It’s December — time to get festive! And for many military couples, there are more reasons to celebrate than just the holidays and the upcoming New Year.
After talking with other milspouse friends, I’ve learned that an overwhelming number of them have wedding anniversaries in December. Is this a coincidence? I also learned that many of them had a very short engagement and were quickly whisked away into the unique life of a military spouse.
Why December Was Perfect
If this sounds familiar, this one’s for you, December military bride:
- His Christmas gift to you was an engagement ring.
- He proposed (and you were quickly married) while he was home for Christmas break during his Basic Training.
- You were able to easily find a special occasion dress in which to tie the knot, as they are all over the racks this time of year.
- You married while the family was already going to be in town for the holidays.
- He popped the question pre- or post-deployment and you were ready to face the coming year by his side.
- You quickly realized the tax benefits of December versus a January nuptial date.
- His orders would be cut soon and to get your name to get on them, it was “go time!”
How to Celebrate
The other common thread seems to be that anniversaries get lost in the shuffle of holiday madness. If this applies to you and your hubby, here are some things to consider:
- Despite the season, don’t feel guilty about wanting to celebrate your anniversary. Communicate with your spouse and let him know that you’d like to do something special, even if it’s small.
- If exchanging gifts are important, make sure you give a specific anniversary gift (not just holiday gifts) — and consider a joint present that you can both enjoy.
- Although this time of the year is expensive (especially if you have kids), celebrating your anniversary and remembering your special day doesn’t have to cost a small fortune. Even a date night in can help commemorate the day you said, “I do.”
- If your spouse is away on TDY or deployment, celebrate from a distance with a card or video chat, but don’t forget yourself! This means you are alone or acting as a single parent during the holidays, so go treat yourself for your anniversary! Get a mani/pedi, see a movie, take yourself out to brunch or get a massage.
- If your anniversary DOES get lost in the shuffle, well, then know you are surrounded by a community of other December military brides and perhaps you can all plan a ladies’ night instead!
To all the December military brides, we wish you happy holidays and happy anniversary!
Why was December the perfect month for you and your servicemember spouse?
Comments
Powered by Facebook Comments
Jackie Toops
A self-described “Jackie of All Trades,” former Army wife Jackie Toops enjoys exploring the various facets of her personality by chronicling military life, world travels, family, her love of the arts and more. Her academic background is in the fields of Interdisciplinary Humanities, Museum Studies and Nonprofit Management, and she has overseen public relations for museums, galleries and universities. Jackie’s articles have been featured on Army Wife 101, Wall Street International Magazine, SoFluential, HomeAway, Military Biz Connection and FamiliesGo. While stationed in Germany, she regularly discussed her articles on-air with the Armed Forces Network in Wiesbaden. A mother of two, Jackie enjoys coffee, freelance writing, languages and discovering new ways to express herself. Follow her on Facebook and Twitter.
A self-described “Jackie of All Trades,” former Army wife Jackie Toops enjoys exploring the various facets of her personality by chronicling military life, world travels, family, her love of the arts and more. Her academic background is in the fields of Interdisciplinary Humanities, Museum Studies and Nonprofit Management, and she has overseen public relations for museums, galleries and universities. Jackie’s articles have been featured on Army Wife 101, Wall Street International Magazine, SoFluential, HomeAway, Military Biz Connection and FamiliesGo. While stationed in Germany, she regularly discussed her articles on-air with the Armed Forces Network in Wiesbaden. A mother of two, Jackie enjoys coffee, freelance writing, languages and discovering new ways to express herself. Follow her on Facebook and Twitter.