Anniversary Gifts by Year: The Guide

Be ahead of the game with this anniversary gifts by year guide. Each year the gift changes with a completely different meaning, so it’s hard to keep up. In this anniversary gift guide, you’ll find an idea for each year up to the big 50, so you’ll never be stuck for a theme again. These gift ideas will suit every budget, big or small. If you’re still stuck for ideas, personalized newspaper gifts are always a great option.

We’ll be linking to our favorite Pinterest boards for inspiration throughout so be sure to check them out!

1st Anniversary – Cotton

Color: Yellow

Popular Gift Suggestion: Blanket

Our Suggestion: Personalised pillow cases

For your first anniversary, you’ll want something to remember the occasion with. A traditional gift for cotton would be a blanket, but go one step further with personalized pillow cases. These can be personalized with your initials, a quote that you both love or simply ‘his’ and ‘hers’. Either way, you’ll look at these pillows with a smile as you remember the joy of that special day one year ago.

Image: Marianne Krohn

2nd Anniversary – Paper

Color: Gold/Yellow

Popular Gift Suggestion: Framed wedding photo

Our Suggestion: Paper flowers

Paper seems a bit of an odd gift choice but it’s so varied that anyone could choose a great gift under this brief. A popular gift to give is a framed wedding photo from the big day, or a simple book. If you’re looking to go outside the box, get paper flowers that can be enjoyed for years to come – to really go with the theme, get yellow or gold flowers to signify your two years together.

3rd Anniversary – Leather

Color: Light Brown

Popular Gift Suggestion: Wallet or key-ring

Our Suggestion: Leather journal

Like paper, leather seems an odd choice for an anniversary gift but it signifies that the relationship is durable, strong and flexible, as there’s no doubt in your three years you’ve had to overcome a few issues together. The traditional gift to give for this year is a wallet or keyring, but we suggest something slightly more special and gift your spouse a leather journal. This can be used as a diary, a notebook or simply a place to keep notes to remember those special moments.

Image: Julius Drost

4th Anniversary – Fruit and Flowers

Color: Lime Green

Popular Gift Suggestion: Bouquet of flowers

Our Suggestion: Grow your own plant

Giving someone a plant as a gift is much better than flowers – they can nurture the plant and really take care of it. If it can go in the garden, the recipient will be proud of this whenever they see it and will be reminded of you and their fourth wedding anniversary.

5th Anniversary – Wood

Color: Turquoise

Popular Gift Suggestion: Wooden photo frame

Our Suggestion: Wooden keepsake box

You’re probably thinking wood isn’t a very exciting gift to give someone for their wedding anniversary, but the meaning is actually quite nice…

Wood represents a strong, long-lasting relationship and signifies the strength of your marriage that has lasted for 5 years so far, so why not celebrate this occasion with a beautiful wooden keepsake box to fill with memories of your marriage?

This will become a great way to remind you of the things you got up to, and you can add to it throughout your marriage. If that’s not your style, why not update your garden with a new wooden bench, or splash the cash and get a new bed for your fifth year of marriage.

Image: Sven Scheuermeie

6th Anniversary – Sugar

Color: Purple

Popular Gift Suggestion: Favorite confectionery

Our Suggestion: Replica of your wedding cake

This is another case of slightly differing gifts between the UK and the US. In the UK, a 6th anniversary is typically celebrated with a gift of sugar, whereas in the US the gift is iron.

Why not replicate your wedding cake – this could be a fun activity to do with your spouse. Just one tip – whatever you do, don’t get your spouse an actual iron (unless they want one, of course!)

7th Anniversary – Woollen

Color: Off White

Popular Gift Suggestion: Woollen jumper

Our Suggestion: Woolen print

The Woolen anniversary shows that your relationship is comfortable, safe and secure – all the ingredients needed for a healthy marriage. A woolen print is a unique present to give to someone, as there is a small likelihood that they have already invested in one. To add a special touch, commission a piece that it means something to the couple such as the date they were married, or perhaps the venue location.

8th Anniversary – Salt

Color: Bronze

Popular Gift Suggestion: Salt and Pepper Shakers

Our Suggestion: Bronze accessory for the home

Well, the US has a much better choice than the UK – who wants salt over bronze?! An idea to get you in the spirit for your 8th wedding anniversary are the traditional salt and pepper shakers. If you want to stick to the salt theme, why not invest in a Himalayan salt lamp? They create a lovely soft light when turned on, and they have beneficial properties such as boosting your mood, cleaning the air in your home and helping you sleep.

However, Bronze is ‘in’ at the minute, so update your home with any bronze accessory. This can be a nice activity for you and your husband/wife to choose together, creating a memory for your eight wedding anniversary.

Image: Jason Tuinstra

9th Anniversary – Pottery

Color: Terracotta

Popular Gift Suggestion: Personalized mug

Our Suggestion: Copper planter

The year before the big anniversary, you’ll need to save up for something special so the ninth year of marriage is often low-key so the traditional gift is Pottery. This is a great gift idea as it has so many options. You could buy a new pot for the garden, or a new vase for flowers. To add a modern twist to the theme, choose a copper planter.

Or, if you prefer an activity, attend a pottery making class together and have a healthy competition to see who can create the best masterpiece!

10th Anniversary – Tin

Color: Silver

Popular Gift Suggestion: Diamond jewelry

Our Suggestion: Tea set

Tin doesn’t strike you as worthy of a ten year anniversary, but the meaning is great – it’s durable and flexible, it can go the mile (much like your marriage!). You can still make this anniversary special by treating yourselves to something that you wouldn’t normally buy. A tea set would be a lovely way to celebrate your ten years of marriage, so why not buy some nice tea and biscuits to enjoy at home?

11th Anniversary – Steel

Color: Turquoise

Popular Gift Suggestion: Hip flask

Our Suggestion: Iron sculpture

After celebrating ten years ago last year, Steel makes a great wedding anniversary gift. Steel is one of the strongest and most durable metals in the world, and after making it to 11 years, it’s safe to say your marriage is like Steel! We recommend celebrating the occasion with an iron sculpture or something made of steel to mark your 11th year of marriage.

12th Anniversary – Silk and Fine Linen

Color: Oyster White

Popular Gift Suggestion: Silk tie or scarf

Our Suggestion: Linen bed sheets

Silk and fine linen is one of the most luxurious gifts we’ve had so far in this list, so you should celebrate your 12th year of married life with a bit of luxury. If your funds allow it, go on a silk trade tour around Asia – it will be certainly an anniversary you won’t forget in a hurry. If your anniversary falls in the warmer months, treat your spouse to a fresh pair of linen pajamas or bed sheets to feel the luxury all year round.

13th Anniversary – Lace

Color: White

Popular Gift Suggestion: Lace item of clothing

Our Suggestion: Day trip to Nottingham

A day trip to Nottingham may seem out of the ordinary, but the city has been well-known for creating lace for centuries. After 13 years, we’re sure you’ll love a weekend away to a new city.

If you thought salt was odd for an 8th wedding anniversary, Germany beats that with Parsley as their gift of choice for a 13th wedding anniversary (!).

Image: Tom Pumford

14th Anniversary – Ivory

Color: Ivory

Popular Gift Suggestion: Clock

Our Suggestion: Elephant-themed gift

Ivory signifies luck and protection and, whilst we don’t advise actual ivory gifts, we suggest perhaps finding an elephant-themed gift.

The gemstone for this anniversary is Opal which symbolizes love, passion and desire. A gift with an Opal incorporated within will be a very romantic gesture that would please anyone.

The traditional gift for this anniversary is a clock – you can stick to the theme and get an ivory colored clock which will suit any budget and decor.

15th Anniversary – Crystal

Color: Ruby Red

Popular Gift Suggestion: Ornamental plate or crockery set

Our Suggestion: Watch

The modern gift list for a 15th wedding anniversary calls for a watch and we couldn’t think of anything better than to celebrate a mile-stone anniversary. The watch is such a practical gift as it will be worn (if it’s liked!) every day, and will remind the wearer of the gift giver every time they put it on in the morning. Watches are also great as they suit every budget and can be picked to suit any style.

Image: Denilo Vieira

16th Anniversary

Color: Silver

Popular Gift Suggestion: Ivy plant

Our Suggestion: Ivy themed photo frame or plant pot

There is no traditional gift for 16 years of marriage in the UK or US, but Spain and Italy’s gift is Ivy, and Germany and France’s gift is Sapphire. The traditional color is Silver, so you could incorporate silver ivy into your gift. You could stick to the literal gift idea of an Ivy plant, or you could choose an Ivy plant pot or a silver photo frame with an Ivy decoration.

17th Anniversary

Color: Yellow

Popular Gift Suggestion: Flowers

Our Suggestion: Furniture

Again, there is no traditional gift for the UK or US for a 17th anniversary, but both France and Russia typically celebrate the year with roses, with other countries following the floral theme with Orchids or Violets as options for Germany and Italy.

The modern gift for this year is furniture – is there anything in your home you’ve been wanting to update but haven’t had a reason to so far? Here’s the reason! Celebrate 17 years of married life with a new chair or dining table. This gift idea is great as it’s so broad it can suit any budget.

18th Anniversary

Color: Blue

Popular Gift Suggestion: Jewelry

Our Suggestion: Personalized print of the sky

Turquoise is the traditional gift for Germany, Russia and France, so with the traditional color in the UK and US being blue it makes sense to stick to the blue theme. We suggest a print with turquoise or blue as the main theme – perhaps a personalized print of the night sky from your wedding night. If your budget is a little more, a well-known jewelry maker has an iconic turquoise packaging you could take advantage of…

19th Anniversary

Color: Bronze

Popular Gift Suggestion: Honeysuckle

Our Suggestion: Mother of Pearl storage box

Both Spain and Italy celebrate a 19th wedding anniversary with a Honeysuckle. Again, similar to the 9th anniversary, it’s typical to have a more low-key present in order to save for the next year. Germany’s traditional gift suggests Pearl – you could get the couple a beautiful Mother of Pearl storage box for their precious jewelry.

Image: Aubrey Rose Odom

20th Anniversary – China

Color: Emerald Green or White

Popular Gift Suggestion: China tea sets or plates

Our Suggestion: China flowers

20 years! 2 decades. The traditional gift for this anniversary is China, so the one everyone thinks of straight away is a China tea set or plates. We’re sure after 20 years you’ve got some lovely crockery, so we suggest china flowers. These can be on display all year round, marking the occasion well.

If your budget allows, why not go to China and have an unforgettable experience…

21st Anniversary – Brass or Nickel

Color: Orange

Popular Gift Suggestion: Brass candlesticks

Our Suggestion: Coin of the year you married

There isn’t a traditional gift for the UK or US for a 21st anniversary, but the modern gift is Brass or Nickel. We suggest either tracking down a coin of the year you were married to have, or commission a set of special cufflinks with a coin in the birth year of the recipient. These will become a great talking point in conversation, and makes a unique yet thoughtful gift.

22nd Anniversary – Copper

Color: Green

Popular Gift Suggestion: Cookware

Our Suggestion: Copper garden sculpture

You’re in luck if your anniversary is this year, as copper accessories are in fashion at the moment, so whatever the gift you’ll definitely be on the right track! A copper garden sculpture would be a great way to celebrate the day.

For the adventurous, why not buy and learn a new instrument that you’ve always wanted to play? It’d be a great talking point, and an anniversary present you won’t forget.

23rd Anniversary – Silver Plate

Color: Silver

Popular Gift Suggestion: Silver plate

Our Suggestion: Romantic meal out

This year’s traditional gift is straight forward if you want to match it with the traditional colour – they are both silver. If you want to be literal, a silver plate engraved with a special message would be a lovely gift. However, silver is coming up for the 25th (spoiler alert) and perhaps you don’t want to ‘do’ silver twice in quick succession. We suggest going out for a lovely romantic meal somewhere you wouldn’t normally go. 23 years deserves to be celebrated!

Image: Dana DeVolk

24th Anniversary

Color: Lavender

Popular Gift Suggestion:

Our Suggestion: Lavender field day out

Again, there is no traditional gift in the UK or US for a 24th wedding anniversary, but Germany, Russia and France all suggest Satin as a great gift for this year.

The traditional flower is Lavender, so we suggest visiting a local Lavender field and tea room to celebrate the day. Lavender oil is believed to have antiseptic and anti-inflammatory properties as well as being used to treat anxiety, restlessness and insomnia.

Image: Daiga Ellaby

25th Anniversary – Silver

Color: Silver

Popular Gift Suggestion: Silver jewelry

Our Suggestion: Silver photo frame of all your family

A quarter of a century, that’s a great achievement and one you should definitely celebrate! By 25 years, we’re sure you’ll have a lovely family that you’d love to have photos of around your home. To invest in a silver photo frame would be a great way to celebrate, and create a potential heirloom that your family would want to keep for generations.

30th Anniversary – Pearl

Color: Green

Popular Gift Suggestion: Pearl or Mother of Pearl jewelry

Our Suggestion: Choose your own Pearl

Choosing your own pearl for a spouse is not only a great gift idea, but it can be as expensive as you like. Picking out the oyster itself normally is a set price, with jewelry options to suit every budget. Don’t like jewelry? Why not just choose a pearl each and keep them in a special place to remind you of the great 30 years of marriage you’ve had.

Image: Joanna Kosinska

35th Anniversary – Coral

Color: Coral

Popular Gift Suggestion: Pink colored jewellery

Our Suggestion: Coral colored clothing or something your spouse needs

Coral can be a tricky anniversary to buy for. 35 years is a long time to be married and we doubt there is anything you need that you haven’t already got! Some ideas for you: Is your husband an avid sportsman? Get him a coral coloured shirt – he won’t be missed in a hurry! If that’s not your style, stick with a sea theme with going out to a nice seafood restaurant. Perhaps you visited a seaside town early in your marriage that you’ve been meaning to return to? Now is the perfect excuse!

40th Anniversary – Ruby

Color: Ruby Red

Popular Gift Suggestion: Ruby tie pin, cuff-links or ring

Our Suggestion: Wine tasting

What better way to celebrate a Ruby wedding anniversary than to drink ruby beverages. Wine tasting is a great way to celebrate a Ruby wedding anniversary, and a day out you’ll (hopefully) remember for years to come. Yes, cufflinks, tie pins and rings are useful and would be a nice way to remind your spouse of your 40 years of marriage, but sometimes it’s nice to experience activities together rather than something material.

Image: Kym Ellis

45th Anniversary – Sapphire

Color: Sapphire

Popular Gift Suggestion: Sapphire based jewelry

Our Suggestion: Recreate your wedding breakfast menu

At this length of time of marriage, you may want to remind yourselves of the big day you are celebrating. Why not go out for a lovely meal just the two of you, or celebrate with the family you have created during this time. For something extra special, try to recreate your wedding breakfast menu at home. This will create new memories and remind you of the older ones.

50th Anniversary – Gold

Color: Gold

Popular Gift Suggestion: Gold jewellery or accessories

Our Suggestion: Golden themed party

A golden wedding anniversary is the big one! Celebrate with a big party with all your friends and family, and make it gold themed.

Congratulations to any married couple that has celebrated 50 years of marriage!

Image: Mandy von Stahl