Anniversary Celebrations

An anniversary is commonly associated with weddings. Married persons who regard the date of their marriage as important may mark the yearly date of their wedding in some special way.

Broader groups in society, especially the families, and even more especially the children of such a couple, may help to celebrate such occasions; this is particularly common on the 40th, 50th, and 60th annivs.

Retailers (especially jewellers), sensing a profit opportunity, have encouraged gift-giving on such special days, and may often suggest a hierarchy of types of gifts to reflect the importance of longer years of marriage (and perhaps of greater ability to purchase more expensive gifts).

How To Throw a Great 50th Wedding Anniversary Party

By Victoria Miller
www.howtodothings.com

A 50th wedding anniversary is a big milestone for any married couple. The 50th wedding anniversary is often known as the Golden Anniversary--and it should be celebrated with family, friends and loved ones. Here are some tips on how to throw a great 50th wedding anniversary party:

Invitations. Once the date for the party is set, make homemade invitations that feature a photo of the couple on their wedding day. Everyone will get a kick out of seeing what the young couple looked like on their wedding day.

Location. Depending on how many guests you will have, you can hold the party at home, a banquet hall or a restaurant. If you have a house or can rent a hall big enough to accommodate your guests, make sure that there is plenty of parking available. Many people also opt to hold anniversary parties at restaurants--call ahead to check for availability and book your desired date.

Decor. You can keep the party simple by decorating with gold accents to keep with the "Golden Anniversary" theme. Most party and craft stores have golden anniversary tableware, streamers, balloons and more. Another idea is to go all out and take your guests back in time with a theme party dating back to 50 years ago--look for decorations and retro items from that era.

Food for thought. If you choose to hold the party at someone's home or a rental hall, consider hiring a caterer to prepare and serve the food. It will take a lot of work off of your shoulders and will make for a less stressful celebration. If you really want to prepare the food yourself, let guests make or bring something if they ask--most people sincerely do want to help out. Try to find a cookbook from 50 years ago and serve some foods that were popular back then. The popular auction site, eBay, is a great place to shop for old cookbooks and recipe cards.

Music. Let's face it--most couples who are celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary are in their 70's--or even older. Make the day special for them by playing classic instrumental music or tunes from their heyday. Search online for a list of popular songs from the year they got married and try to buy CDs or download MP3's of those types of songs. If you hire a disc jockey, make sure to give him specific instructions as to what kind of music you would like played. If the couple has a song that is special to them, make sure to play the song during the party and let the couple have a spotlight dance together.

Nostalgia. Help the happy couple to reminisce about their life together by having old 8 mm films of their wedding or young married life converted to DVD-- there are many reputable online companies that can do this or you can check at your local camera shop to see if they offer this service. Put out the couple's wedding album for the party--or create your own scrapbook or album of events from the past 50 years. Everyone will become nostalgic over seeing the old photos and films.

Be sure to include the grandkids in the festivities. Don't make this an adults-only party. While that may be in vogue for other types of events, a 50th weeding anniversary is a time to celebrate with family and friends of all ages. Rethink things if you plan to host the party at a restaurant that is not kid-friendly. Check around: Many restaurants have rooms that can be reserved for special events so you don't have to worry about young children disturbing other patrons.

Gifts. After 50 years of marriage, most couples have accumulated a lifetime's worth of items, so they may not want or need anything at all. When it comes to an anniversary gift, why not present the happy couple with a money tree--a small tree or plant decorated with rolled up bills. A framed family tree gift is another gift idea for the couple who already has everything--there are many websites and specialty shops that can customize and frame your family tree and genealogy information. A gift certificate to a favorite restaurant or to a local spa is also a gift that is always appreciated. For an elaborate gift, you can always chip in with the other guests to send the couple on a weekend vacation or a cruise. But sometimes the most precious gifts cost very little--a framed picture of the family or a poem written by one of the children will be a priceless gift that the happy couple will cherish forever.

Source:

How To Throw a Great 50th Wedding Anniversary Party

Economics

Greetings from MississippiThe Bureau of Economic Analysis estimates that Mississippi's total state product in 2003 was $72 billion. Per capita personal income in 2003 was $23,466, 51st in the nation (ranking includes the District of Columbia).

Mississippi's rank as the poorest state can be traced to the Civil War. Before the Civil War, Mississippi was the fifth-wealthiest state in the nation. Slaves were then counted as valuable property and in Mississippi more than half the population was enslaved; in non-slave states human capital was not included in estimates of wealth. Further, Mississippi's antebellum wealth rank should not be compared with today's GDP rank, which is an estimate of income; wealth and income are separate concepts. The war cost the state 30,000 men. Plantation owners who survived the war were virtually bankrupted by the emancipation of slaves, and Union troops left widespread destruction in their wake.

A decision in 1990 to legalize riverboat gambling has led to economic gains for the state. However, an estimated $500,000 per day in tax revenue was lost following Hurricane Katrina's severe damage to several riverboat casinos in August 2005. Gambling towns in Mississippi include the Gulf Coast towns of Gulfport and Biloxi, and the river towns of Tunica, Greenville, Vicksburg and Natchez. Before Hurricane Katrina struck the Gulf Coast, Mississippi was the second largest gambling state in the Union, ahead of New Jersey and behind Nevada.

On October 17, 2005, Governor Haley Barbour signed a bill into law that now allows casinos in Hancock and Harrison counties to rebuild on land (but within 800 feet of the water). The only exception is in Harrison County, where the new law states that casinos can be built to the southern boundary of U.S. Route 90.

Mississippi collects personal income tax within 3 tax brackets, ranging from 3% to 5%. The retail sales tax rate in Mississippi is 7%. Additional local sales taxes also are collected. For purposes of assessment for ad valorem taxes, taxable property is divided into five classes.

The state takes its name from the Mississippi River, which flows along the western boundary. The name itself comes from either the Ojibwe, a Native American language spoken around the river's headwaters, or some other closely related Algonquian language, meaning "great river." Other nicknames attached to Mississippi are the Magnolia State and the Hospitality State.

Source: Wikipedia.org - English