Anniversary
Anniversary gifts by year
The traditional and modern anniversary gift for every year, from paper at the first to platinum at the seventieth, with one idea for each. Where the UK list differs, it is shown under the traditional gift.
| Year | Traditional | Modern | An idea |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | PaperUK: Cotton or paper | Clocks | A book about your first year together, or a love letter in a frame. |
| 2nd | CottonUK: Paper or cotton | China | Two soft cotton robes, or a pair of mugs for your morning coffee. |
| 3rd | Leather | Crystal or glass | A leather journal for the next year's plans, or two engraved glasses. |
| 4th | Fruit and flowersUK: Linen or silk | Appliances | A fruit tree to plant in the garden, or good linen sheets. |
| 5th | Wood | Silverware | A wooden cutting board carved with your initials and the year. |
| 6th | IronUK: Sugar | Wood | A cast-iron pan and a recipe you'll cook together, or a box of their favorite sweets. |
| 7th | Wool or copper | Desk sets | A big wool blanket for the couch, or two copper mugs. |
| 8th | Bronze | Linen or lace | Linen napkins and a dinner at home, just the two of you. |
| 9th | PotteryUK: Copper | Leather | A pottery class for two, and the lopsided bowls you bring home. |
| 10th | Tin or aluminum | Diamond jewelry | A tin filled with ten notes, one memory from each year. |
| 11th | Steel | Fashion jewelry | A steel bracelet or cufflinks engraved with the date. |
| 12th | SilkUK: Silk and fine linen | Pearls | A silk scarf or tie in the color they wore on the wedding day. |
| 13th | Lace | Textiles | A woven throw or a quilt made from old t-shirts. |
| 14th | Gold (once ivory) | Gold jewelry | A small gold pendant or ring. |
| 15th | Crystal | Watches | A watch engraved with your wedding date. |
| 20th | China | Platinum | A china dinner set for the big family meals. |
| 25th | Silver | Silver | A silver frame for the wedding photo, and a party to fill it. |
| 30th | Pearl | Diamond | Pearl earrings, or a trip to the place you went on your honeymoon. |
| 35th | Coral | Jade | A jade plant, which can outlive you both. |
| 40th | Ruby | Ruby | Ruby jewelry, or a book of forty years of their memories from the children. |
| 45th | Sapphire | Sapphire | A sapphire ring or pendant. |
| 50th | Gold | Gold | A golden anniversary party, and a book of their fifty years, painted from their photos. |
| 55th | Emerald | Emerald | An emerald, or a garden planted in their name. |
| 60th | Diamond | Diamond | A diamond, and the whole family in one photo. |
| 70th | Platinum | Platinum | A platinum keepsake, and their story written down for the grandchildren. |
A gift for any year
Whatever the year, a book of your own story fits: the memories you choose, written as a letter and painted from your photos, so the two of you appear in every scene. For a first anniversary it is the paper gift; for a fortieth or fiftieth it is the gift for parents who have everything. More on the anniversary book, or read our gift ideas.
Anniversary gift ideas
Questions people ask
What is the difference between traditional and modern anniversary gifts?
The traditional list is the older one, built around materials that get stronger and more precious with time: paper for the first year, wood for the fifth, gold for the fiftieth. The modern list was added in the twentieth century with more practical gifts, like clocks for the first year and appliances for the fourth. Either is correct; most people pick whichever gives them a better idea.
Why does the UK list differ?
The UK kept a slightly different older list for a few early years: cotton or paper for the first, linen or silk for the fourth, sugar for the sixth and copper for the ninth. From the tenth year on, the two lists mostly agree.
What if the gift for our year doesn't suit us?
Use it as a starting point, not a rule. The material is a nice touch, but what people remember is a gift that shows you thought about your years together.
What is the gift for the first anniversary?
Paper is the traditional first anniversary gift, and a clock is the modern one. A book about your first year together counts as paper.
Three steps to your book
- Tell us your storyAbout ten minutes
- We write and paint itReady for you in days
- Approve it, then it printsAt your door in about two weeks
Read a whole one before you decide
Every page of an example book, the words and the paintings, as it prints.
New here? Start with what a personalized love book is.