Paper is the traditional first anniversary gift, and it offers plenty of thoughtful options for a husband who will actually use them. Here are six ideas that celebrate your first year together, then what to write in his card.
1. Tickets to something you'll do together
Maybe he's been wanting to see his favorite band live. Concert tickets are a paper gift that's just right. Choose a show that's coming up and make a date night of it. He'll love making a new memory together.
2. Your first dance, framed
Get the lyrics or sheet music of your first dance song printed and framed, with your wedding date below the music. It puts a piece of your wedding day on a wall he walks past every day.
3. A year of date nights
Fill twelve envelopes, one for each month of your second year together. Inside each one, write a simple date idea: a scenic hike, dinner at your favorite local spot, or a movie night at home with his favorite snacks. He opens one each month and gets to see what you've planned next. And yes, it's paper.
4. Where it started, on a sign
Remember the corner where you first met, or where you had your first date? Capture it with a custom street sign print, with the year your story started. It's simple and striking, and it's sure to start conversations whenever someone sees it.
5. A book of your love story
Create a personalized love story with LoveNote. Choose 14 memories from your time together, write a few simple notes about each one, and add up to 10 of your favorite photos. Our team turns your words and photos into an 8 by 8 inch hardcover, written as a letter from you to him, with both of you painted into every scene. You see your first pages free, and you approve every page before it prints. It's a good fit for a husband who claims he doesn't need anything. More on the anniversary book.
6. Open-when letters
Write a set of short letters for the moments he might need a reminder of your love. Seal them in envelopes marked "Open when you've had a bad day" or "Open on our second anniversary". Each one takes about ten minutes, and he'll cherish them for years.
What to write in his card
Recall one moment from your first year together, mention something he did that touched you, and look ahead to something you can't wait to do. For example:
The night you couldn't sleep, so you fixed the leaky tap at midnight. I'm so grateful for you, in our home and in my life. I can't wait for that cabin we keep looking at: just us, a fire, and year two.
When to order
Start two to three weeks ahead for anything printed or personalized. A LoveNote book takes about two weeks to reach your door. If you need something faster, the date-night envelopes and the open-when letters can be made tonight.
