10th anniversary gift?

April 3, 2006 3:40 PM

Our next door neighbors (who we really like a lot) are celebrating their tenth wedding anniversary. The traditional gift for no. 10 is aluminum/tin. What would be a fun/useful/romantic/cool gift for us to get them based on this theme/material? Budget = around $50.
posted by ericbop to Human Relations (16 answers total)

29 pounds of pure aluminum?
posted by delmoi at 3:46 PM on April 3, 2006

Search for 'aluminum' on Uncommon Goods

(Not affiliated with their site, just lust after a lot of stuff they sell and approve of their business practices)
posted by PurplePorpoise at 3:47 PM on April 3, 2006

You could buy them a picture frame, and leaf it yourself.
posted by interrobang at 3:51 PM on April 3, 2006

There are a number of stores and companies that sell interesting stuff made out of recycled tin and aluminum objects.

Global Crafts
Indigo
Acorn Tinnery

Just found those by Googling recycled + tin. I'm sure you can find a lot more...
posted by staggernation at 3:56 PM on April 3, 2006

An aluminum wine tote?
posted by caddis at 4:10 PM on April 3, 2006

Are they into conspiracies?
posted by weapons-grade pandemonium at 4:36 PM on April 3, 2006

Best answer: Buy a big decorative tin can (or small aluminum garbage can). Fill with one or more of the following DVDs: Tin Men, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, Tin Cup, Pushing Tin, Rin Tin Tin, Full Metal Jacket, Wizard of Oz etc. Throw in some microwave popcorn, some movie type candy and cans of their favorite beverage (beer, soda).
posted by jaimystery at 5:00 PM on April 3, 2006

How about a tin Milagros (the heart). You've got your religious/spiritual part covered, your tin part covered, your romantic part covered, your "wish fulfilled" part covered, and your "tin woodsman/wish-I-had-a-heart" part covered. And it's only $6.00.

You can order them here.
posted by Civil_Disobedient at 5:01 PM on April 3, 2006

Aluminum cookware?
posted by Carbolic at 5:24 PM on April 3, 2006

Depending on their taste, a hammered/engraved aluminum serving piece from the '50s might work. (They're pretty easy to find in vintage shops, or try searching "metalware aluminum" on eBay or Craigslist.) It's especially nice to fill the tray (or basket, whatever) with something tasty for them to enjoy together -- homemade cookies or cheesestraws, a variety of splurge-ish snacks they'd never buy for themselves.
posted by vetiver at 5:28 PM on April 3, 2006

Among other things, you should get them the book Napoleon's Buttons: How 17 Molecules Changed History. The basic premise of the title is that the tin buttons that Napoleon's army used may have disintegrated to powder in the frigid winter and caused him to beat a hasty retreat. It's one of the best stories about tin that I know of, and the rest of the book is supposedly pretty good also.
posted by jessamyn at 6:22 PM on April 3, 2006

Some very cool tin stuff from Mexico .
posted by Biblio at 6:47 PM on April 3, 2006

oops...said cool stuff is here.
posted by Biblio at 6:48 PM on April 3, 2006

A copy of this:


posted by staggernation at 7:10 PM on April 3, 2006 [1 favorite]

How 'bout a birdfeeder?
posted by Radio7 at 2:02 AM on April 4, 2006

Depending upon your friends' tastes, there are lots of nice pieces of Mexican tin craft (mirrors, lamps, et cetera.) that might fit the bill.
posted by wheat at 8:47 AM on April 4, 2006