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Tags: relationships, anniversaries, wedding anniversary
 A wedding anniversary is a very important milestone in a couple’s life. It is usually a happy and momentous occasion that a couple celebrates with people who matters most to them. Family and friends typically get together to commemorate the event, while the couple reconnects and reminisce all those years they’ve shared and why they fell in love with each other in the first place.
The wedding anniversary is an event that is widely recognized and celebrated all over the globe. Every year, a lot of couples spend huge sums of money just to have yet another memorable gathering, whether it’s an elaborate black tie affair or a huge backyard barbeque. Some choose to have a smaller, more intimate party, while those who scrape their pennies simply don’t celebrate anymore.
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While this kind of shindig may have increased its popularity in the 20th century, it will be a revelation to a lot of people to learn that anniversaries were actually standard practice in medieval times. During this period, it was common for married couples to have the same wedding anniversary if they were living in a particular region.
This was mainly due to the fact that a lot of the small villages had only one and the same priest, who didn’t have the time to perform a lot of marriages. After some time, the Church decided on only two marriage ceremonies that would be held every year. If a couple wants to be joined as husband and wife, they must be present at one of these services.
Thus, numerous couples had the same anniversaries, which they usually celebrated together. However, these couples did not celebrate their anniversaries very often. Only the 25th and 50th years were celebrated, since these were considered truly special occasions. The 25th anniversary was acknowledged as a time to cheer in the couple’s freedom from child-rearing.
In the past, couples usually got married in the early to middle teens, so by the time they reach their mid-thirties they already celebrate their 25th year. Most of their children by then would be adults already, and the couple would be free from parenting duties and responsibilities. It is customary back then for the husband to place a silver wreath on his wife’s head as a sign of their unity as well as the new stage of their life that they were about to embark on.
In the medieval times, the usual life span for men was approximately forty years of age due to disease and battle; women died at an even earlier age due to childbirth fatalities and illnesses resulting from annual pregnancies. For these reasons, the 50th anniversary was deemed even more festive. The husband typically placed a golden wreath on the wife’s head, signifying how precious their long-lasting union was.
It wasn’t until the 1930’s when society began to celebrate the 1st, 10th, 20th, 25th, 50th and the 70th anniversaries. Along with it was the designation of certain items as appropriate gifts according to what year was being celebrated. In our society today, anniversaries are celebrated annually. Because of the ever-increasing divorce rates, many couples never reach their 10th year; some are lucky enough to reach the 5th, which is why it is safer to celebrate annually.
The festivities to commemorate the 25th and 50th anniversaries have turned into elaborate affairs, and with good reason. It is quite phenomenal for couples to stay together that long, at a time when a marriage doesn’t seem to last anymore.
About the author
The author of this article, Ruth Purple, is a successful Relationship Coach who has been helping and coaching individuals and couples for many years. Ruth recently published an easy to follow course on how to get your cheating spouse back. Click here to get more info about Winning Your Man Back From Infidelity.
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