wombatman

Alright, so I've got a one year anniversary with the girlfriend coming up(Oct. 25/26, specifically), and being the hopeless romantic I am, I want it to be memorable for both of us. This is my first girlfriend ever (I'm 19, turning 20 at the end of December, she's 19 also), so I'm not too experienced with this. I understand from my good friend that this is the "paper" anniversary, so I was thinking about some paper roses as a part of it. One of the main problems here is that the anniversary falls on a weekday, and we both have rather rough schedules on the 26th, a Tuesday. We're both done with class at 6:15pm, so that might limit things on the actual day of. Regardless, I'd like some ideas for creative things that could be done. Cost should be reasonable, but if you're unsure about whether the expense of a particular idea is too much, go ahead and mention it and just include the price tag. As for location, we're both at the wonderful University of South Carolina in Columbia, SC (You can't lick our cocks. ), so if any of you know of any good things in the area, that would be great as well. I've asked for advice on some other things here (computers, mostly) and I've always gotten incredible and thought-out advice, so I'm back for more. Thanks in advance.

Averett

If you're feeling creative, try making a paper rose yourself. Get yourself an Orgami book and learn how. Apparently it's hard though. A friend of mine tried to make one awhile back for a girl he was trying to re-start a relationship with (stupidly I might add) and he had a tough time with it. But I'm sure if you were dillegent you could do it.

Try coupons. That's a fun, cheap thing. Basically an "IOU" type thing. She can use them to get massages from you and such. Be creative. You can give her really great presents and spend very minimal money

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Absence is to love what wind is to fire. It extinguishes the small, it enkindles the great.

Janey

go Gamecocks!

are they still in last place? Take her to the Birds on a Wire restaurant, or better yet to that Japanese place over by the mall (with the Barns & Noble) They have paper walls & lanterns right? Buy her a really nice pen (like a Mont Blanc) which can be used for writing on paper.

(I thought that paper 1 yr anniversaries only applied to wedding anniversairies)

wombatman

They're actually 3-1 this year, and they should have beaten Georgia since they led 16-0 in the first quarter and led by decreasing amounts until Georgia finally scored the touchdown that gave them the lead. And even then, Carolina had 2 chances in their own territory to score but couldn't do it. I like the coupons idea, although she can already get a back massage (or any other massage she likes) from me just about any time. I will definitely look into the Japanese place (I'm assuming you're talking about Richland Mall?).

Oh, and what about leaving flowers for her starting like two days beforehand? Not sure what kind, but there's a flower shop in the Russell House (the cafeteria, meeting place, bookstore, all-purpose area) that carries roses and other beautiful roses. I've gone there before for many "just because" roses that I left in her room last year. Continuing on that, what about doing something in her room? I'm friends with her roommates and the door to her bedroom doesn't lock, so I could set something up in there (bear in mind that it is pretty small, though). In the past, I've left a roses on her laptop and a note, or something like that.

Untitled

I can't help you, mainly because I'm struggling with the same problem myself. Our anniversary is 6 days before yours, and I've got ideas, but I'm just not sure. I'd list the ideas, but he's a TFPer too so....

la petite moi

Same here.

Anyway, as for ideas, make her something. Anything. I know I would love a hand-written thoughtful letter from my boyfriend, so why wouldn't she? Then, get all dressed up, and have a nice though cheap (you know the cheap restaurants where you live) romantic dinner. Then snuggle at night, give each other massages, or make love (if you are up for that).

maleficent

Coupons are great, and you can be as crafty as you want, with glitter and stuff, or just download 'em from somewhere and fill 'em in.

Do massages, late night coffee runs when studying, one night of remote control surrender, whatever.. have some fun with it...

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wombatman

I like the suggestions thus far. How about this as at least part of the gift, and I include because I'm unsure about part of it: we were watching The Fast and the Furious the night I finally worked up the nerve to hold her hand, so I was thinking that should definitely be part of the gift. But what I was thinking is that I could have something inside with the actual movie, like a necklace or something. Ladies, pretend you like this movie (or insert your own favorite) and that you first became an item with your guy watching it, would this be a neat gift?

And la petite, I'm always up for making love with her. Fortunately, so is she (usually). And at the risk of sounding like I'm bragging, it is a wonderful experience every time. I fully intend for there to be love-making involved in the night, with even more focus on her enjoyment of it than usual.

Thanks again to everyone providing these suggestions.

Squishor

These are kind of plan-ahead things, which I know you haven't done, but maybe it'll give you an idea.

In our first year, we had nowhere to go for privacy so we had sex on the beach all the time. All my clothes had sand in the pockets so I collected it and gave it to him in a little bottle for our first anniversary.

In our second year, we could afford to go out but mostly just for a lot of Chinese food. So I saved all our fortunes from the cookies and gave them to him for our second anniversary.

For his birthday, during the first or second year, I couldn't afford to buy anything so I made a little book out of fancy handmade paper and wrote in it what I thought was special about him.

Women love this kind of sentimental stuff. Of course then again I also gave him a Giant Texas Bug and a film canister full of Oklahoma dust.

maleficent

i gotta go awwwwwww.. that's sweet-- if you enclose anything make it a bracelet - -(one of those tiffany heart engravable bracelets - and put the date on it which you first held her hand) and give her a card that explains the significance of that date...

That's so sweet that you'd remember something like that - -that gets you major boyfriend points

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Grancey

My (at the time) future husband had a star named after me for our first Christmas. The paper part of it is the certificate which was pretty cool. And it's a gift that is there forever, if you're into that sort of thing.
http://www.starregistry.com/

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billege

Anniversarys, paper, silver, gold, and such, are for people that are married. It's one of the few things left that comes from being married. *(And I don't care if you're gay, or straight-you want the bennies of getting married, than GET married.)* Marriage has been stripped of most of it's meaning, I personally don't think it applies to dating relationships.

In your case, that means it's not a "paper" anniversary at all, it's a celebration of you being together for a year. Do whatever you want. Incorporate something nice you've experianced togther into it.

__________________
I can sum up the clash of religion in one sentence:
"My Invisible Friend is better than your Invisible Friend."

wombatman

Good to know. As I said, I'd heard about specific themes to anniversaries, but I had no idea the exact rules about what they apply to and when. Even so, I may still look into those paper roses, maybe mixed with some real flowers or something, because they were damn cool.

billege

Just FYI, I didn't mean to imply that your anniversary is NOT worth celebrating, because you're not married. I just think the traditional presents are better saved for a married relationship. Gotta save something to make the big leap EXTRA special, you know? Dating isn't marriage, or so I think.

Your day is most certainly exciting, and I'm happy for you two! I re-read my post, and I feel it can be misread. My bad.

There are many ideas of what anniversarys are tied to what presents. Here are a few links:
Modern and Traditional Gifts, a List.

The Paper Roses Page

Wedding Gift Catalogue By Anniv.

I hope something in there will help give you ideas, and make your day as sweet as I'm sure you both deserve.

__________________
I can sum up the clash of religion in one sentence:
"My Invisible Friend is better than your Invisible Friend."

Chiuey

During my last relationship, I have had to come up with many creative ideas on how to make my gf feel special, without cleaning out my bank account. And the "rose combo" was something that I came up with that I thought was pretty unique, but the only down side is you can only do this once for it to be special!

example. It was her b'day and I didn't know what to get her, so I decided to get her a nice pair of silver earings and some flowers. I got carried away with the flowers and ended up with what I called the rose combo. On her B'day we had been together for like a year, 8 months and 15 days, so I got her bouquet of roses with this design.
1 white rose in the center surrounded by 8 pink roses then surround that with 15 red roses.

It's more fun to do it on a birthday, coz they'll struggle to figure out the reason for the different colors and the different number or roses. But the result is definitely worth the money. They'll be so happy, and you will so be the man of the hour.

Another idea is to write her a love letter on (white) Rose peddels, then string it together. But ofcourse, get her a little something else too. These ideas are mere suppliments to a nice small gift to "make it special".

bermuDa

you could always make her a replica of your johnson http://www.extremerestraints.com/stat/EC0150.html (NSFW)

or since it's a paper anniversary, make one out of papier mache

seriously... try candles, chocolate and some smooth music you know she'll like

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Ofirethorn

Hmmmm I always like cooking a Finger food/ Body edible dinner for that sorta thing. Smuckers makes a Dove Chocolate Ice cream toping that you can use for strawberries, and I like serveing it with swiss cheese. then feeding my Girl by hand. Sigh I hate being single. BTW the Dove chocolate is good for coating other things, and then licking it off.

wombatman

Truth be told, I'd love to do some of that feeding/licking stuff, but sadly, we both share the apartment-style dorms with roommates. And there's no guarantee (little, if any, in fact), that I could clear out three roommates and her two roommates so that all the appropriate licking could go on properly. Might try some variation on this, though. Maybe some whipped cream and lickable portions of her skin.

And Chiuey, I will definitely try to remember that one. That's a great idea.

maleficent

psssst -- if you are gonna go for whopped cream - gotta go with Cool Whip-- it's less sticky --

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oblar

hehe yet another gamecock, it seems we are everywhere. You should let us know of some of the things you both enjoy doing, and if you have limited mobility (e.g. no car).

i really had fun with a friend of mine playing in the mud at a local park. things like that are really memorable. as far as going out some place to eat, again that depends on the girl.. my girlfriend couldn't care less if we went out to eat (i am the one who enjoys going out for food), so if I were planning on doing something special for her, that wouldn't be a high priority.

Janey

My bf did something really nice for me on Valentines day a few years back when I was in residence at Queen's University. He was already graduated and living in Toronto, so in the middle of the week, he drove all the way to Kingston (about 280 km - 3 hrs drive ) and with the aid of my floor mates, planted a series of notes with candy hearts like a scavenger hunt. I had to follow the instructions of the notes, which lead me away from my room, all around the residence, and around a bit of the campus. They eventually lead me back to my room, where I had to follow a long trail of cinnamon hearts to my closet door. He was waiting for me with roses inside it, a nd a camera. He snapped my picture as i opened the door!

Needless to say, his valentines night in my residence room is now the stuff of legend at Adelaide Hall, Queens University!!

But Yes, if my memory serves, i do mean the Richmond Mall, there's a teppanyaki restaurant, one of the very few that you have in that area of the US. At least it's a change from crab cakes or collard greens!

Janey

Actually i was with you on this point. At first I was confused because I thought it was a wedding anniversary. But yes, they should celebrate the milestone, but I think that the traditions of marriage are getting diluted. What markes the event once you get married? extra special paper?

I myself would like to mark the occasion, without assigning any traditional trappings of another institution.

How about thinking of a special activity that you both like, or a special place, and spending some quiet time there. My BF & I spent a lot of time in my residence's fireside room. we went back there to sneak a bottle of wine and some cuddling on our first anniversay of dating...

wombatman

Oblar, you should know that you can't take the South out of a person (especially a proud Gamecock), but as for who we are...we're both really laid back. Curling up and watching a movie is just right. Same with watching TV. Mobility is not limited on the weekends, and it is only limited on the weekdays by homework and class times. As for dining out, we're up for pretty much anything (though not all the time, of course). We've gone to Bojangles' before for a meal because we both like the food there. We eat at Miyo's ("higher class" Asian cuisine..not buffet style), Lizard's Thicket, D's Wings, San Jose's, that type of place. I don't think we've ever eat at a truly expensive place.

Janey, that's an interesting idea as well. We're actually about 2 buildings apart, so there's not as much distance. This does, however, mean that I can set things up more easily.

What about setting up something in her room? Like multiple bouquets of flowers and/or rose petals, or something like that? And maybe be waiting for her or something? This would be much harder on the weekend unless I can get her roommate/s to take her with them somewhere and leave the place unlocked or something. Will have to look into that.

Oh, and maleficent, if I can get an "awww" from you (I'm a lurker of a year or two now), I know it's a pretty good idea. And considering that was one of the ideas I was particularly attached to, I do believe I will follow through on it.