Many people ask questions when they receive an invitation to a three-year wedding - what is it, what needs to be given, are there traditions and customs, are special congratulations required?
Each anniversary of married life is celebrated, and all such celebrations have their own traditions, customs and, of course, a name.
What is this date?
Three years of wedding is a leather date.
In those days, when the institution of marriage became stronger, the traditions of wedding anniversaries, as well as their names, began to be laid. Names of anniversaries were formed depending on the type of gifts. And they gave families what they most needed. It is the type of things and materials needed by the medieval family that is responsible for the year in which the wedding. Three years of life together were called “leather” because by this time the young economy was growing stronger.
A second horse appeared, the cow brought offspring, and so on. All this needed leather goods - harness, hanging belts and much more. Leather dressing and sewing the things needed in the household were quite expensive. By this time, wearing things, such as casings, had already worn out.
Of course, among the gifts to families, the things they needed prevailed, that is, made of leather. From here came the name, the same for each culture. Three years of wedding - "leather" and the Slavs, and in Western Europe, and in the East, and in Asia.
Are there any traditions?
Before celebrating the anniversary, the couple was prescribed:
- Settle on all debt obligations;
- hand out unnecessary things and dishes to other people;
- dress new in the morning and use only unused items, such as towels.
As for those invited to the celebration, traditionally they should present the couple with leather goods, and emphasize the strength of the union in congratulatory speeches.
The tradition of celebrating this date in the villages of the Caucasus is curious. In feast speeches, it is customary to compare three years of life with young wine and red meat. Whatever wedding was played years ago, it is believed that by the deadline of the three-year marriage there was mutual understanding, trust and respect. But he has no endurance, like a three-year-old wine, and there are still many difficulties ahead. It is still difficult for spouses to find unity and balance in the family, just as it is difficult to chew incompletely fried red meat. But besides this, red meat with blood emphasizes the freshness of marriage, relations between spouses.
Caucasian philosophy related to understanding the three-year period of married life can be taken into account when choosing gifts and drawing up congratulations.
Is there any symbolism?
Symbols are available for each holiday, no exception and three years of wedding. In addition to leather, the attributes of this anniversary are:
- rye - both spikelets and baked bread and grains;
- red apples
- young wine;
- meat.
Symbols can be used in the design of gifts and composing congratulatory speeches. This will allow you to show originality and not get hung up on non-leather topics.
What to give?
Three year traditional wedding gifts are leather items. As a rule, spouses are presented with various home accessories, wallets, souvenirs and other things that store windows offer.
Most people simply don’t know what to present as a presentation, chosen in accordance with the subject, except for belts, backpacks, bags or gloves. However, you should not approach the choice of a gift as a template. The present may well be both original and traditional.
You can present:
- leather bound books;
- family picnic sets with the appropriate design;
- balls;
- blinds, screens and other things for the house that meet the theme;
- serving items;
- framed, covered vases and much more.
For example, a small screen in which not silk fabric or paper is used, but leather is an incredibly original gift that fully meets all traditions. You can also present a large family suitcase.
The main thing when choosing a gift is the naturalness of the product. If skin substitutes are used, then such a thing is not suitable for a presentation, no matter how wonderful it looks.
Serving enough budget, but at the same time very unusual, items will be serving items and decor. For example, a small terracotta table vase decorated with leather stripes is a wonderful and not very expensive option. Table stands for coffee cups, trays with leather elements are also quite economical, but look interesting and original.
There are an incredible amount of options for presentations, and if nothing comes to mind, it makes sense to just go shopping that sells items for home and family.
What to consider when choosing a gift?
In addition to the themes of the date and symbols of the holiday, when choosing a presentation, you need to be guided by a number of nuances that invitees often forget or simply do not attach importance to them.
You need to take into account the following nuances:
- wedding anniversary - a holiday for the whole family, not a specific person;
- the present should be intended for general use;
- if spouses have children, they also need to be considered when choosing gifts.
That is, things such as a wallet, shoes or a trouser belt should not be given. Such a gift is addressed to one person, not a family. Even if you buy four belts (for spouses and children, by the way), this is wrong, because it separates family members, and presentations should emphasize unity.
Who can give personal items?
Personal, addressed only to one of the spouses, gifts can give only relatives. But they also have a "family" meaning.
For example, parents or relatives of a man can present a wallet to a woman. The meaning of the gift is the saving of money earned, the rational planning of the family budget, and prudent housekeeping. However, this is not a good gift option. It was believed that if the husband’s relatives, and especially his mother, present the wallet to his wife, then they allude to her squandering, inability to house and the lack of a reasonable approach to spending.
Relatives of a wife can present something to a man. Earlier in Russia they presented expensive “weekend” leather shoes. If they presented boots for everyday wear, then this was considered a hint that the man “washes his legs in search of money,” that is, he is not able to maintain his family at the proper level.
What to consider in the congratulation?
The main thing in the congratulatory speech and all the toasts at such a celebration is the appeal to both spouses, the mention of the family as a whole. That is, you can not say congratulations on the wish of beauty and patience to a woman, wisdom and health of a man separately. This is not accepted in wedding anniversary etiquette.
The texts themselves can be pronounced in any genre, both in poetry and in prose. Of course, parables, that is, toasts and greetings in the Caucasian style, are most in demand. Those who plan to deliver just such congratulations should rehearse the speech, paying attention to its duration. The toast should not last more than three to four minutes, regardless of where the anniversary is celebrated and how many guests gathered.
Do you need postcards?
A postcard is an integral attribute of a presentation. It is required and, of course, must correspond to the theme of the marked date. If the value of the card attached to the gift at a small family home holiday is not obvious, then at the celebration, which is attended by a large number of guests, for example, twenty people, there are no questions about its necessity.
You need to choose a card, not only guided by the theme of the celebration, but also considering the present itself. For example, intricate needlework made of leather should accompany the simplest postcard possible. And here is a laconic, family-style suitcase without decor - a colorful, hand-made postcard filled with details.
That is, the card not only accompanies the gift, but also complements it, like the packaging.
What to write in a postcard?
Written in postcards is not very different from what is said out loud. The main requirements for the text:
- brevity;
- appeal to spouses;
- mention of date;
- the presence of congratulations and wishes;
- signature.
If a prose genre is usually more advantageous when pronouncing toasts, then short poems look more interesting in postcards.
An example of a congratulatory poetic text:
Three years of life flew by so quickly together ...
Weddings recently rang glasses
And now - three years together,
With what we heartily congratulate you.
And let life be ahead, like a song.
Not far off - and a hundred years of marriage,
Leather day is the most important of all!
Happiness and joy, laughter, prosperity,
And many years to envy everyone.
How to congratulate at the table?
Three-year wedding greetings at the table usually sound in the genre of prose parable, that is, in the Caucasian style.
However, in preparation for the celebration, you should have in stock and a few toasts in other genres. A situation may arise in which most of the guests will begin to recite Caucasian parables or ballads.
The following points are important in a congratulatory speech:
- a duration of not more than three to four minutes;
- addressed to the whole family;
- wishes;
- call to raise glasses.
You should not use ready-made options for toasts or congratulations, as there is always a risk that this option was liked by someone else from the guests. However, you can take them as a basis and adjust the content for a particular celebration.