THE RUBY ANNIVERSARY LANTERN

What’s a ruby anniversary?

We’ve all heard of the silver and golden anniversaries, but ruby?

Weddings are funny things, and now so are anniversaries.

You don’t want any missteps or mistakes, so in service to all matrimonial celebrations:

 

Traditional Anniversary Gifts by Year

• 1st Year: Paper (represents a blank slate)

• 2nd Year: Cotton (comfort and strength)

• 3rd Year: Leather (durability)

• 4th Year: Fruit & Flowers or Linen/Silk

• 5th Year: Wood (solid roots)

• 6th Year: Iron or Candy

• 7th Year: Copper or Wool

• 8th Year: Bronze or Pottery

• 9th Year: Willow or Pottery

• 10th Year: Tin or Aluminum (durability/flexibility)

• 11th Year: Steel (strength)

• 12th Year: Silk or Linen

• 13th Year: Lace

• 14th Year: Ivory (often replaced with ethical alternatives like opal or gold)

• 15th Year: Crystal

• 20th Year: China

• 25th Year: Silver (Silver Jubilee)

• 30th Year: Pearl

• 35th Year: Coral

• 40th Year: Ruby

• 45th Year: Sapphire

• 50th Year: Gold (Gold Jubilee)

• 55th Year: Emerald

• 60th Year: Diamond (Diamond Jubilee)

Why The Ruby Anniversary Lantern

By most accounts each year from 1-15 has a special object.

From then on it’s every five years, and as you make your way down that road things get a little dim.

If you don’t have a lantern, you might miss something.

For all the married people, especially the once-married and now not, there’s plenty to miss.

For example, I missed the special day flowers, which are seen here:

 

Flowers are also associated with wedding anniversaries up to and including the 50th anniversary.

 

Year	Flower
1st	Carnation
2nd	Cosmos
3rd	Sunflower
4th	Geranium
5th	Daisy
10th	Daffodil
15th	Rose
20th	Aster
25th	Iris
30th	Lily
40th	Gladiolus
50th	Yellow rose with violets

There might be gladiolus in there?

 

The Red Light For The Next Five Years

Did you know the fortieth wedding anniversary also has a song?

 

Roxanne (you don’t have to put on the red light)
Roxanne (put on the red light)
Roxanne (put on the red light)
Roxanne (put on the red light)
Roxanne (put on the red light)
Roxanne (put on the red light)
Roxanne (put on the red light)
Roxanne (put on the red light)
Roxanne (you don’t have to put on the red light)
Roxanne (put on the red light)
Roxanne (you don’t have to put on the red light)
Roxanne (put on the red light)
(Roxanne) Put on the red light
(Roxanne) Put on the red light
(Roxanne) Put on the red light

 

If you make it forty years together, put on the red light.

Swing it on dark walks.

Keep it near the door so you won’t forget.

Keys, wallet, glasses, red light?

Check.

 

The Real Ruby Treasure? Check

If there comes a day, and there will, where you find yourself in doubt you’ll ever reach the Ruby milestone, look at this dog picture and take hope.

This is Ruby the wonder dog who is the happiest dog I’ve ever been around and she’s mine, all mine.

All mine and my wife, too.

We are the empty nest baby boomers, the couple you hear all about looking for purpose and meaning and finding it in just the right amount.

Ruby is a dancer, a prancer, and everything dog all in one furry bundle.

My wife longed to nurture a living being. I volunteered, but it wasn’t enough. Shocking, I know.

She said something about understanding women her age needing to nurture. Again, I volunteered.

So we got a dog, a big rambunctious dog too much for her to handle all alone.

Our last dog was a miniature dachshund which was just her size.

“Honey we’re not getting any younger. If we get a dog, it’ll be a tall dog so we don’t have to lean over as much.”

We settled on a medium size dog, but one thing led to another and we got Big Ruby.

Now we both get nurtured.

Guess who’s going to wear red ribbons for the next year?

 

We all are, and we’re all fine with that.

 

PSS:

Will there be new shoes to walk Ruby the dog with the ruby lamp?

PSS:

Don’t slide on important dates. People remember. And they might remember more than you’d like.

Try and remind yourself that every little thing is gonna be alright.