Choosing A Special Anniversary Present

When my husband and I were married, we were very young and funds were short. Our friends made up for the lack of cash with handmade gifts, and we still have them today. One of my favourites is a small painting of my husband’s family crest that a friend researched and painted, and I vaguely remember telling my oldest daughter how I someday wanted a set of bone china with that on it one day. I never would have guessed she would remember it years later.

Our Twentieth

Every year my husband and I have taken a weekend together to celebrate our wedding day, and we have never regretted it. It is our way to reconnect, talk about our future, and plan the next year of our lives. We get to have some precious time alone as a couple, and it’s the best way for us to relax from our everyday duties and worries at home. This year our children begged us to stay home, and we finally agreed to it.

The Anniversary Party

Our house has always been a popular gathering place for friends and family, so our children planned an exquisite anniversary party using our home. They made all the arrangements for the weekend right after our actual anniversary, and we became excited about it as the date approached. On our wedding day, all four of our children showed up for dinner unexpectedly. Our oldest daughter held the door as her younger sister and two brothers carried in huge boxes.

A Surprise Gift

It was a big surprise to have all the children home for dinner, but what they had brought us was an even bigger surprise. My daughter had told the others about my dream of having a set of fine bone china and the pattern I dreamed of, and all of them chipped in to buy it. I was in tears as we opened the boxes, and I noticed my husband had suddenly developed a few allergies of his own. He almost dropped the first plate when he saw his family’s crest on it, so the children told us we were not allowed to handle the set until the day of the party.

Modern Methods

I have always wanted a beautiful set of china, and pricing it has been something I did on a regular basis. I could not imagine how the children could afford it, and getting a set with the exact design of the painting seemed like it would be even more expensive. They told me they had found a company called Wedgwood online that could provide a set with any pattern the customer wanted. They took a picture of the painting, uploaded it and had the set custom made in time for our special day.

I have always been proud of my children, but their innovation and talents continue to thrill and amaze me. Creating the china set my husband and I have always wanted was the perfect gift to celebrate the decades we have had as a close and caring family.