Flowers, chocolates, cards, and romantic dinners will always be classic ways to celebrate Valentine’s Day whether you’re at the beginning stages of dating, newlyweds, or have been married for years. But, what about bringing something different to the table, something that’s thoughtful and homemade, something that doesn’t cost a lot, and something that’s truly unique to your relationship? What about a time capsule?! Our very own Anna decided to create one herself and surprise her husband with it this year. Talk about the sweetest Valentine’s Day gift ever! Shhhh….he doesn’t know about it yet!
Now, let’s get those creative juices flowing! The first step is to find the perfect container. You want to choose something easy enough to bury but yet big enough to hold all of your precious mementos. For best results, use an aluminum or stainless steel container. Seal the lid and end caps with a high quality two-part epoxy and place the capsule inside a 6-mil (0.006 inch) polyethylene bag or wrapping to protect against the elements. If you are planning on burying your capsule, it needs to be at least three feet below the ground surface due to temperature changes.
The container Anna chose is an aluminum box and was purchased at Hobby Lobby along with the paintbrushes, paint, yarn, and wrapping paper. Don’t forget about those 40% off coupons that you can instantly download on your phone!
Once you have purchased your supplies, it’s on to the exciting part! It’s time to take a trip down memory lane, and please, take your time with gathering the items you will be placing into the time capsule and have fun with it. Remember, it’s the thought that counts! Also, keep in mind that whatever you put in it, you need to be okay with not being able to access it for an extended period of time. Here is what Anna chose to put in her time capsule:
-Dried flowers that her husband gave to her
-A copy of their wedding video
-A photo album that contains their favorite photos
-Their save the date form their wedding invitations
-A love letter she wrote for this Valentine’s Day
-All of the Valentine’s Day cards that they have given each other over the years
-A custom koozie from their wedding that was used as their favor
-A DVD of their favorite TV show
-A print out of the following questions and answers about what life is like at this moment in time: song of the moment/TV show of the moment/movie of the moment/favorite date night/what we are wearing/who we hang out with the most/what we are spending our money on this year/what we’re doing at work/what we’re doing this Valentine’s Day/what our families are doing/our plans for the future
(The customized wax sealing stamp was purchased at nostalgicimpressions.com. You can choose from a variety of colors of wax, whether it is the modern or traditional style of sealing wax. This particular one was used to seal the couple’s wedding invitations. Did I mention that they are newlyweds? Adorable right!?)
Now that you have found all of your goodies, it’s time to wrap everything up so that it stands the test of time, just like your love! Putting buffered acid-free, lignin-free interleaving tissue between paper items will help keep them intact. Un-buffered acid-free, lignin-free interleaving tissue is a good option for photographs and leather. Textiles should be placed in Mylar-D film and tied with neutral-colored cotton tape. Wool, silk, and nylon fabrics break down and can give off harmful gasses, so I would avoid putting these in your time capsule. Metal items should be put in a tarnish-reducing enclosure like bags made of Corrosion Intercept. Photocopying newsprint works much better than putting the actual newsprint in your container. You also definitely want to avoid putting canned or bottled items into the container because they can build up pressure and explode. Better safe than sorry!
The last decision to make is where to put it and when to open it! But whatever you do, don’t forget these two key aspects! (hehe) Anna chose 25 years and had the date painted on the outside of the box. They will be burying it under a tree located on the same piece of land that she was engaged and then married on, so it’s very sentimental. If you don’t have a place to bury it, you can always put it in the back of your closet or in your basement tucked away. The longer you wait, the more you forget what you put in it and therefore, it will be a bigger surprise in the end! No cheating now!
We hope everyone has a wonderful Valentine’s Day and remember that love isn’t designated to just one day a year! Happy Valentine’s Day everyone!
