A thirty fifth wedding anniversary is traditionally celebrated by giving the couple coral, a beautiful natural item used in jewelry, home décor and art. The more traditional gift given is jade, which is sometimes thought of as being more exotic.
For a thirty fifth wedding anniversary, and as a gift overall, I think it is better to give jade, because issues of whether or not it comes from an endangered source do not come up. Another thing to remember when selecting am anniversary gift is that after thirty five years the happy couple probably already has their house entirely furnished, so gifts for the home are not as important as they were for earlier anniversaries.
Here are a few great ideas for that special couple in your life celebrating their thirty fifth wedding anniversary. Gift ideas range from the exotic jade to beautiful coral, and include ideas that keep the theme in mind.
Coral Jewelry
Coral jewelry comes in many types and colors, and all are used to create beautiful pieces of jewelry. Depending on personal taste you can look for coral jewelry that is much in its natural form and used as is to create jewelry or find pieces that have been shaped and polished. Try a website like BizRate where several sets of coral jewelry from several sites are shopped and priced for you to view in one place. (www.bizrate.com)
Coral Tray and Serving Utensils
Even though the couple probably has a house full of kitchen items and items to entertain, a new serving tray and utensils always make a nice gift to give and receive. Michael Aram designs and creates items for the home that are inspired by nature, including his coral inspired tray and serving utensils. The tray itself is in the shape of coral and the utensil handles are shaped like individual pieces of coral. Each serving utensil set comes in three colors, coral, black and white ($70, www.michaelarams.com).
Donate to A Coral Reef Conservation Program
For the couple that has everything, a donation made to a non profit organization in their name is a great gift to both parties. Since coral is a traditional thirtieth anniversary gift a great non profit to donate to would be one that works to conserve coral reefs around the world. The Nature Conservancy has partnered with intervals, communities, and business in several projects over the last fifty years to conserve natural habitats and resources. They have a special fund set up for coral reef conservancy (www.nature.org).
Jade Jewelry
The traditional gift option is jade, which is most commonly used in jewelry. Jade jewelry has always been thought of as exotic and unique because it is found in very few places in the world, the main source being in Asia. The most popular jade jewelry is green, but several other colors, such as purple, are gaining in popularity. To make sure you are purchasing jade and not stones that resemble it, purchase your gift from a well known jeweler. www.zales.com
Vacation to Hawaii or Asia
A vacation or second honeymoon for the couple is a great way for them to celebrate their wedding anniversary. Keeping with the theme of the anniversary, think of destinations like Hawaii, where coral reefs are abundant. Another great vacation destination would be an exotic island in Asia, where jade comes from. Orbitz and Priceline are two online travel search engines that are a great place to start. (www.orbitz.com, www.priceline.com)
