Golden Wedding Traditions
Contents
- Customs and ceremonies on the 50th wedding anniversary
- Traditional Golden Wedding Gifts
- Video: traditionally celebrate a golden wedding
The fiftieth wedding anniversary got its name in honor of a precious and incredibly durable material - gold. This metal is associated with spouses who have been able to maintain family relationships for half a century. In order for the anniversaries to feel the significance of this day, it is necessary to know all the traditions of the golden wedding, which became an integral part of the event.
Customs and ceremonies on the 50th wedding anniversary
Golden wedding is rich in its traditions. On this day, it is customary to arrange a noisy and solemn holiday, which necessarily gathers close friends, relatives, children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren next to the anniversaries. The anniversary of the golden wedding will be interesting and exciting if you involve all the invited guests to organize the rites. In order not to miss the implementation of all customs, we suggest that you familiarize yourself with each of them.
Rite - showers of gold
According to this tradition, a married couple is showered with small gold coins, and with them rice, rose petals, grain, sweets. Such a rite expresses the wish of long health, immense happiness and eternal love. The shedding of anniversaries is entrusted to close relatives, children or friends, who must say the words in unison: «As drops of golden rain, consisting of mutual understanding and well-being, spilled on you 50 years ago, so let it spill for the next half century now».
Giving a Gold Handkerchief
For this tradition, you will need a scarf, which the daughter of the anniversary family who has already grown up must embroider with gold threads in advance. On the anniversary of the parents, the daughter or son donates the finished masterpiece to her mother and covers her shoulders. A gift made by children always takes on special value and makes their descendants proud of their skills. If you don’t have time to prepare such a surprise or doubt the final result, then get a ready-made scarf in the store.
Ring exchange
The first exchange of rings occurs on the day of marriage, and the second - after twenty-five years of marriage, when gold items are changed to silver. After 25 years of wearing such rings, a married couple needs to change silver to gold again. Anniversaries make an exchange in private, uttering sincere declarations of eternal love. On the contrary, modern traditions suggest that this rite be performed before the feast, making witnesses of this sacrament to all guests present.
Rite of transmission of wedding rings to children
The gold rings exchanged by the anniversaries 50 years ago have already been rubbed a little and lost their luster. Therefore, the time has come for a married couple to change them for new ones, and the old ones according to tradition must be passed on to their children or grandchildren. The rings, which were received as a gift from the anniversaries, have a strong energy that can affect the happy life together of those to whom they got.
Transmission of wisdom from the older generation
A couple who has lived half a century in a happy and strong marriage must share the family secrets of their achievement. According to tradition, at the end of the evening, all invited guests gather in the living room and anniversaries begin their story. The wife addresses her wise advice to the female half, and the husband addresses men. Then the couple should summarize their appeal with the wish of a happy marriage, which will lead to a golden wedding.
Candle lighting
By tradition, candles symbolize the warmth of the hearth, the light of hope, harmony and well-being. On this day, they give rise to a new 50 years of married life, so the ceremony of their ignition must necessarily be present on the wedding anniversary. In order for everything to go according to the scenario, it is necessary to put two gold-colored candles on the table in front of the heroes of the day, which had previously been decorated with a bronze ribbon.
Before the ceremony begins, the leader should say the words: «These golden candles are a symbol of your true and eternal love, which you managed to preserve and carried through half a century. The bright flame helped you steadfastly overcome all difficulties and hardships. So light the candles again so that their light illuminates your next 50 years together!». After these words, the jubilees are given the opportunity to light a symbol of faithful love under thunderous applause.
Wedding feast and kalach
Anniversaries will remember this day for a long time, if children and grandchildren organize a wedding feast for them, observing all the traditions of the celebration. To celebrate, you can rent a banquet hall in a restaurant decorated in gold tones. Make a reservation with the administrator of the restaurant in advance about the design of the hall, decorating the table with brocade gold tablecloths, and windows with curtains. The presence of such flowers in the interior will help create a special holiday atmosphere..
If a married couple prefers to celebrate at home, it is necessary to decorate the room with golden elements of decor. By tradition, a couple is allocated a place in the center of the table and after each toast they shout «Bitterly!». At the end of the celebration, the jubilees are presented with a wedding kalach, which they must cut in half. It is better if the child does it - the grandson or even the great-grandson. According to tradition, the first part must be divided equally between the guests, and the second part is eaten by yourself. The kalach is a symbol of wisdom and a happy life.
Dance with friends and relatives
After the first feast, according to tradition, the husband invites his wife to a dance that they perform in a circle of people close to them. The melody must be selected, taking into account the taste and preferences of the anniversaries. Try to refrain from modern compositions, and choose slow hits that were played on the wedding day. You can create a romantic atmosphere if you distribute small candles to all guests.
Throwing a bouquet
The tradition of throwing a bouquet should be present not only on the day of the wedding, but also on the 50th anniversary of marriage. The flowers that the husband presented to his wife must be thrown into the crowd of unmarried girls. That young lady who caught the bouquet, according to legend, will soon receive a gift of fate - an offer to get married. If the celebration is attended by married women who have been married for a long time, then the caught bouquet guarantees a long and happy family life..
Tea Party Together
An integral tradition of celebrating the anniversary of a golden wedding is the holding of a tea ceremony. This ceremony should take place at the end of the main celebration, after all the guests have dispersed. An elderly couple, without taking away treats and plates, sits down at the table and pours tea to each other. At this moment, the couple recall the best events that happened during fifty years of marriage.
Traditional Golden Wedding Gifts
According to tradition, on the anniversary of the golden wedding, children and grandchildren should give thematic gifts that will be not only memorable, but also useful. Spouses who have lived together for 50 years appreciate practicality in surprises. So that the gift touches and makes you sincerely smile, deal with its choice a few weeks before the significant date. We offer the following interesting ideas for preparing a presentation on the anniversary of a golden wedding:
- New wedding rings. This gift is associated with the tradition of changing the old rings that the couple engaged to 50 years ago. Therefore, pick up an old pair of new classic rings without additional frills and jewelry. The gift will be original if you pre-order engraving on the inside of the ring, for example, writing the date of the wedding.
- Jewelry. Spouses who have lived together for 50 years will be happy to receive golden crosses as a gift. These jewelry will become for them a talisman that they will keep for many years. It is also worth considering a gift option for a spouse in the form of earrings, and for her husband - cufflinks made of yellow or white gold.
- Tableware. A practical gift for a wedding anniversary is a service, a set of dishes or pans. These things will become irreplaceable for an elderly couple, especially if they are chosen with love, and not in a hurry.
- Picture. If spouses appreciate art, present them with a reproduction of a famous artist. The present will approach the theme of the wedding anniversary, if you choose paintings with golden frames.
- Shawl and shawl. Choose for a woman products that are embroidered with lurex or gold threads. With the help of such a scarf or shawl, she will be able to warm herself in cold weather..
- Appliances. The best gift for the home is household appliances. These indispensable devices will greatly simplify homework. Give your couple a new iron, vacuum cleaner, bread machine or slow cooker. Pick up equipment with a simple interface and be sure to explain to the anniversaries how to use these devices.
- Family portrait. Your surprise will turn out to be original if you give a married couple their joint picture. To do this, first contact a professional artist who will draw a real masterpiece of photography.
Video: traditionally celebrate a golden wedding
To make the 50th wedding anniversary unforgettable, organize a celebration for the couple, in compliance with all traditions. The video below will help you determine the scenario of the celebration. The plot shows examples of rites and traditions that you can take as a basis for making your own holiday. Give jubilees an unforgettable day filled with family warmth and love.