The first milestone has been passed - a difficult, emotional, eventful year has been lived together. But it is too early to relax, the couple climbed only the first rung of the ladder to a strong harmonious family. The symbol of the anniversary is light, colorful chintz, embodying the fragility of bonds and the brightness of relationships. They have not yet undergone serious tests of feelings, ahead of a test for the strength of marriage bonds. Even minor quarrels can extinguish a small flame of a young family hearth.
Most of the traditions of celebrating the first anniversary have been lost for centuries, only one rite of exchange of chintz handkerchiefs has survived to this day, on which the spouses previously tied a knot and uttered special words that had the power of a spell, as a sign of a desire to preserve love for many years. Then the scarves were hidden in the chest and kept for the whole life together. This simple action, in the opinion of the Russians, diverted adversity and strife from young people, attracted peace, order and understanding to the house.
Nowadays, on the first anniversary, they usually invite witnesses, close relatives, organizing a feast with competitions. They drink the bottle of champagne they have stored since the wedding day. And before, the wife not only sewed an elegant dress for herself and a shirt for her husband for the holiday, but also embroidered a tablecloth, prepared a feast for the guests. I had to demonstrate what kind of mistress she is.
If you do not have enough symbolism to mark this date, you can come up with your own family traditions and rituals, as far as the material side of the issue will allow:
- for each new anniversary, go on a trip to some country where you have not been;
- arrange family themed photo sessions;
- hide gifts for each other in secluded places with tasks and guidance on how to find them;
- rent a room at some recreation center in the woods by the river and turn off the phones, moving away from civilization for a while;
- plant a tree, burying notes with wishes for the future under it;
- cooking a festive dinner together, etc.
As for gifts for a chintz wedding, any textiles that are needed in the household are traditionally chosen: bed linen, towels, curtains, napkins, tablecloths.
Celebration on a grand scale is not an end in itself, 1 year together is not a serious date, therefore you should not be too picky about celebrating it. How many more joint anniversaries are ahead ?!
