I was just given a Bath & Bodyworks foaming hand cleaner & it smells wonderful! Nephew's wife was using it & I said it smelled so good! Not like the normal kind. So I went to their site & they have all kinds. Mine is coconut, lime, verbena in 1.7 oz bottle & just takes a quick pump smells like a nice lotion. They have sale online right now for some wonderful sounding sanitizers for 3 for $10. I'm going to store to see which ones I would like. Another little gift for your relatives gift bag that is nice is to type up or handwrite your 5 favorite Christmas breads, candies you make,cookies, or punches, hot or cold. I put them on cards & slid each into a plastic sleeve & punch small hole in corner & tie them together with a small length of satin ribbon with bow to finish it off. I always do this for wedding showers when I give bread pan, cookie sheet, muffin pans or cake pans so new bride has some "tried & true" recipes even if she didn't get a cookbook as a gift. I hear from brides yrs later, I was at a gathering recently when someone walked up & said she still uses, my recipes! I gave them to her 30 yrs ago!!

I haven't been to any anniversary parties where they made a big deal about the anniversary, either. They just gave a terrific party, fancy or casual. No speeches or toasts, except maybe a welcome from the hosts and a short toast to each other. Definitely no wedding-ish cake, although I think a decorated cake that says something like "Cuthbert and Petunia / Ten happy years." My parents gave themselves a 40th anniversary party. We got hold of the guest list and wrote to the guests (and some other out of town close friends and relatives) and asked them to write out and send a favorite memory and perhaps a picture. We put them in an album and gave it to them at the party. We hadn't anticipated it, but many of the guests enjoyed looking through it. And my dad surprised my mom by announcing a gift to her favorite charity. Other than that, it was just a very nice party. So that's what I would do -- just give a great party and don't worry about the anniversary part. Don't mention it on the invitations, and then you don't have to worry about anyone mistakenly thinking you are trying to get gifts. At the party, you can have a champagne toast. Maybe have a few pictures of yourselves at your wedding incorporated into centerpieces, on the bar, etc. You can also have a white color scheme, and why not a corsage? I think that those touches would make it plenty anniversaryish. Any more would start being too much, in my opinion. Have fun! I wish you good weather, too.

usually most graduation parties are like a open house, where people come and go (or like us have double parties to attend)...i'd use some throw-away sterno heaters, and an iced tray and have everything ready, including the usual cake. use dental floss to cut it without "messing" the design too much... i'm so hungry right now i'd love to have your anniversary brunch! add a tray of mini-muffins, or small bagels and whipped cream cheese. that should help anyone with a egg intolerance...it might be easier to serve mini juices (costco or sams) keep them on ice in a tub...

I bought myself a little treat at Crate & Barrel the other day, and I am really loving it. I think any cook/baker could use it. It's a little glass measuring thingie to use instead of measuring spoons; it looks kind of like a shotglass with marks for teaspoon and tablespoon and fractions thereof on the side. I love it because I can use it for several liquid ingredients without needing a clean spoon each time. I don't see the one I got on their web site, but they have a similar one for about $4 from OXO that looks pretty good. It's a miniature, without a handle, of their slant-measure measuring cup, which I have and really like (except that it's plastic). They had cute cake testers and spoon rests and things like that, too. Most people have this stuff, but it's fun to get a cute, fresh one as a gift.