An "anniversary" question

[Lord Ash]

A question that a friend and I are having a debate about;

Imagine a relatively newly-wed couple buy their first house and move in together. Would it be expected (or maybe "to what degree would it be expected?") that they do a little one-year-moving-in-anniversary dinner or small-scale recognition of the event a year later?

[DevilAlumna]

I'd say it depends, on both how the couple recognizes other major milestones, and how big an event the purchase of the house was in their life.

Mr. DA & I don't have much of a tradition of celebrating our wedding anniversary, much less something like when I moved in with him; I can't imagine celebrating "our first house purchase anniversary." But, I can picture it for a couple who does make an event out of those "firsts."

[juise]

Celebrating anniversaries for smaller milestones seems like setting a dangerous precedent to me... especially when life gets more complicated (kids). Of course, that comes from a guy's perspective. Is it bad that I've only been married 15 months and I'm already trying to skirt future obligations?

[devildeac]

I'd celebrate-now matter how small-I'd celebrate. Cones at Baskin-Robbins, sundaes at DQ, lunch out that day, a bottle of champagne, small bouquet of flowers, etc. Be creative. Be clever. But celebrate it.

[CathyCA]

Heck, yeah! CELEBRATE!

Invite friends, throw an open house party, have plenty of food and drink, but don't expect gifts from the invitees. (Of course, they'll all bring bottles of wine and plants, but tell them ahead of time that you would prefer no gifts.)

Invite all of the neighbors--use it as a way to get to know them, your friends and family. Take lots of pictures. Make a scrapbook or a webpage. Send copies of the pictures to your guests at Christmas or whatever card-sending holiday you celebrate and thank them for helping you celebrate this milestone.

For the menu: MEATBALLS, shrimp, stuffed mushrooms, those cute little quiche bites, a vegetable tray, a cheese tray, a fruit tray, a champagne punch (champagne, frozen juice concentrate, Sprite/7Up), brownies, maybe some strawberries dipped in chocolate, or whatever your specialty is.

[Lavabe]

For the menu: MEATBALLS, shrimp, stuffed mushrooms, those cute little quiche bites, a vegetable tray, a cheese tray, a fruit tray, a champagne punch (champagne, frozen juice concentrate, Sprite/7Up), brownies, maybe some strawberries dipped in chocolate, or whatever your specialty is.

Not the meatballs in grape jelly sauce.

[Lavabe]

For what anniversary traditionally does one give a ShamWow?

[CathyCA]

Not the meatballs in grape jelly sauce.

Well, certainly not Swedish meatballs or meatballs in marinara.

You MUST have meatballs in the grape jelly and chili sauce.

[blublood]

I don't know, from a female perspective, I get annoyed at meaningless "anniversary" celebrations too. I mean, for God's sake, you moved in together. Everybody who is married presumably has at some point. Move on. If you just need an excuse to go out on a date then that's great, but as someone else pointed out, that "celebration" is going to bite the dust once children arrive on the scene anyway. You'll be doing good to remember your own birthday at that point!