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Um, there is a little bit of advice that I seek through this forum today. Though it seems like a trivial issue at face value, but when it comes down to actually venturing out and finalizing a piece, I am not too sure. Basically, I need ideas for an anniversary present. Mom and Dad complete twenty-five years of being Mr. and Mrs. Bhattacharjee on the 5th of December and I still haven’t a clue about what I am wrapping up for them.
Yes, we are having a silver jubilee party of course. But then we aren’t divulging much about that lest they shy out at the eleventh hour. I have aunts who are insisting on decking up Mom in her shaadi ki sari and uncles who want to arrange for a platform cake with some sort of photo collage. My dear parents have every chance of blushing beetroot red and shutting themselves in a room when the day actually arrives.
Mom adores perfumes. Any fragrance. But she already has dozens and dozens of them. Also what perfume seems elaborate enough for an event of this dimension? There are so many gift items in galleries today but everything I see seems to me so Happy-Birthday-ish. Or the kind I gave to the neighbours when we went for lunch at their place. Do not suggest gems and diamond jewellery please – yours truly is broke at the moment – but something nice that fits the modest little bill?
And Dad, well, I believe he could be given an ornate pen or a watch. But sadly, the pen is a very recent gift and the watch is something Mom is planning to add to her gift-box. What now? Shirt? That seems, I don’t know, so drab and dour somehow.
If it helps, I am done already with what I am going to wear and the accessories my outfit will need. 😀 But on this crucial question, I have yet to decide. Without help, I will probably end up stuffing random articles in a stocking and hand it over with a card.
Of Paneer, Pulao and Pune 
Happy anniversary to your parents, Deboshree. I like the suggestion made by others here of creating an album of CD of special moments. How about gifting them a holiday too?
Thanks Sudha. 🙂
Well actually, they are going on a holiday in January so I am not sure if Dad will be able to find time for another now. But I have that idea in mind – like Verbivorehere suggested – tucked up for later.
For my dad’s 60th bday, we gifted him a blackberry, a hip flask (he loves his peg everyday :D) and a fantastic cig lighter and an ashtray. ROFL.
http://alphabetworld.wordpress.com/2008/07/08/my-dad%E2%80%99s-60th-birthday/
Do they like dogs? Gift them a lab pup 😀 😀 😀 It can’t get better than that, I tell you!
I see my parents awwwwwing over Pumbaa every other day and minute and he just makes them soooo super happy all the time!
I suggest you entice them with pup stories/love of a dog tales and lots of awww-so-cute pics in advance, though…to ready them for it on that day 😉 Take my idea, I’m telling you! *Hopes to god they like dogs!*
Priya, Priya – the birthday gifts for your Dad are super adorable! He must have been one pleased man.
And on a similar vein, the labrador sounds delightful too. You know, I have been rooting for a pup since times immemorial. The neighbours recently got one – they had a poodle before – and now the two doggies are biting and chewing their cushions away to glory. Needless to say, the latest neighour’s doggie stories have killed whatever little hope I had of petting a dog. 😦 😦
PS: Pumbaa is very cute. I showed his birthday picture to all the members of my family as a last attempt. 😦
ouch…hehe…you should never have two dogs who like to chew cushions, together in one house. bah!
😦 Their circumstantial error has ruined my chances.
Happy anniversary to your Mom and Dad! 25 yrs… What a special day! I agree with the photo presentation idea .. It is superb and combine it with snippets from relatives and near and dear ones, ending it up with a beautiful song specially composed for them, sung together by the whole family with flowers and petals falling on them… I think this will be the most precious gift ever and most memorable one too 🙂
Thanks a bunch Arti! 😀 Congrats to you too for your blog’s special day. 😀
The photo idea seems grand indeed and with so many seconding it, I have finalized it… will begin working on the same soon. Wow, you paint such a gorgeous picture that I can almost hear the shehnai. 😉 Hey, what about I arrange for a medley of songs Dad used to sing for Mom and me? I have several recordings… I think I will add them to the presentation and get ready for a beetroot red Dad.
Great ideas there Arti… thank you!
Hi Deboshree, It’s going to be an emotional occasion, so I think you should make a CD of memories – record messages from near and dear ones (like Chhavi said), encourage them to reminisce the moments spent together,, you and your siblings (if any) can do the whole memories part with moments of anger, happiness, holidays, joys included… what you recd from ur parents,… instances when their teachings helped u cope in life…
garnish with old and new pictures and play them on the occasion.
🙂
Thanks for visiting my blog.
Welcome to Saddi Delhi Punam. 😀
Ah yes – a myriad collection of moments it will be – thanks for reminding me of the ‘holidays’ bit. I do not have any siblings so it will all be team work on Nani and my behalf. 🙂 Thanks a lot for the ideas Punam; I will post about all that happened after the event is done.
LOL! is the day already over? oopps read vrything but that! u knw wat? 😉 give them QUALITY time with just the 2 of them..a resort ..a getaway..a star hotel one day dining and stay package kinda thing – smething like that ? :)?
Welcome to Saddi Delhi! Glad you drooped by. 😀
Nah, the day is in Dec. The 5th. It’s a lovely idea but sadly, my parents will have to wait a bit for that holiday and that time. They have already planned a hush-hush holiday in January I know. 😀
congrats to them! hope they have many more anniversaries together! 🙂 i m all for the photo idea. There is nthin more than reliving those special moments together 🙂 mayb u can gift them silver wedding bands with their names engraved on it. hmmm afterall silver jubilee no 😀
Hey Vinitha! Good to hear from you. 😀
Yep, I loved the photo idea as well. Nothing like a picture to bring alive old memories. People seem to be rooting for silver. I think I will have to find out where in Delhi I can good silver. The band sounds cool… Mom and Dad will get to celebrate Friendship day all over again. 😉
Reading this reminded me of my parents 25th ani. We did indeed do the shubho drishti n mala bodol in front of 200 guests. Mom when beetroot red & dad was looking for a table to hide under. Ha ha ha ….
Gifts to parents are always a confusion. A digital photo frame is a good idea. What I would suggest is a good photographer who will capture the moments well and an evening full of fun, love & music. Sing them a song. Create beautiful memories for them, capture them in beautiful frames & add a digital album to it. Memories are the most precious gifts. Make beautiful one’s, that is all they need.
Have fun ….
Rituparna… I can’t tell how how enthralled this comment of yours made me feel. 25 years of togetherness no less. It is already a grand celebration in itself! Ha ha, I can imagine how your parents must have felt.
I am ticking a yes to all the things you said. I think I will start working on that song asap. 😀
So things finalized till now – party and music, photo frame and a picture presentation from days of yore. I am still wondering about the silver and will go market reviewing this weekend. 😀
Have fun shopping.
Thanks R! 😀
Its their silver wedding anniversary so gift something in silver, lots of range available nowadays
A symbolic gift you mean… hmm yes. But it will have to be something other than jewellery.
Ohk I think I would rather wait for other s to comment and see what your final decision coz my mom would have their 25th anniversary on Jan 3rd…. So do post what did you finally do and I would just copy your idea…. 😀
Wow, that’s pretty soon as well. Congrats in advance T. 😀 I hope you can pick up some gift ideas from this thread. 😉
You should actually create an entire presentation with photographs from their early life and project it on a screen.
Too much?
Not too much at all. I had seen something similar once and it had been an aww moment. I think I will start collecting the photographs soon. Thanks a lot Pzes! 😀
Hey…. My idea is quite similar to that of Pzes. In addition to that you can also collect messages from your relatives. Place them all in a beautiful diary. I bet they’ll enjoy reading them 🙂
Hey Chhavi this struck a chord. Dad adores diaries. I don’t know about the messages but I will certainly get a nice diary for him that he can use for official and unofficial purposes. Thanks a lot! 😀
Gift them a baby doll 🙂
That’s a done. I’ll forever be the baby. 😀
How about a digital photo frame with all their old and favourite pics scanned and fed into it? Digital photo frames aren’t very expensive.
It is an idea, yes. I guess I could research it out a bit. Thanks Jyoti! 🙂
I like her idea too!! digital photo frame with their photos for early years would be wonderful. The gift can go to both of them.
Yes, I agree. And I also like Pzes’ idea. Maybe I could combine the two somehow…