Why We Celebrate Anniversaries

Something I have always been teased about is remembering dates. I am known for saying, “at this time last year…” or “on this exact moment one week ago…” or even as far back as, “three years ago today…” The passing of time is significant to me, and I like to mark it.

My husband and I celebrate several anniversaries. We celebrate the first time we met, our first date, our first kiss, the day we started dating, and I’m sure in the future we will celebrate the day we got engaged, and the day we got married. On the anniversary of the day we met (January 18^th, 2013) we reminisce about what we were doing during the day, and what our first reaction was when we met. We laugh about the fact that he was wearing fake mustache, and that I chose to attend this party where we met instead of attending a nipple party (the interesting things you learn about when you have Art School friends). Our first date was the first Saturday in February, and each year on that day we go back to the Plantain Café and walk through the galleries that stay open late for Gallery Hop, just as we did on that first date. We remember how nervous we both were, and tell each other what we were thinking at that time. The first Saturday of March was our second date, when we shared our first kiss (and also saw Mark Henry at Jeni’s Ice Cream). March 17^th marks the day we officially started dating, and we try to celebrate the 17^th of each month as a “monthaversary”. We got engaged on my birthday, June 14^th, a date I’m sure we will celebrate in the future. October 4^th, 2014 was the day we married, and we celebrate the fourth of each month with a special dinner or night out. In lieu of a traditional guestbook at our wedding, guests dropped notes into a piñata, which we are going to pop open to celebrate our one year anniversary.

Some people might think it’s silly to celebrate so many dates. I’ve heard that once you’re married, you just need to note the passing years on your wedding anniversary, in the same way that you acknowledge a birthday each year. But there is so much more to a relationship than the day you said, “I do”. There are milestones along the way that got you to the point of having a wedding anniversary.

Think about all the relationships that don’t make it to the one year mark, or all the kisses that aren’t followed up by a commitment. Isn’t it worth celebrating when you find one that not only reaches those markers, but surpasses them?

 It’s no minor feat for a relationship to make it to the first anniversary, no matter how small the number of days passed. Whether it’s one month from a first date, six month of a committed relationship, or a year of marriage, anniversaries are milestones that represent your relationship. They show that you are committed to each other. They show that you have overcome obstacles and struggles. They show that two people have learned to become one. 

They show that love is worth celebrating.