Fourth anniversary gift ideas
May 27, 2010 1:05 PM Subscribe
I want to buy my wife a flowers or fruit themed gift that is more permanent than flowers or fruit and I'm drawing a blank.
It's our fourth anniversary, and it needs to be, however tenuously, connected to flowers or fruit. (I know there are alternative options like Silk and Linen, but we're going with flowers or fruit.)
It can't be something to plant in the yard, because I'm pretty sure that's what she's getting me and I don't want to buy jewelry because that would be too easy. Any ideas?
It's our fourth anniversary, and it needs to be, however tenuously, connected to flowers or fruit. (I know there are alternative options like Silk and Linen, but we're going with flowers or fruit.)
It can't be something to plant in the yard, because I'm pretty sure that's what she's getting me and I don't want to buy jewelry because that would be too easy. Any ideas?
A vase? You can promise to put flowers in it all year.
posted by millions of peaches at 1:12 PM on May 27, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by millions of peaches at 1:12 PM on May 27, 2010 [1 favorite]
How about a really awesome flower vase or fruit bowl? (filled with flowers or fruit as appropriate, of course) You can pick from a range of materials and styles that suit her tastes (art glass, turned wood, more traditional cut crystal, etc.). And/or given the highly regional nature of these kinds of art pieces, you could pick something that has significance place-wise: a typical style from where you honeymooned, for example.
posted by drlith at 1:13 PM on May 27, 2010 [2 favorites]
posted by drlith at 1:13 PM on May 27, 2010 [2 favorites]
You could buy a small plant to keep inside. African violets are really pretty, for example. My Mum has a Christmas Cactus that my Dad bought her when I was born. It's in their living room and still flowers around my birthday nearly 35 years later.
Otherwise I like the vase idea too.
posted by shelleycat at 1:15 PM on May 27, 2010
Otherwise I like the vase idea too.
posted by shelleycat at 1:15 PM on May 27, 2010
What about a floral-decorated vase or bowl, that she could display and fill with fruit of flowers whenever she has fresh ones?
A few links from Etsy show a wide variety that you could choose depending on your wife's taste:
More abstracted & modern
Representational but still stylized
Directly representational floral
Very elegant & contemporary pomegranate vase
Depending on how much you're looking to spend, you could also join a fresh flowers or fruit club that would get said items delivered regularly to your house. A friend of mine has flowers delivered once every two weeks and it's delightful, although your views on the wastefullness of non-local flower delivery may interfere with your enjoyment.
posted by Mizu at 1:21 PM on May 27, 2010
A few links from Etsy show a wide variety that you could choose depending on your wife's taste:
More abstracted & modern
Representational but still stylized
Directly representational floral
Very elegant & contemporary pomegranate vase
Depending on how much you're looking to spend, you could also join a fresh flowers or fruit club that would get said items delivered regularly to your house. A friend of mine has flowers delivered once every two weeks and it's delightful, although your views on the wastefullness of non-local flower delivery may interfere with your enjoyment.
posted by Mizu at 1:21 PM on May 27, 2010
How about those "flowers for a year" program, where every month they send your wife a bouquet of something?
posted by bunny hugger at 1:21 PM on May 27, 2010
posted by bunny hugger at 1:21 PM on May 27, 2010
What about a still life from an art fair or a student exhibition? Needn't be super-expensive (or super-great, you can always put it in the spare room) but might be fun and cute, etc. Congrats, BTW.
posted by tigrefacile at 1:25 PM on May 27, 2010
posted by tigrefacile at 1:25 PM on May 27, 2010
A still life painting? If you live near a little art gallery/store you might be able to find one reasonably priced from a local artist. Alternatively, a framed print from a more famous artist might be nice.
posted by bessel functions seem unnecessarily complicated at 1:26 PM on May 27, 2010
posted by bessel functions seem unnecessarily complicated at 1:26 PM on May 27, 2010
There are some really nice perfumes with combinations of flower and fruit fragrances....lasts a long time....
posted by saraindc at 1:26 PM on May 27, 2010
posted by saraindc at 1:26 PM on May 27, 2010
I bought a nice framed print of a Japanese-style painting of her favorite flower.
posted by anti social order at 1:28 PM on May 27, 2010
posted by anti social order at 1:28 PM on May 27, 2010
How about a monthly delivery of fruit? My family were the recipients of a Harry and David fruit of the month gift and it was so great. The quality was fantastic, and every month we called the giver to thank him. There's an option for smaller families on that page.
How about a bonsai tree? That'd be pretty cool.
posted by punchtothehead at 1:39 PM on May 27, 2010
How about a bonsai tree? That'd be pretty cool.
posted by punchtothehead at 1:39 PM on May 27, 2010
I had a g/f that thought flowers were pointless and frivolous (due to the temporary nature of them) One year for valentines day, I made a "bouquet" of $5-$20 gift cards (iTunes, App store, Barnes&Nobles, etc.) , small hallmark type cards, and paper flowers using a frond from a fake fern plant as a base to attach the items to.
posted by Debaser626 at 1:39 PM on May 27, 2010
posted by Debaser626 at 1:39 PM on May 27, 2010
As an example of what saraindc says, I am a big fan of the Fresh line of fragrances and they have one that is a fig/apricot blend that is a little unusual while still being pretty terrific. A colelction of bath and body stuff in floral and fruit scents, all put together in a big container/bowl with a fruit/flower motif would be splendid. I also think of silver items with floral imprints. Obviously all this stuff costs a shitload but it has more of a "thi sis a GIFT" aspect to it that it seems like you are worried flowers or actual fruit might. I'm sure you can click around and find stuff in your price range.
posted by jessamyn at 1:43 PM on May 27, 2010
posted by jessamyn at 1:43 PM on May 27, 2010
How about a silver or gold necklace with a charm of her favorite flower. Jewelry is always a good anniversary gift.
posted by TooFewShoes at 2:36 PM on May 27, 2010
posted by TooFewShoes at 2:36 PM on May 27, 2010
Response by poster: You lovely people. Vases, fruit bowls, paintings, scents. All brilliant ideas. Haven't figured out what to do yet, but at least my brain isn't locked up at flowers. Thank you.
posted by IanMorr at 2:56 PM on May 27, 2010
posted by IanMorr at 2:56 PM on May 27, 2010
I know you mentioned jewelry being too easy, but what about jewelry made out of actual flowers? I have an orchid necklace like the ones seen here (i just searched etsy for "flower resin"). They're made from real flowers, which I think is neat.
Did you have a wedding? A small print of a photo of her wedding bouquet (if she had one) might be nice, a reminder of your wedding day perhaps? You could be really silly and get her a coursage and yourself a boutonniere and take her out for a fancy evening?
posted by inertia at 4:39 PM on May 27, 2010
Did you have a wedding? A small print of a photo of her wedding bouquet (if she had one) might be nice, a reminder of your wedding day perhaps? You could be really silly and get her a coursage and yourself a boutonniere and take her out for a fancy evening?
posted by inertia at 4:39 PM on May 27, 2010
I've always loved this pear print (plus you get the pair/pear allusion with the birds, which is sweet): Framed birds in a pear print.
posted by thekilgore at 5:41 PM on May 27, 2010
posted by thekilgore at 5:41 PM on May 27, 2010
If she likes to read a pressed-flower bookmark could be just the ticket.
posted by Pamelayne at 8:12 AM on May 28, 2010
posted by Pamelayne at 8:12 AM on May 28, 2010
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posted by Babblesort at 1:11 PM on May 27, 2010