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).

50th Wedding Anniversary Party Decoration Ideas

Use golden Gossamer to create a beautiful and intimate atmosphere even in a large reception hall.

Balloons can turn any area into a party space in minutes at a low cost. Balloons without helium can be hung from the ceiling, or twisted together to form colorful columns and arches, or swag them across the room like streamers. To create a balloon strand, inflate 2 balloons and tie them together. Take 2 more balloons and tie them together in the same fashion as the first two. Take a piece of string, ribbon or monofilament line cut to your desired length. Twist the two pairs of balloons together at the ties. A few twists and they should stay in place. Twist the balloon cluster of four around the string. Repeat the steps until the strand is complete.

Place a large sign on the door with a big number 50. Try a Personalized Anniversary Banner!

Around the party site have mementos from the year they got married. Old bikes, toys, and clothing are just some ideas to get you started. If you can find a car manufactured that year, that is an excellent focal point either inside or parked outside the building.

Create a special walkway leading up to the door with Metallic Luminarias with glowing candles inside.

Twinkle lights look lovely when strands are placed down the center of a tabletop, or twined around centerpieces and glassware. Tape dangling light cords to the underside of the table or to the floor.

A simple centerpiece for any anniversary celebration consists of fresh or silk flowers surrounding large numbers representing the year the couple is celebrating. If the anniversary is the 50th, cut out large numbers on Metallic Gold Corrugated Paper.

Fill crystal bowls or vases with brightly colored glass ornaments (gold for 50th) and place them on the table in a bed of Metallic Shred.

For the buffet table, nothing displays more elegance than an ice sculpture. Have a giant 50 carved out of ice since the couple is celebrating 50 years together. An ice sculpture in the shape of a vase can be beautiful when filled with flowers similar to the bride's bouquet from years ago.



Setting Up The Tables

Imprinted napkins: Add a personalized message and a giant 50th to beverage and luncheon napkins. Use gold for the color of the napkins to match your 50th wedding anniversary party decoration theme.

Centerpieces: Cut out large numbers or draw them on shiny gold paper. Surround the numbers with fresh flowers or silk flowers.

Placemats: Create fun placemats from old photos. Visit a local print shop that can enlarge color photos or black and white photos. Enlarge them on the copier and have them laminated. (Most small print shops have this capability) Place a different enlarged image at each guest's place. Or, clip articles, select old term papers, letters, ribbons, you name it, and have them laminated. The placemats will make a great conversation piece.

Confetti: Golden confetti is a great extra touch to any table. Scatter it down the center to tie in the number, colors or theme. If you plan ahead, insert a few pieces of golden confetti in the invitations, and then sprinkle the same golden confetti on the table to connect the two.

Placecards: If the group is small and well connected, make copies of old photos of each guest with the honored guest(s). Adhere them to a heavy cardboard V form or simple "tent". Let each guest find their seat by locating the old photo of themselves.

Table Ensemble: If your event isn't too formal, use paper or plastic plates etc. This will make clean up a snap. Plus, the golden color of the tableware can work with your 50th wedding anniversary party decoration theme. Metallic silver and gold plates are wonderful for 50th and 25th Anniversaries.

Article Source: http://www.reasontoparty.com/wedding_anniversary.htm

Origin of the name

The word Minnesota comes from the Dakota name for the Minnesota River, mnisota. Mni, or sometimes mini, or Minne can be translated as "water". Mnisota is then translated as sky-tinted water or somewhat clouded water. The Native Americans demonstrated the name by dropping milk into water and calling it mnisota. Many other locations in the state contain the Dakota word for water, such as Minnehaha Falls ("Waterfall", not "laughing waters" as is commonly thought), Minneiska ("White water"), Minnetonka, ("Big water"), Minnetrista ("Crooked water"), and Minneapolis which is a combination of mni and the Greek word for "city", polis.

Economy

The Minnesota state quarterThe Bureau of Economic Analysis estimates that Minnesota's total state product in 2005 was $233.3 billion. Per capita personal income in 2004 was $36,184, 8th in the nation. The average household income in 1999 was approximately $48,000, ranking eighth in the nation (U.S. Census Bureau). The county averages range from $17,369 (Todd County) to $42,313 (Hennepin County, a portion of the Metro area). In general, salaries are lowest in more rural areas, particularly in the northwest portion of the state.

The state is a major food producer for the country and has a number of natural resources that have been greatly exploited in the last two centuries.

Major industries and products

The Twin Cities are home to a diverse range of major businesses, including Cargill, 3M Co. (formerly Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Co.), Northwest Airlines, Target Corporation, U.S. Bancorp, TCF Financial Corporation and TCF Bank, Medtronic, Ecolab, Best Buy, St. Paul Travelers, Cray Computers, Imation, International Dairy Queen, Regis Corporation, General Mills, Polaris Industries and a regional headquarters of Wells Fargo & Co., Caterpillar Inc., Honeywell, and Thrivent Financial for Lutherans (the merged entity of the former Aid Association for Lutherans and Lutheran Brotherhood). The city of Rochester is the headquarters of the Mayo Clinic, and has a significant manufacturing presence in International Business Machines. The largest shopping mall in the United States, the Mall of America, is located in Bloomington. The Schwan Food Company, headquartered in Marshall, Minnesota, is one of the largest, branded frozen-food companies in the United States and the second-largest privately held corporation in Minnesota. Hormel Foods Corporation is headquartered in Austin, Minnesota, and is a leading producer in meat products.

The state has been a major influence in the area of transportation, moving products along the Mississippi River, in and out of the inland seaport of Duluth, along railroads that crisscross the state, via highways with trucking and busing companies, and through the air with a major airline hub. However, water- and rail-borne traffic has been declining steadily over the years.

A large proportion of the state's economy is still agricultural, even though only a small percentage of the population (around 2%) consider themselves to be farmers. Minnesota is a leading US producer of sugar beets, soybeans, and corn. Additionally, northern Minnesota is a source for iron ore (in the form of taconite) and wood products, though these are both declining industries. Hibbing is the site of one of the world's largest open pit mines. The agricultural community is also strongly tied to the renewable energy market in the state.

Energy use and production

A fair amount of ethanol fuel is produced in the state, and a 10% mix of ethanol into consumer gasoline has been mandated since 1997 (as of January 2006, Minnesota is the only U.S. state with such a mandate). 20% ethanol will be mandated in 2013. A 2% biodiesel blend has also been required in diesel fuel since 2005. Many farmers also now operate wind turbines to produce electricity, particularly in the windy southwest region. As of June 2006, the state is the country's fourth-largest wind energy producer after California, Texas, and Iowa, with 744 megawatts installed and an additional 128 MW planned.

Like many Midwestern states, Minnesota is heavily dependent on natural gas for home heating. Just over two-thirds of homes use the fuel. The state does not produce any petroleum of its own but boasts the largest oil refinery of any non-oil-producing state, the Pine Bend Refinery. One of the longest pipelines in the world, the Lakehead Pipeline, also traverses northern Minnesota. Most of the petroleum used in the state comes from Canada and the northwestern United States.

Source: Wikipedia.org - English