’s right shoe.

Baumstamm Sagen (Log sawing)

Another old Bavarian tradition occurs right after the church ceremony. When the couple exits the Church there is a log on a sawhorse and the couple has to cut the log in half! This is to symbolize the first tough tasks of their future they can accomplish together.

Fichtenzweige (Fir boughs)

As the couple walks to the wedding car, fir boughs are laid along the path to pave their first newlywed steps with fresh greenery to symbolize hope, luck and fertility.

Reis Werfen (Rich throwing)

In this tradition it is said that the amount of rice that stays in the bride’s hair is the number of children the couple will have.

Hochzeitssuppe (Wedding soup)

The Hochzeitssuppe is made from beef, dumplings and vegetables and the guests eat if from a large bowl.

Eine Weisse Band (A white ribbon)

As the guests leave the church the bride gives a white ribbon to each driver of a car in the procession to tie to the radio antenna of the car. This procession then drives through the town honking their horns. Other drivers on the route honk their horns in return to wish the newlyweds good luck in their marriage.

Hochzeitstanz (Wedding dance)

The first dance is danced by the bride and groom and is traditionally a waltz. The next dance is only for the bride with her father and groom with his mother, while the bride’s mother dances with the groom’s father.

Brautbecher (Bridal cup)

A customary toast at the reception in the southern part of Germany is done with a special brautbecher (bridal cup). The pewter or crystal cup is in a form of a maiden holding above her head a small cup. Both ends of the cup (the bride’s skirt and the top cup) are filled with champagne or wine and the bride and groom drink their first toast from this cup together at the same time signifying their union as one. This age old tradition stems from centuries ago in the small town of Nuernberg.

Evelyn Whitaker writes articles for german-toasting-glasses.com German Toasting Glasses german-toasting-glasses.com german-toasting-glasses.com which specializes in custom german-toasting-glasses.com engraved wedding gifts from Germany.