For many couples, anniversaries may become boring non-events. Either they slip by unnoticed, or we celebrate them in the same way each year – dinner at a restaurant at which we talk about work, children and all the same things we talk about at dinner every day. Losing that special feeling and being able to see each other in a romantic and meaningful way become more and more the norm as the years go by. 

In this article from Focus on the Family, we share how one couple managed to make a difference and begin a tradition where boring anniversaries are a thing of the past. 

“After a decade of marriage, our anniversary celebrations had fallen into a rut. Laurie and I loved each other deeply, but the annual commemoration of our wedding became a predictable routine: a nice dinner out accompanied by an exchange of cards and gifts. We didn’t cherish the yearly celebration the way we cherished the relationship itself.

A suggestion from friends, however, turned our anniversary into one of the highlights of each year. We now celebrate our marriage with an “anniversary getaway”.

Planning Our Anniversary Getaway

 Each year, we plan a 2 day or longer trip with a few simple rules:

  • The spouse in charge makes all arrangements. 

  • Responsibility for the trip rotates from year to year.

  • The guest is told only when we’re leaving, what to pack and how long we’ll be gone.

  • The destination is a secret until we’re enroute.

  • The planner may use all manner of deception to make sure the details of the trip are a surprise.

When I’m in charge, I usually include visits to a few vineyards because I know Laurie enjoys them. I’m also always the driver because the getaway is about pampering her.

When Laurie is the hostess, she plans things that interest me. On a trip to Victoria, BC, we bypassed the ferries that connect Seattle to Victoria. To my surprise, we boarded a floatplane. My wife knows how to keep a former Air Force officer happy.

Not every couple has the resources to make an extended trip. But a little creativity can give everyone the benefits of this tradition:

  • If you can’t afford an overnight trip, at least try to make it an all-day affair. It could be a hike with a picnic or a day at the beach.

  • Don’t think you have to go far. Find a local place to explore together.

For us, the anniversary getaway has turned a routine event into a cherished annual celebration. It gives us time to reconnect and remember how much we treasure our marriage and each other.”

Adapted from No more boring anniversaries by Dennis Brooke. Reprinted with permission from Focus on the Family Singapore www.family.org.sg.

Focus on the Family Singapore is a local charity dedicated to helping families thrive. We aim to support every family with affordable and quality family life education through talks, workshops, seminars and events. This is supplemented by well-researched family life resources and content placement in the mass media, reaching over one million people each year.