My neighbours had a wedding anniversary. When I went to write a card, I wondered, which anniversary is which? Are they celebrating a ruby wedding anniversary?
Luckily I had written a book of their family history in which I recorded their wedding year. I had the decade. It was a diamond wedding. The other way you can tell is by the age of their children - assuming the children are from the current marriage and that they got married before they had children, rather than in reverse order which seems to be the modern trend.
A Card Box
I have a box of cards which I bought from a card company which used to send cards every month. After I had more cards than I needed I continued buying inexpensive or pretty cards whenever I saw one so I have a stock and don't need to go out in the rain looking when I need one in a hurry. The cards themselves told me the answer.
Anniversaries
A silver wedding celebrates 25 years.
A ruby wedding celebrates 40 years.
A golden wedding celebrates 50 years.
A diamond wedding celebrates 60 years. (So a couple who married in their twenties will both be in their eighties.)
However, in my card collection I had only cards for silver, ruby and golden. I suppose a diamond wedding is rarer. (Especially nowadays!)
I also had cards which said to my husband and to my wife, which were not appropriate for a friend or neighbour.
Card Making
My card looked very nice when I wrote it. I chose a pretty card with what looked like mock diamonds on it.
I stuck on gold stickers with pictures of champagne and the words of congratulation and 60.
Time spent, about half an hour. While I was at it, I labelled the box. It might have been quicker to buy a card. (But it was pouring with rain. And a shopping trip would have distracted me with other purchases.)
However, when I arrived at my neighbours' house, my little card looked rather small next to the giant cards which others had bought.
In retrospect, I could have cut the small card into two and stuck the decorative part onto a large plain card. I also have large plain cards and have not know what to do with them. When you are able to deliver a card in person, you don't have to worry about the cost of postage or whether the post office has a size limit on cards or whether it will bend int the machines. Your only problem is to keep the envelope and card covered out of the rain.
Personal Delivery
So, my card looked too small. But it's the thought that counts and I was there in person with a card and flowers and sparkling wine for tea time.
International Flower Deliveries
A lovely bouquet of flowers sent by the couple's daughter and son-in-law and family from the USA were supposed to be delivered in the UK between 9 am and 10 am. (From Waitrose supermarket, by delivery company Yodel.)
Instead of joy, the late delivery of the lowers was causing aggravation. The daughter was on the phone from the USA, probably on Skype, asking everybody to check in the garage and see if the flowers had been delivered.
The flowers finally arrived after I did, about 5 pm. The box was battered on top and re-packaged with tape, rather alarmingly, but the flowers were inside were fine.
Carrying Cards On Holiday and Business Trips
When I travel to the Far East I usually take two or three cards with me for birthdays, weddings and new home. Even if I am not expecting to need one, I have something ready. I always find an unexpected invitation.
Spare Xmas Cards
I used to keep Xmas cards in my handbag when I went to my club Xmas parties. One of the groups I went to, Harrow Writers Circle, had a box for Xmas cards. You saved postage by sending to half a dozen people, or everybody. The president of the club had a card for every member. I always found somebody I did not know well or had forgotten had sent me a card. I could also check the spelling of their name on the card they had sent me. Then to write my card and sign inconspicuously I slipped into the coat room or the bathroom (to anybody in the USA it would be called rest room in a public place).
Chinese New Year Cards
On my first trip to the Far East I arrived at Christmas and extended my trip into the Chinese New Year. I was sent Chinese New Year cards.
I had to reciprocate. I went to a local supermarkets and department stores and spent the whole morning finding cards. They were entirely in Chinese.
My first shop took an hour. I eventually found a lovely card. I bought two in order to have a spare. I later stopped somebody in the street and asked them to translate. They told me it said Happy Birthday. Disaster!
I dashed back into another shop and saw a rack of cards. I asked an assistant for Chinese New Year cards. All sold out. I found another rack elsewhere in the shop. I asked, "What are these?" Cards for bereavement, condolences. Oh dear. Meanwhile, my family are phoning me saying, "Where are you? We are waiting for you to have our lunch. What's taking so long!"
Now you know why I keep a card box and travel with spare cards.
Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer.
Luckily I had written a book of their family history in which I recorded their wedding year. I had the decade. It was a diamond wedding. The other way you can tell is by the age of their children - assuming the children are from the current marriage and that they got married before they had children, rather than in reverse order which seems to be the modern trend.
A Card Box
I have a box of cards which I bought from a card company which used to send cards every month. After I had more cards than I needed I continued buying inexpensive or pretty cards whenever I saw one so I have a stock and don't need to go out in the rain looking when I need one in a hurry. The cards themselves told me the answer.
Anniversaries
A silver wedding celebrates 25 years.
A ruby wedding celebrates 40 years.
A golden wedding celebrates 50 years.
A diamond wedding celebrates 60 years. (So a couple who married in their twenties will both be in their eighties.)
However, in my card collection I had only cards for silver, ruby and golden. I suppose a diamond wedding is rarer. (Especially nowadays!)
I also had cards which said to my husband and to my wife, which were not appropriate for a friend or neighbour.
Card Making
My card looked very nice when I wrote it. I chose a pretty card with what looked like mock diamonds on it.
I stuck on gold stickers with pictures of champagne and the words of congratulation and 60.
However, when I arrived at my neighbours' house, my little card looked rather small next to the giant cards which others had bought.
In retrospect, I could have cut the small card into two and stuck the decorative part onto a large plain card. I also have large plain cards and have not know what to do with them. When you are able to deliver a card in person, you don't have to worry about the cost of postage or whether the post office has a size limit on cards or whether it will bend int the machines. Your only problem is to keep the envelope and card covered out of the rain.
Personal Delivery
So, my card looked too small. But it's the thought that counts and I was there in person with a card and flowers and sparkling wine for tea time.
International Flower Deliveries
A lovely bouquet of flowers sent by the couple's daughter and son-in-law and family from the USA were supposed to be delivered in the UK between 9 am and 10 am. (From Waitrose supermarket, by delivery company Yodel.)
Instead of joy, the late delivery of the lowers was causing aggravation. The daughter was on the phone from the USA, probably on Skype, asking everybody to check in the garage and see if the flowers had been delivered.
The flowers finally arrived after I did, about 5 pm. The box was battered on top and re-packaged with tape, rather alarmingly, but the flowers were inside were fine.
Carrying Cards On Holiday and Business Trips
When I travel to the Far East I usually take two or three cards with me for birthdays, weddings and new home. Even if I am not expecting to need one, I have something ready. I always find an unexpected invitation.
Spare Xmas Cards
I used to keep Xmas cards in my handbag when I went to my club Xmas parties. One of the groups I went to, Harrow Writers Circle, had a box for Xmas cards. You saved postage by sending to half a dozen people, or everybody. The president of the club had a card for every member. I always found somebody I did not know well or had forgotten had sent me a card. I could also check the spelling of their name on the card they had sent me. Then to write my card and sign inconspicuously I slipped into the coat room or the bathroom (to anybody in the USA it would be called rest room in a public place).
Chinese New Year Cards
On my first trip to the Far East I arrived at Christmas and extended my trip into the Chinese New Year. I was sent Chinese New Year cards.
I had to reciprocate. I went to a local supermarkets and department stores and spent the whole morning finding cards. They were entirely in Chinese.
My first shop took an hour. I eventually found a lovely card. I bought two in order to have a spare. I later stopped somebody in the street and asked them to translate. They told me it said Happy Birthday. Disaster!
I dashed back into another shop and saw a rack of cards. I asked an assistant for Chinese New Year cards. All sold out. I found another rack elsewhere in the shop. I asked, "What are these?" Cards for bereavement, condolences. Oh dear. Meanwhile, my family are phoning me saying, "Where are you? We are waiting for you to have our lunch. What's taking so long!"
Now you know why I keep a card box and travel with spare cards.
Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer.
No comments:
Post a Comment