It’s my parents wedding anniversary and my siblings and I have been considering how to celebrate the occasion with them. Choosing previous anniversary gifts, we’ve referred to the list of modern and traditional anniversary gifts, though we haven’t stuck rigidly to this. This year we are joining together mark their milestone anniversary. Here are some of our ideas:

Travel to Waterford

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We’re a large family and it’s sometimes difficult to properly chat and catch-up, so we’re looking at a family holiday to Tramore, a seaside town in County Waterford where my mother used to go on holiday as a child. We’ll have a few days there before heading inland to stay in the city of Waterford so we can visit the attractions and learn more about Irish history. Maybe this is the time we’ll find out the truth about connection between my mother’s family and the 1921 Pickardstown Ambush!

A keepsake

We want to mark our parents anniversary with a tangible gift too. Waterford is the home of Waterford Crystal where we’ll go on a factory tour and watch the molten crystal be hand-blown and hand-shaped. My parents can then choose an item (maybe a bowl, decanter, vase or set of tumblers) and we’ll have this personalised with an engraving of a quote from their wedding day.

An album of memories

We will all take photos of our holiday together. We’re arranging for formal portraits to be taken of our parents, our parents with their children and our parents with their children and their families. We’ll add our own candid shots from our trip and use an online photo site to create a hard-bound coffee table book that they can browse through when the holiday is over.

Create your own art

We are also going to create a list of everything our parents have taught us about love and marriage. The number of items on the list will match the number of years our parents have been married. My sister is good at calligraphy, so she will write these out and put it in a frame. It will be a good reminder for all of us when we visit our parent’s home.

Say it with flowers

It has been a tradition in our family to send our parents flowers on their anniversary. I’m sure the younger children will pick daisy flowers with Grandma and Grandad whilst we’re on holiday this year, but bouquets and cut flowers won’t be practical when we’re travelling. Therefore, we are looking at giving flowers a bit differently. A gold-plated rose symbolising their enduring love, and our love for them, can be proudly displayed in their cabinet at home.

How to plan a Surprise Romantic Hotel Night
Valentine’s Day is a wonderful opportunity to remind each other of the love you share. We’re all busy people with stresses of work and family responsibilities, but Valentine’s Day is a chance to focus on our love for each other. A day for love, laughter and joy.

Whilst a box of chocolates, a bouquet of flowers or other item from the Valentine’s Day aisle in the store may be appreciated, it doesn’t take much thought. Consider instead a surprise romantic night at a hotel for you and your significant other to celebrate your union or reignite your relationship. Your beloved will adore you for the effort you have put into arranging the Valentine’s day surprise.
If you have young children, arrange for child-care for the night you’ll be away. You can choose to stay at a hotel that is close by or perhaps stay at a hotel that has meaning for you both. Make the reservation for the best room you can afford. Whilst just being together is wonderful, a king-size bed with white crisp linen, high-grade toiletries, a fluffy bathrobe and slippers and your order for champagne and flutes to be in the room will be additional touches your beloved will appreciate.
In advance of the day, get together some of the things you need to make your Valentine’s night romantic:

• Scented candles to give the hotel room a soft glow
• Massage oils
• Rose petals
• Sexy attire for you both. This can be new lingerie or silk shorts, or a new dress or outfit for your dinner before you get intimate.
• Download some of your favourite and most romantic songs on your smart-phone to play softly.

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The Ramada Viking Hotel is a 3-star rated hotel on the outskirts of Ireland’s oldest city of Waterford. The staff are friendly and courteous, happy to provide assistance with the booking of tours and tickets during your stay.
In Waterford you can stroll along the narrow streets of this former Viking settlement, visit the Treasures museum and Waterford Crystal. Waterford also offers great shopping by day and a vibrant night-life. You Then you can retire away from the inner city noise to the quiet of the Viking Hotel for a good nights sleep, a particular bonus for families visiting the area.
 
What’s on offer
 
With plenty of free parking, free fast, reliable WiFi and free newspapers in the lobby, the Viking Hotel offers fantastic value for a 3-star hotel. The hotel is also comfortably wheelchair accessible, with accessible rooms with hand rails, roll in showers and alarm cord. Book direct for the best rates for Bed and Breakfast or room only, plus you’ll get a complimentary glass of wine, beer or soft drink. The hotel also offers luggage storage and laundry services.
There are 110 rooms at the Viking Hotel, clean and spacious with comfortable beds. Each room has a flat-screen TV, en-suite bathroom with power shower, toiletries and hair-dryer; crisp white linens and complimentary tea/coffee making facilities. Twin rooms have a double bed and single bed. Triple rooms have 3 single beds. Spacious family rooms, with one double bed and single beds, comfortably sleep up to two adults and three children aged fifteen or under. Infant cots are available free of charge, though must be requested when booking.
The Valhalla Room is the hotel’s dining area where a full Irish and continental breakfast is served daily. Join the local people at lunchtime to enjoy a fantastic carvery. Excellent and reasonably priced snacks or sit down meals are available in the evening at the Asgard Bar.
 
For a special occasion
 
Book an elegant Executive room with a king-size bed, high-grade toiletries, a fluffy bathrobe and slippers plus complimentary mineral water. The Valhalla Room is available for private hire, so you can celebrate an anniversary or other special date with a dining experience.
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