Swords and Handcuffs.

Just what I always wanted!

How about a car for an anniversary gift?  Swords, handcuffs, bicycles, and appliances are also gift recommendations for the 11th wedding anniversary--That's because they are often made of steel.  

You would think the well-known milestone, the 10th nuptial anniversary, would have something really spectacular associated with it as a gift, you know?  Steel seems like a really “Yo, I’m up in yo’ face, what you gonna do ‘bout it,” type of material.  Yet, the gift material for the 10th year is traditionally tin.  What's that about?

What is actually made of tin?  "Tin cans" are actually made of steel.

And hey, the 11 year anniversary is the year of steel.

11 years is Superman.

11 years is being manufactured into cars in a Detroit factory.

11 years means you can buy that special someone a sword, (and a member of the editorial staff of TheNest.com actually thinks it's a good idea).

The "Tin Man" has got nothing on this guy.

Maybe the weightier metal comes after the seemingly huge wedding anniversary milestone, is because people often don't make it to 10 years.  Maybe 10 years is when things are supposed to completely fall apart in a relationship, and if the couple survives until the 11th year they are steel strong, not flimsy tin strong. 

Hmmm...  Statistics from a possibly unreliable website called UserNiche.com stated: "After 5 years, approximately 10% of marriages are expected to end in divorce - another 10% (or 20% cumulatively) are divorced by about the tenth year after marriage."  Well, that information doesn't really support my hypothetical line of reasoning, but it kind of sounds like it does if you read it fast.

However, I’m kind of right.  I did a little research and not only was tin once a precious commodity because of its “non-corrosive” properties, another site stated it symbolized the needs for marriages to be flexible—we need to bend without breaking.  I’d say this past year was pretty bendy indeed.  And honestly, I do know that there is very little tin in American now, and very few products are actually made of tin, but instead, are made of aluminum.  Tin foil?  No, that’s aluminum foil.  Tin might seem flimsy and inconsequential, but it is quite rare, and maybe what Sam and I have is rare too… But we’re steel now, baby...  Steel that is bridge supports, and sky-scraper girders, and unconditional love.

So…  Woo Hoo! We did it!