OT - First Anniversary Gift Ideas

TexasRebel

So the SWMBO and I will be celebrating our 1st Anniversary in September and I'm looking for ideas for a nice gift.  I'd like to try to keep it under 200 bucks or so.  And I'd like to adhere to the Paper for 1st Anniversary tradition.  Any ideas?

DoubleEgger

Wedding picture framed 

billt01

parts of this are wrapped in paper....

TexasRebel

billt01 said:

parts of this are wrapped in paper....

She'd love that! 

steel_egg

My wife and I have never done gifts for our anniversary. We go out to a nice restaurant and put the money towards that. Has worked for for the last 13 years. 

Killit_and_Grillit

Ok...you’re new at this so listen up. 

Set a precedent. If you go too nice, sentimental, over the top, you’ll screw yourself in the long run. 

Small, thoughtful, and write a solid note in a card. Take her out to dinner. No dishes. 

I think I did concert tickets. (Paper)

billt01

Killit_and_Grillit said:

Ok...you’re new at this so listen up. 

Set a precedent. If you go too nice, sentimental, over the top, you’ll screw yourself in the long run. 

Small, thoughtful, and write a solid note in a card. Take her out to dinner. No dishes. 

I think I did concert tickets. (Paper)

this man may know a thing or two...not necessarily about women (no man does), but nonetheless a thing or two 

Cornholio

We keep our anniversary gifts small as far as cost goes and usually go out for dinner or make a good meal at home.  

I’ve had good luck searching for the anniversary year on sites like Etsy and getting ideas from there and have ordered something from there the past few years.  Think memories over materialistic goods.

https://www.etsy.com/market/1st_anniversary_gift

DoubleEgger

Killit_and_Grillit said:

Ok...you’re new at this so listen up. 

Set a precedent. If you go too nice, sentimental, over the top, you’ll screw yourself in the long run. 

Small, thoughtful, and write a solid note in a card. Take her out to dinner. No dishes. 

I think I did concert tickets. (Paper)

Setting a low bar is always a prudent move. Gotta manage expectations. 

TexasRebel

Thanks for all of the advice guys.  We have a trip planned to San Antonio....1/2 work 1/2 personal that will be paid for by my company.  The plan is to make that our anniversary present for each other and just enjoy ourselves.  Nice dinner or two, maybe see some stuff, walk the boardwalk, etc.  Sounds perfect to me.

Kayak

Hand her $200?

DoubleEgger

Kayak said:

Hand her $200?

Technically you need to write her a check. Bills are cloth. 

northGAcock

First year and subsequent years are "The Year of the Card". 

DoubleEgger

northGAcock said:

First year and subsequent years are "The Year of the Card". 

Party is still holding out for The Year of the Diamond Earrings 

northGAcock

DoubleEgger said:

northGAcock said:

First year and subsequent years are "The Year of the Card". 

Party is still holding out for The Year of the Diamond Earrings 

Prolly spend my life insurance when I pass away.

mlc2013

@Killit_and_Grillit gave solid advice, I have been married for a little longer then you (15 years) and I totally agree with gift giving but keeping it small and thoughtful. I started the gifts with hand written cards with a little history on how we met etc. (we were high school sweet hearts and dated for 9 years before getting married so theres a lot of stories, I know 9 years not enough time I tried pushing for 15 but our parents wouldn't have it)  My wife seemed to eat that up, not all girls do as @billt01 pointed out non of us can pretend we know what they are thinking. I gave her (us) tickets to see a play which was great but now I see a play or show every year, Im not complaining as I actually enjoy most of them, not opera did THAT ONCE, still have nightmares as im just not sophisticated enough for those. In the end I try to keep it simple and do something I know we don't normally do as to try and keep it memorable. My cards now are store bought and i write love Michael on them no more stories but still try and do different things. Good luck.

Foghorn

DoubleEgger said:

Killit_and_Grillit said:

Ok...you’re new at this so listen up. 

Set a precedent. If you go too nice, sentimental, over the top, you’ll screw yourself in the long run. 

Small, thoughtful, and write a solid note in a card. Take her out to dinner. No dishes. 

I think I did concert tickets. (Paper)

Setting a low bar is always a prudent move. Gotta manage expectations. 

This is something that someone should have told me 20+ years ago.

On a few occasions, I pursued the short term reward of giving an anniversary gift that would bring her great joy and exceed her expectations.  However, the long term consequences of that being the new standard and then disappointing her in subsequent years always proved to me that I should just keep expectations low.

Foghorn

TexasRebel said:

Thanks for all of the advice guys.  We have a trip planned to San Antonio....1/2 work 1/2 personal that will be paid for by my company.  The plan is to make that our anniversary present for each other and just enjoy ourselves.  Nice dinner or two, maybe see some stuff, walk the boardwalk, etc.  Sounds perfect to me.

If the weather is nice, for an anniversary dinner, it's hard to beat an outside table on the Riverwalk at Little Rhein Steakhouse or its next door neighbor Fig Tree.

TexasRebel

Foghorn said:

TexasRebel said:

Thanks for all of the advice guys.  We have a trip planned to San Antonio....1/2 work 1/2 personal that will be paid for by my company.  The plan is to make that our anniversary present for each other and just enjoy ourselves.  Nice dinner or two, maybe see some stuff, walk the boardwalk, etc.  Sounds perfect to me.

If the weather is nice, for an anniversary dinner, it's hard to beat an outside table on the Riverwalk at Little Rhein Steakhouse or its next door neighbor Fig Tree.

Sounds great!  Any other advice for the San Antonio area?  Any good BBQ?  Maybe I can talk her into stopping in Austin on the way back or the way there.

Botch

mlc2013 said:

...Im not complaining as I actually enjoy most of them, not opera did THAT ONCE, still have nightmares as im just not sophisticated enough for those. 

Heh.  I took what's-her-name to Vegas at the last minute for her 45th birthday, and said we could see any show she wanted.  She chose "Riverdance".    Show was almost sold out, so we got tickets in the front row (which is NOT where you want to sit for any ballet/dance type show, especially featuring too many guys in tights, tap-dancing).  Long show, felt like 17 days. Ugh!  

mlc2013

Botch now your talking guys in tights tap dancing im going LOL Yeah there are a few shows that were not for me but for the most part I enjoy most of the them I live in NY so it 45 min to NYC and all the bway shows are mostly not men in tights

Foghorn

TexasRebel said:

Foghorn said:

TexasRebel said:

Thanks for all of the advice guys.  We have a trip planned to San Antonio....1/2 work 1/2 personal that will be paid for by my company.  The plan is to make that our anniversary present for each other and just enjoy ourselves.  Nice dinner or two, maybe see some stuff, walk the boardwalk, etc.  Sounds perfect to me.

If the weather is nice, for an anniversary dinner, it's hard to beat an outside table on the Riverwalk at Little Rhein Steakhouse or its next door neighbor Fig Tree.

Sounds great!  Any other advice for the San Antonio area?  Any good BBQ?  Maybe I can talk her into stopping in Austin on the way back or the way there.

In general, the food on the Riverwalk is quite good - except the Mexican food.  It is better than what you'll find almost anywhere else, but by San Antonio standards it is not great.  Get your Mexican fix somewhere else - like the Mexican market - or just about anywhere.

As for BBQ, I've been looking for an opportunity to try 2M - which is supposed the be the best in town - and maybe the best in the state/world.

https://texasbbqposse.com/2017/04/2m-smokehouse-turning-best-barbecue-texas.html

Salmonegg

TexasRebel said:

Thanks for all of the advice guys.  We have a trip planned to San Antonio....

I did just this for my ninth anniversary last month.  We were on our way to a family thing and flew into SAT a couple nights early.  We stayed in the Omni La Mansion and got upgraded to a suite overlooking the river. It was great and we really enjoyed the hotel and the location, though the food at Rosario's is better than anything we found on the Riverwalk. If I were headed back, I might stay at the Emma. 

Re: your other question about BBQ, I had brisket at the Granary and it was OK, but not worth a special trip. I think you're better off with Tex-Mex in SA, proper.

jdkeithbge

Killit_and_Grillit said:

Ok...you’re new at this so listen up. 

Set a precedent. If you go too nice, sentimental, over the top, you’ll screw yourself in the long run. 

Small, thoughtful, and write a solid note in a card. Take her out to dinner. No dishes. 

I think I did concert tickets. (Paper)

Truly @Killit_and_Grillit speaks with wisdom.  Heed his words.

TEXASBGE2018

Such Amateurs. Easy, handmade coupon book for 50 sessions of TexasRebel love.  We just celebrated our 10 year wedding anniversary. I'm lucky though because I have a wife that likes simple things. You could go total cheeseball and get her a star from the International Star Registry.

berndcrisp

How about a framed poster of her favorite movie?

LetsEat

On our first anniversary we visited several galleries and ultimately chose a lithograph that is still displayed in our home. We will be celebrating 44years next month and looking at that 1st Anniversary gift still brings a smile to my face.  Happy anniversary to you and your wife. 

buzd504

nm

dmchicago

A kite. Paper. Tie misc. copies of your wedding photos to the tail and take her to a park for a nice picnic, wine, whatever. 

Fly the kite together and talk about the heights of your lives together still to climb.

After, frame the kite and hang in the bedroom.

kingsmoke

Gift certificate  for a "spa day"  ?   I have planned a weekend getaway for our fall anniversary for 25 years and counting.  

HeavyG

DoubleEgger said:

Kayak said:

Hand her $200?

Technically you need to write her a check. Bills are cloth. 

Ahhh...so that's why we call it cloth money.