Anniversaries are special occasions for all. It’s how we celebrate and commemorate the past, the present and look forward to the future ahead. Many of us don’t believe in days dedicated to anniversaries or birthdays, but the truth is that without it, we would get carried away in the daily hustle without pausing to feel grateful for the people in our lives. Anniversaries aren’t just to commemorate a significant day in someone’s life, but exist to highlight the power of oneness, community and celebration within different cultures and subcultures.
In India alone, a country with a population of almost 1.4 billion people, birthdays and other anniversaries are celebrated with much pomp. Families, friends and loved ones gather together from far and near, gifts are exchanged, prayers are offered to the gods, and new friendships take form.
When we say anniversary, we’re referring to those days dedicated solely for the purpose of celebrating a momentous occasion like a birth, a wedding, or an event of personal significance.
When did anniversary celebrations begin?
The origins of anniversary celebrations date back to early civilizations where the moon, sun or other natural events that occurred were used as determining and measurable factors for time. Being the only means for time-telling, it made most sense that birthdays and anniversaries would pass as ordinary days. However, over time, it grew in importance and visible signs of aging combined with memories now associated with time nudged them to set benchmarks for time. Patterns were observed in the moon cycles and the changes in seasons were made note of in a cyclical manner. As these cycles repeated themselves over the course of a specific period, they were set as markers for telling time with the first ever calendar marking these changes with time and over days.
Since then, the entire world, devoid of caste, community or creed, have gathered together to celebrate the people in their lives through what we now call birthdays, wedding anniversaries, and other momentous anniversaries that are worthy of celebration. Anniversaries bring people together from far and near and a lot of joy is spread.
Anniversaries are a time to celebrate, not just the celebration of the turning of a new page, but a celebration of what is to come. Exchanging gifts is a huge part of the anniversary tradition and has been so for many years. Back in the day most gifts were handmade and communities gathered around food, drinks and laughter and made merry. Thankfully, anniversaries and birthdays are still such joyful occasions even if the traditions that surround it may have evolved. Apart from decorating and prepping up extravagant meals, exchanging gifts is still a very core part of anniversary celebrations. So much so that anytime an anniversary is near, most of us run out of ideas to be creative with our gifts and gestures of appreciation and end up hurrying with last minute gift ideas.
In this article, we discuss a few ways to keep the creativity alive and bring smiles on your loved ones faces through the perfect gift.
Have a budget
Having a budget in mind is among the biggest factors to making an anniversary or birthday feel special. It isn’t the amount of money spent on a gift that matters, but the thought and effort that goes behind it that makes it memorable in the long run. So before even thinking up a gift, think of what you can afford and set a budget aside.
Once a budget has been set, you can go all out with ideas and might even find it easier to settle on a gift with your budget as a filter. Oftentimes we get lost in the idea of spending more on a gift than spending time coming up with thoughtful and deliberate gestures. It bodes well to remember that the mark of a good gift does not depend on how expensive or inexpensive it is, but rather the thought behind it that counts. It is the small kind gestures that make for more special and memorable souvenirs because the gesture counts more than the amount of money you spend.
Think personal & customized
If you think about the last few times that a gift actually made you feel special, they were mostly the ones that had a personal touch to it. More than the amount of money spent, what matters is that the person you are gifting it to, feels moved by it. So if you’re thinking up the perfect gift, think of thoughtful, personal gestures that are beyond the ordinary.
A personal gift could be anything from handmade cards, plants, vases to custom made t-shirts, blankets, pillow covers or other wearables. It could be a poem or a song, or anything that strikes a chord in their hearts or brings a smile to their face.
Gift baskets and readymade cards lack a personal touch without an element of customisation. Making an assortment of your own and turning it to a bouquet is another great way to make an interesting gift. If you find yourself struggling, it might help to think up a theme and then narrow it down from there. Your theme could be anything based on their interests - music, art, cooking, reading, fashion, movies etc. When it comes to deciding on a gift, going small and creating an assortment of different things is a great way to begin. The best part about gifting customised gifts like customised t-shirts, hoodies or bags is that your room for creativity is thrown wide open.
Assortments are easier
There’s a tendency for us all to get stuck in our own thinking. And that’s why, sometimes, thinking of one big gift leaves us scratching our heads to no avail. In such situations, think of a fine assortment of different things both big and small that mean something special to the person you’re giving it to. It could be an assortment of kitchen things, art supplies, custom t-shirts or hoodies, stamps, cookies & chocolates, tool kits, tech kits, games, movies and so much more. The more you know the person you’re gifting this to, the more fun this gets because your opportunity to be creative is swung wide open.
We believe in going small all the way there, rather than racking our heads over one big gift. It is a human psychological response to feel elated on seeing multiple gift wrappings over one big one. Imagine the joy an assortment could bring to someone’s face! Apart from the excitement of discovering what’s inside, it’s sheer joy knowing that you have not one, but many gifts left to open. It is a very thoughtful and memorable gesture that is bound to light up anyone’s day.
Leverage hobbies & interests
Gifting a loved one something that is along the lines of their hobbies and interests sends out a very personal and caring message. For one, it shows how well and how much you know them, and secondly, it is something they can put to use soon enough and always remember you by. For fashionistas, an assortment of fashion wear and a combination of customised anniversary t-shirts, hoodies and more with a personalised message, will definitely make their day.
Not just that, you can use up the free space on a tshirt to write or draw a personal message, or even give it a humorous angle. For example, chess players would love a customised, personal chess-related t-shirt just like bikers would enjoy some good biking gear and custom merchandise. Once you know their hobbies or interests, customising a gift becomes an easy deal.
Less is sometimes more
Less is more is not just the chorus of minimalists, but of people far and wide. Less is always more, especially when it comes to gifts. When we say less is more, we’re talking about gifts like handmade gifts, cards, and other things that are heavy on the heart than on the pocket. They say diamonds are a girl’s best friend and diamonds too appreciate the art of minimalism with their go big or go home vibe.
Small gestures always go a long way, so if you’re running out of gift ideas, think small and you’ll find at least one, if not an assortment of things that you could gift someone special. For big days such as anniversaries you could change it up a bit to add that extra special touch.
Make it remarkably unique
A unique gift is always among the most memorable of all gifts and that is the case for anyone. How can you make a gift unique? Well, rest assured there are more ways than one. Customised gifts are always made unique as they are tailor made to fit individual needs. And when it comes to customised gifting, there is never a dearth of options.
If there’s a favourite book, TV show, comic strip, or hobby they love, you can have it printed on a t-shirt and design the t-shirt to suit them. Only a f.r.i.e.n.d.s. lover would know the value of a t-shirt with their quotes on them, or only a chef would understand his own cryptic undertones in a well designed t-shirt that would bring a smile to their face.
When it comes to customised anniversary t-shirts, there are a lot more ideas you can adopt. From mixing and matching your favourite quotes, hobbies, or inside jokes to making an assortment of t-shirts that speak volumes of the bond you share is another great way to make an anniversary moment special. Please visit Gubbacci Anniversary T-Shirt collection to explore some of our designs and maybe even come up with your own design using our design tool. We have anniversary T-shirts for all years.
