First – Paper
Take out a full-page ad in the newspaper wishing your husband or wife a happy anniversary
Second – Cotton
Treat your partner to a thick dressing gown and tuck a surprise in the pocket
Third – Leather
Give a blank leather-bound journal so they can scrapbook special memories
Fourth – Fruit or Flowers
Make chocolate-dipped strawberries together, or re-create your bridal bouquet
Fifth – Wood
Plant a tree together. Over the years, you can watch it grow
Sixth – Sweets
Give a box of gourmet chocolates, and replace one of the chocolates with a surprise – a rolled up gift voucher, for example
Seventh – Wool
Buy a cashmere blanket for you both to snuggle under
Eighth – Pottery
Take pottery classes together
Ninth – Willow
Buy a wicker swinging chair for your garden, then watch the sun set from it
Tenth – Tin/Aluminium
Buy an ice bucket, add ice and a bottle of bubbly, attach a bow and leave it in the fridge for them to find
15th – Crystal
Splash out on a chandelier
20th – China
Take a trip to China and visit the real Shangri La, a village in Yunnan, near Tibet
25th – Silver
Have a special date or message engraved on the inside of a silver ring/cuff links
30th – Pearl
You’re in the right country for this one. Take an Embrace Arabia tour and you’ll sit at traditional majlis on board a jalboot, an authentic pearling boat. Sail around mangroves over dates and coffee then watch pearl divers demonstrate their art and show you how to open oysters. You’ll have chance to open one yourself and if you find a pearl it’s yours to keep – why not turn it into a ring? Dhs500pp. Abu Dhabi Pearl Journey, www.adpearljourney.com (02 641 9914).
35th – Coral
Go scuba diving together and look at coral
40th – Ruby
You shouldn’t really need our help with this one!
45th – Sapphire
If you can’t afford a real sapphire, buy your partner 45 little presents wrapped in blue paper, hide them and create treasure hunt clues
50th – Gold
Buy his and hers perfume – Paco Rabanne’s Lady Million for women, Dhs490 for 50ml, and Paco Rabanne’s One Million for men, Dhs440 for 100ml, come in bottles that look like gold
55th – Emerald
Visit Emerald City as it tours North America. Watch The Wizard Of Oz at the Segerstrom Center in California. 600 Town Center Drive, Costa Mesa, www.scfta.org.
60th – Diamond
Diamonds. A done deal.
