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Traditional Anniversary Gifts For Every Year of Marriage

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Celebrating wedding anniversaries is an essential event in any marriage. It celebrates a relationship’s strength, endurance, and testimony of love and commitment to your partner.

Anniversaries have been around in some form since the dawn of time. In ancient Rome, it was said that husbands presented a wreath of silver or gold to celebrate 25 or 50 years of marriage. The concept of specific gifts for each year of marriage dates back to Germanic culture. The Victorian era also embraced the many symbols of gift-giving for anniversaries.

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Pinnable Image with text overlay. Traditional Anniversary Gifts.

Over the years, my husband and I have gotten each other gifts based on the symbolism of each year of our marriage, and it has proved an entertaining and creative task each year.

Why anniversaries are important?

  • They mark the day you committed your life to another person.
  • They remind you of your love and how far you have come.
  • They also remind you of the strength of your relationship through good and bad times.

Why does using this list matter?

Of course, everything is a choice, but following this list can be fun and meaningful if you like symbolism and are a little creative like me. I think it can also help sometimes to have a guide and examples so you are not left scratching your head when you don’t know what to get.

  • It can make your gifts meaningful.
  • It can help make deciding on a gift easier.
  • It can make gifts more creative and thoughtful.

Complete List of Traditional Anniversary Gifts By Year

Below, you will find traditional gifts, modern versions, and a few ideas for each year to get you started!

white paper on white textile

Year 1: Paper

Paper represents the new beginning of your relationship. It is delicate but strong, like your marriage.

  • Modern Gift: Clocks for eternal love.
  • Stone: Gold
  • Flower: Carnation

Gift ideas:

  • love letters
  • origami flowers
  • tickets to a show
  • books
brown plant field

Year 2: Cotton

Cotton represents adaptability in your marriage and reminds you to keep adapting to one another.

  • Modern Gift: China for timelessness but also fragility.
  • Stone: Garnet
  • Flower: Cosmos

Gift ideas:

  • funny t-shirts
  • bed sheet set
  • sexy underwear
a watch sitting next to a wallet on a table

Year 3: Leather

Leather represents stability in your marriage. You are becoming more comfortable with each other’s habits.

  • Modern Gift: Crystal or Glass for fragility and a need to be cared for.
  • Stone: Pearl
  • Flower: Sunflower

Gift ideas:

  • purse
  • personalized wallet
  • leather stamping kit
bunch of brown fruits near flowers

Year 4: Fruit & Flowers

Fruit and Flowers represent the sweetness and blooming love in your marriage. It is a reminder to always be sweet and gentle with one another.

  • Modern Gift: Appliances to make life easier so you can spend more time together.
  • Stone: Topaz
  • Flower: Geranium

Gift ideas:

  • flowers that were used at your wedding or your significant other’s favorite bloom
  • personalized fruit baskets
  • chocolate covers strawberries
photo of brown wood slab

Year 5: Wood

Wood represents the deep roots you are nurturing in your relationship. Wood is stable and strong; hopefully, your marriage will also be.

  • Modern Gift: Silverware to bond over meals together.
  • Stone: Sapphire
  • Flower: Daisy

Gift ideas:

  • personalized wooden picture frame
  • wood burning kit
  • personalized wood box
assorted-color candies on container

Year 6: Iron & Sugar

Iron and sugar represent sweet memories of dating, and iron for the strengthening bond you are building.

  • Modern Gift: Wood for growth and maturity.
  • Stone: Amethyst
  • Flower: Calla Lily

Gift ideas:

  • honey
  • cast iron cookware
  • personalized branding iron
brown honeycomb panel

Year 7: Copper & Wool

Copper and wool represent your growing warmth toward one another and your marriage.

  • Modern Gift: Desk sets for perhaps supporting your partner’s ambitious side.
  • Stone: Onyx
  • Flower: Freesia

Gift ideas:

  • fun socks
  • copper cups
  • cashmere clothing
  • copper cookware
brown ceramic bowl on white surface

Year 8: Bronze

Bronze represents the blending of two different lives and a stronger union.

  • Modern Gift: Linen or lace for refinement of your love.
  • Stone: Tourmaline
  • Flower: Clematis

Gift ideas:

  • bronze figurine
  • keychain
  • custom bronze wall plaque
white and brown ceramic vase

Year 9: Pottery

Pottery represents the molding of your relationship into something solid and beautiful.

  • Modern Gift: Leather for a strong and durable marriage.
  • Stone: Lapis Lazuli
  • Flower: Poppy

Gift ideas:

  • vase
  • pottery making kit
  • hand painting figurines in an arts and crafts class
gray steel bucket on brown wooden bucket

Year 10: Tin & Aluminum

Tin and aluminum represent the strength and resilience of your commitment to each other.

  • Modern Gift: Diamond jewelry for the durability of 10 long years of marriage.
  • Stone: Diamond
  • Flower: Daffodil

Gift ideas:

  • handcrafted tin or aluminum rose (my husband did this!)
  • bikes
  • mugs
shallow focus photography of silver-colored chronograph watch with link bracelet

Year 11: Steel

Steel represents the ultimate strength of your relationship with the strongest metal out there.

  • Modern Gift: Fashion jewelry for the beauty of your growing relationship.
  • Stone: Turquoise
  • Flower: Morning Glory

Gift ideas:

  • stainless steel pots
  • household appliance like a new stove or microwave
  • watches
blue textile on white textile

Year 12: Silk & Linen

Silk and linen bring beauty and refinement to your home and lives together.

  • Modern Gift: Pearls for refinement.
  • Stone: Jade
  • Flower: Peony

Gift ideas:

  • pajamas
  • sheets and pillowcases
  • personalized robe
white floral textile

Year 13: Lace

Lace to represent the delicacy and loveliness of your marriage after 13(lucky) years.

  • Modern Gift: Textiles and furs for elegance.
  • Stone: Citrine
  • Flower: Chrysanthemum

Gift ideas:

  • dress
  • lingerie
  • men’s lace tie
white ceramic angel figurine on white table

Year 14: Ivory

Ivory represents strength and resilience. Instead of buying the real thing, find faux items or ivory-colored gifts, and be kind to the animals!

  • Modern Gift: Gold Jewelry
  • Stone: Opal
  • Flower: Daliha

Gift ideas:

  • donate to a favorite animal shelter in their name
  • adopt a pet together
  • white elephant statue
clear glass bowls on table

Year 15: Crystal

Crystal represents a sense of clarity and a sense of seeing through the good and bad times.

  • Modern Gift: Watches
  • Stone: Ruby
  • Flower: Rose

Gift Ideas:

  • 15 red roses
  • crystal rocks or jewelry from a new-age shop
  • crystal sun catcher
bokeh lights photography of lighted candle

Year 16: Wax

Wax represents how beautifully your marriage has molded your lives together.

  • Modern Gift: Silver Holloware (like a vase or pitcher)
  • Stone: Peridot
  • Flower: Statice

Gift Ideas:

  • wax stamping kit for scrapbookers
  • candles with crystals inside
  • candle making kit
  • paraffin wax spa machine
brown wooden round table with chairs

Year 17: Furniture

Furniture represents the comfortable and stable home you have built together during your marriage.

  • Modern Gift: Furniture
  • Stone: Carnelian
  • Flower: Red Carnation

Gift Ideas:

  • new mattress
  • an antique piece of furniture
  • redesign a whole room together if you have the budget
white blue red and yellow round ceramic plate

Year 18: Porcelain

Porcelain represents the beauty of your relationships and walking through fire to be transformed by your love.

  • Modern Gift: Porcelain
  • Stone: Cat’s Eye Stone
  • Flower: Any Flower You Want!

Gift Ideas:

  • new or antique dinnerware set
  • meaningful knick-knack
  • personalized music box
brown ceramic bowl on white surface

Year 19: Bronze

Bronze represents your union, melding together to form a strong and happy marriage.

  • Modern Gift: Bronze
  • Stone: Aquamarine
  • Flower: Bronze Crysanthymums

Gift Ideas:

  • windchimes
  • bells
  • engraved wallet card
a table topped with blue and white plates and cups

Year 20: China

China represents the beauty and delicate nature of your union.

  • Modern Gift: Platinum
  • Stone: Emerald
  • Flower: Aster

Gift Ideas:

  • china dinnerware set
  • antique tea cups or teapot
  • trip to China
a bunch of silver bars sitting on top of each other

Year 25: Silver

Silver represents the brilliance and shine of your quarter-of-a-century commitment to one another.

  • Modern Gift: Silver
  • Stone: Silver
  • Flower: Iris

Gift Ideas:

  • silver bar
  • silver earrings
  • custom wedding plate
white pearl necklace on gray textile

Year 30: Pearl

Pearl represents innocence, purity, and loyalty in your marriage.

  • Modern Gift: Diamonds
  • Stone: Pearl
  • Flower: Lily

Gift Ideas:

  • freshwater pearl necklace
  • bouquet of lilies
  • super soft pearl-colored blanket
white and brown coral reef

Year 35: Coral

Coral represents warmth, happiness, and joy within your marriage.

  • Modern Gift: Jade
  • Stone: Emerald
  • Flower: Any Coral Colored Flower

Gift Ideas:

  • emerald necklace since emerald is considered a heart opener
  • visit an aquarium together
  • a faux piece of coral
selective focus photography of faceted red gemstone

Year 40: Ruby

Ruby represents the fiery passion of your relationship and the strength and durability of your marriage.

  • Modern Gift: Ruby
  • Stone: Ruby
  • Flower: Nasturtium

Gift Ideas:

  • heart-shaped ruby ring
  • red satin sheets
  • recreate your first date
silver and blue gemstone ring

Year 45: Sapphire

Sapphire represents lasting love and durability in your marriage.

  • Modern Gift: Sapphire
  • Stone: Sapphire
  • Flower: Blue Iris

Gift Ideas:

  • sapphire necklace
  • trip to another country
gold and black metal tool

Year 50: Gold

Gold represents all the golden memories and beautiful moments you have had as a married couple.

  • Modern Gift: Gold
  • Stone: Gold
  • Flower: Yellow Rose

Gift Ideas:

  • party to celebrate your marriage
  • gold jewelry
  • a love letter or scrapbook commemorating your marriage

Conclusion

Remembering and honoring each anniversary is always fun no matter how long you have been together. Your life partner will be the most critical person for sharing the good times and bad times, and through it all, remember your growing love and commitment each year.

Let me know in the comments all the unique ways you like to celebrate your wedding anniversary!

Stay Cozy & Happy Anniversary!

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