Anniversary Gift Giving

Mark and I have never been big on holiday gift giving when it comes to each other.  We love to buy things for family and friends, but when it comes to ourselves, we would rather just save the money or make a larger purchase together.  With that being said, we are adults now with real jobs and can afford to to do something special every now and then.



Mark and I started dating in 2001 and we married in 2008.  We still count our total years together and celebrate both anniversaries (we were not about to start at zero when we got married!)  In a little less than a month, we will hit our first big milestone .. 10 years together.  We thought, since it was a big one, we should exchange gifts.  Now the question is ... what do I get Mark?



We thought it would be fun to stick with the traditional anniversary gift criteria.  Don't know what that is?  See the chart below:

Traditional Wedding Anniversary Gifts by YearFirst: Paper

Second: Cotton

Third: Leather

Fourth: Fruit or Flowers

Fifth: Wood

Sixth: Candy or Iron

Seventh: Wool or Copper

Eight Bronze or Pottery

Ninth: Pottery

Tenth: Aluminum/Tin

Eleventh: Steel

Twelfth: Silk or Linen

Thirteenth: Lace

Fourteenth: Ivory

Fifteenth: Crystal

Twentieth: China

Twenty-Fifth: Silver

Thirtieth: Pearls

Thirty-Fifth: Coral

Fortieth: Ruby

Forty-Fifth: Sapphire

Fiftieth: Gold

Fifty-Fifth: Emerald

Sixtieth: Diamond

So I am looking for aluminum or tin?  Grrrreat.  Seeing as aluminum is Mark's favorite metal (yes, you read that right) it should be fairly easy to come up with something.  Combine that with the fact that there are a lot of engine parts, tools, etc made from aluminum and this should be a piece of cake.  So why am I completely stumped?!



I have googled ideas to no end.  Mark just does not fit with the "typical guy" criteria used to come up with the gift ideas out there (and yes I am totally ok with that). 



Golf clubs ... not a golfer.

Cuff links ... does not wear dress shirts often ... much less French-cuff ones.

Money clip ... um, no.  He doesn't carry cash and he much prefers alternative wallet materials (ie duct tape or tyvek .. hehe)

Engraved picture frame ... seriously!?  He's a g-u-y.  'nuff said.

A multitude of paper weights ... He may sit at a desk all most of the day but it isn't made of solid mahogany.



So basically all my googling as turned up nothing.  Through regular brainstorming, I have come up with a VERY short (aka: three) list of possibilities though.  I will, however, not be divulging those on this post since the Mister tends to read my blog every now and then .. but that doesn't mean I can't brainstorm.



One of my gift ideas is looking to be way above my budget.  I am trying to find a deal or get the hook-up somewhere but I am not thinking it will work out.  I am going to keep pushing towards it but I need a feasible back-up, too.  That's where #2 and #3 come into play.



My second gift idea is looking to be the most likely candidate.  It's something he has never specifically mentioned wanting but it plays into the bigger picture of things that we want down the line.  I think he would be excited (not to mention the seller has a decent return policy).



The third item is kind of a cop-out.  I know he wants it.  He's mentioned it before.  But what's the fun in that!?  I love giving gifts that are at least a little bit surprising and I feel like this doesn't do the job.



Mark is a really good gift-giver.  Like I said before, we don't gift during every holiday, but when we do, he usually nails it.  He always puts a lot of thought into what he gives me and it often stems from a comment I made months and months prior.  Whether it is sentimental or practical .. and whether he spends $20 or $200 .. I know he's thought about it and I know I will like it.



Which brings me back to my little list of three items.  I know he would love #1 and he would be shocked because, if I can get one, he would never suspect it because of the price range.  Gift #2 is a little risky only because he's never directly mentioned it.  And Gift #3 is a sure thing but totally boring.



At this point I am going to get #2 and possibly #3.  They aren't related but, combined, are still within my budget.  Hopefully #1 will come to fruition in the next week or so and it will all be moot.  I know this post seems to be kind of worthless but, by typing it all out, it has helped me sure up my decision-making and made me feel better about the whole thing.



Do you have a significant other that you celebrate with through gift giving?  Do you stick with gift list ideas like the one mentioned above or do you just pick something random that they would like?  Can you think of something awesome I should get that is made of aluminum?





UPDATE:  I bought items #2 and #3.  I will let you know what they are and if they were a success soon.