Whether you've been married five or forty-five years, your anniversary is a special day. It commemorates that day when you pledged to share your life with the man or woman you love, and part of maintaining a healthy relationship requires that you recognize this day as your special day. So take the day off, get a babysitter if you can, unplug the phone, and try one or several of these wonderful romantic anniversary ideas – or use them to stimulate romantic ideas for your anniversary celebration.
1. Massage is always one of the best starting points, and it almost always leads to a very happy ending. If you don't know how to do it, sneak out and take a class or two; it's not hard. Or you can book a room at a local spa so both of you can get massages at the same time. Keep it super-romantic: in front of the fireplace, by the pool, or overlooking a beautiful vista.
2. Do NOT invite the whole family over for a huge party unless you're both incredibly outgoing and you are CERTAIN your partner would prefer celebrating like that. Your anniversary should be kept small and intimate, preferably just the two of you.
3. Pick up a card table and chairs. Get together a white tablecloth, candles, some crystal and white china, and call the nicest restaurant you know to see if they'll give you food to take with you. Add an excellent bottle of wine. Put it all in the car, pick up your spouse, and drive out to a romantic spot to watch the sunset. You can have a perfect and civilized dinner, and then when the sun is gone, light the candles and talk until they burn all the way down. You can even play music in your car and dance in the candlelight to end the evening.
4. Buy a memory book with one page for each year you've been together. Put together a page for every year. It shouldn't be all pictures; try to include things like flowers, postcards, and other things symbolic of the year you spent together. Give this to your spouse for a special anniversary gift.
5. Whisk your spouse away to Niagara Falls or Las Vegas (or an equally romantic getaway nearby) for a quickie vow renewal elopement, and then spend the weekend in bed.
6. If you're like most people, you've lived somewhere really nice all your life and never looked at it like a visitor. Rent a jacuzzi suite in a nice hotel downtown for the weekend and pretend you're both tourists. Visit all the things you've talked about visiting but never managed to get around to.
7. Is there a place you've dreamed of traveling to, but never could? Go there – not in reality, but in your home. Decorate your dining room like an Italian trattoria, with white Christmas lights dangling from the ceiling and a red checked cloth on the table, with Belle Notte and other traditional Italian music playing, bread in a basket, etc. You can do this with any country. If you can afford to, open up a savings account to pay for a real vacation in your dream country, and present your beloved with the savings book.
8. Did you write a lot of letters when you were dating? Dig them out of their hiding places and put them together in chronological order in a book, with your favorite picture of you and your spouse together as the cover. Kinko's and most other copy places will spiral bind this for you in a clear plastic cover for cheap.
9. Make a display of yourself – show up at his or her work, looking as sexy (in a classy way) as possible, with a giant bouquet, large box of chocolates, or something equally childishly romantic. Then whisk them away for lunch, or if you can manage, for the rest of the evening and dinner. Make sure as many co-workers see you do this as possible.
10. Wake your spouse with breakfast in bed and announce that the rest of the day belongs to him or her. Do all the things you never want to do. Make a list beforehand of the things he or she has suggested and present it along with the breakfast as possible things you can do.
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