Wedding anniversary gifts by year

By Taylah Burrows 02 October 2016

Wedding anniversaries provide couples with a reminder to celebrate the commitment they have made to one another.

Traditionally, there is a particular gift for every anniversary milestone – and most people follow this.

This tradition, for gifts correlating with years of marriage, has been around since 1937 when the Jewellers of America released a set list of designated gifts connected to anniversary names.

Over time the list of traditions has changed from country to country, and many deem this lack of continuity to make the lists redundant.

However, it is still common-place for a person to follow their country’s set of gift traditions.

Below is the widely followed list of wedding anniversary names and gift suggestions:

Year 1 – Paper

Tickets to a mutually-enjoyable event, or a meaningful book;

Year 2 – Cotton

Clothing, a hat or scarf;

Year 3 – Leather

Shoes or a handbag;

Year 4 – Silk

Silk sheets or accessories like a tie or scarf;

Year 5 – Wood

A new piece of furniture;

Year 6 – Iron

Cast-iron pans or a wrought-iron garden chair;

Year 7 – Copper

Copper home accessories or cookware;

Year 8 – Bronze

Bronze home accessories;

Year 9 – Pottery

A vase, bowl or pottery display-dishes;

Year 10 – Tin

Nice tins for baked goods, or a jewellery tin;

Year 15 – Crystal

Crystal wine or spirit glasses;

Year 20 – China

Fine bone china teacups or dinner sets;

Year 25 – Silver

Jewellery or a silver spirit flask;

Year 30 – Pearl

Pearl necklace or other jewellery;

Year 35 – Coral

Decorative coral piece for the home;

Year 40 – Ruby

A bottle of red wine, a bunch of red roses, or ruby jewellery;

Year 45 – Sapphire

Sapphire jewellery;

Year 50 – Gold

A bottle of sparkling wine with golden flakes, or jewellery.

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