by Gail Kavanagh

Created on: April 14, 2009

Traditionally, each additional year of marriage is celebrated with a special gift. The fifth year of marriage is celebrated with gifts of wood, symbolising strength and longevity. It is hoped that the union will now show the strength of wood, and grow stronger with each passing year.

One of nicest ways to celebrate this anniversary is by the gift of a tree. For couples who own their own home, an apple tree is a lovely gift that symbolises love coming to fruition and youthful hopes and dreams, or you can give a protective pine, or a magical willow. If the couple don't have a place to plant trees, you can give one of new dwarf vareties of fruit tree in a pot, or a bonsai.

A wooden box is not just a good fifth wedding anniversary gift, it can b personalized in many special ways. If you know the couple ar saving for a home, for example, yo can make a box that manifests their hopes and dreams by putting into it positive affirmations and charms. If your budget runs to it, a cheque toward their savings is even better. Perhaps you and several other friends and relatives could get together on this and make quite a sizable donation to their funds.

Around the home, wood is a useful and long lasting gift. A wooden cedar chest makes a beautiful gift to store bed linen or out of season clothes. A wooden door or gate plaque with their chosen house name inscribed is a gift that will be treasured, and a wooden crate filled with fruit and champagne, or ingredients for an anniversary dinner together, is both thoughtful and timely.

Think of the couple's shared interests when choosing a wooden gift. If they are wine buffs, a wooden wine rack, or a set of wooden coasters, will be appropriate; if they love books, a set of carved book ends will suit their style. If they love to entertain, you can gve a wooden salad set, with bowls and salad forks and spoons.

While furniture for the house and garden are obvious choices - and often very welcome! - try to think outside the box as well. A pair of hand carved wooden goblets engraved with their names would be a gift to cherish forever. A Celtic love spoon is a charming way to celebrate the couple's lasting devotion, or even a set of wooden bookmarks would be a stylish and unusual gift.

Then there are the gifts that give back - gifts of charity and love made in the couple's names. At Plant Tree Save Planet you can donate through Paypal to plant trees in Madagascar, or plant a tree in their honor at Trees for the Future. The couple will receive a tree planting certificate to keep.

Giving wood or trees for the fifth wedding anniversary symbolise the couple's hopes for their future together. So choose a lasting gift that embodies all they cherish most.

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