Congratulations! You have been with your spouse for forty years, which not many couples can say. For four decades you have gone through everything with your spouse, both triumphant and tragic, but you have pulled through it together. If you and your spouse are following the traditional wedding gifts, the fortieth year calls for ruby gifts or ruby-inspired gifts. Celebrate your forty years of love with an anniversary gift that will be sure to make his/her day.
* What better way to present a “ruby” gift than through jewelry? You can find rubies in all forms of jewelry including necklaces, rings, earrings, cuff links and bracelets. Be creative and pick a piece of jewelry that is symbolic of your life together as a married couple. For example, if you have had three children together, buy her a ring that has three ruby stones clustered together to symbolize the children you raised together. If your spouse is, say, a retired teacher, get her a ruby pendant in the shape of an apple that is reminiscent of her teaching days.
* For a fun tongue-in-cheek gift, get your spouse a copy of “The Wizard of Oz” and some comfy slippers (or ruby red slippers, to be exact). For an extra special treat, hide a gift certificate to a spa in the slippers (something you can both do together) or an itinerary for a weekend getaway to a bed and breakfast where those slippers will come to good use. Other ideas to include with the slippers are appointments for the two of you to get massages or, of course, a delicious breakfast in bed that you have prepared and surprised him/her with. Be sure to include a “ruby” red grapefruit on the tray.
* Buy a ruby-colored scrapbook and fill it with newspaper clippings, articles and photographs from your forty years together as a married couple. If you have adequate time to prepare, research old newspapers and archives to find articles and news headlines that came out the day of your wedding. Find out what the cost of common items like gas, bread and milk cost the day you were married forty years ago, as well as the top songs and movies of the year. This will be a fun way to reminisce about the couple you were and the couple you have become.
* Present your spouse with a case of his/her favorite red wines or, to give the gift that will give all year long, enroll your spouse in a red wine of the month club.
* Some people say that the best rubies come from Burma and Thailand, so throw caution to the wind and book a romantic and adventurous trip to one of these two destinations.
* Does your spouse love to garden? Get him/her a ruby colored plant or some ruby-colored flowers to decorate the house with.
* Show your spouse how he/she lights up your life and book a private fireworks show just for the two of you to enjoy that is full of ruby-colored fireworks.
