The word “gift” is all but synonymous with a lot of life’s most important milestones. Anniversaries make up some of the most intimate and emotional days couples spend together, and the gift you give to your partner should be a reflection of that.
Traditionally, each year has a different symbol that you can customize to match your loved one’s personality and interests.
If you have an anniversary coming up and you aren’t sure what to give your sweetheart, you can’t go wrong with these classic themes. Take away the guesswork by using this list as a guide for anniversary gifts by year.
1. Paper
The first anniversary is one of the most monumental, but also the most malleable. Like a blank slate, paper is a broad topic that could mean anything from a sentimental card to money; it’s all about how your personalize it.
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2. Cotton
As you enter the second year in your relationship, you’ve likely crossed into the “comfort zone” with your significant other. What’s more comfortable than cotton?
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3. Leather
Strong, weathered, and unyielding, leather is an appropriate symbol for your third year together. Perfect for both male and female gifts, leather is a fine material that can withstand the test of time.
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4. Fruit or Flowers
Depending on the theme you choose, your fourth anniversary gift can either draw attention to the soulful products of your relationship or the process of growth.
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5. Wood
Wood is malleable but resilient, and the material itself is the product of growth and nourishment.
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6. Candy or Iron
Representative of both sweetness and strength, you could choose from a wide variety of gifts for your sixth anniversary.
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7. Wool or Copper
Both of these substances are timeless, useful, and full of beneficial properties. They can be used as protection from the elements, or as a buildable layer of comfort and reinforcement.
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8. Pottery or Bronze
Both of these materials are forged as a mixture of other ingredients, which perfectly represents the character that each person brings to a relationship.
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9. Willow
Similar to a long-standing partnership, these trees are known for their flexible appearance and comforting nature.
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10. Tin or Aluminium or Diamond Jewelry
These shiny and malleable metals represent ingenuity and practicality. Modern 10-year anniversary gift is diamond jewelry. Weave that into your tenth anniversary with these gift options:
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11. Steel
Try to find a more powerful material. Specifically formulated to optimize strength and resilience, you can’t go wrong with these steel gifts:
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12. Silk or Linen
Like twelve years of love and commitment, both of these materials are incredibly versatile, practical, and can be molded into any price range and style.
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13. Lace
Dainty and intricate, lace represents the intertwining of two lives through marriage. The same idea applies to laces, which is a more open-ended way to apply this traditional theme to men.
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14. Gold Jewelry
This one goes without saying. You can never have too much gold in your jewelry box, and it’s a substance that’s sure to show your loved one how much they’re worth to you.
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Pearl represents the 30th year anniversary
15. Crystal
Beautiful on its own or as part of a set, a crystal piece is as timeless as it is classy.
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20. China
For centuries, porcelain has been a popular choice for fine collectables because of its beauty and delicate fragility. This mirrors the tender but temperate state of relationship after twenty years together.
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25. Silver
Silver has a history as one of the most precious and valuable materials in the world. What could be more a more fitting symbol for a quarter-century of marriage?
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30. Pearls
Classic, timeless, and (traditionally) organically made, pearls stand for the growth and resilience that a marriage accumulates over time.
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35. Coral
Authentic coral is a living organism that grows slowly in temperate water. Like a marriage that is nurtured by love and warmth, this material (or artificial versions of it) can be worn, displayed, or kept as a keepsake.
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40. Ruby
This precious stone represents the eternal flame of love and passion that grows in a marriage of forty years.
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45. Sapphire
Traditionally, sapphires are deep, blue stones with a long history of being attributed to royalty. However, you can show your loved one how highly you value your long history together with a variety of colors and styles.
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- Melted Bombay sapphire bottle platter
- Modern mother-of-pearl and sapphire cufflinks
- Bezel stainless steel watch
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50. Gold
After spending half a century together, truly show your loved one what they’re worth with this precious and coveted metal.
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55. Emerald
Historically, emeralds have been used as a symbol of true, long-lasting love. What’s more appropriate for a fifty-fifth anniversary gift?
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60. Diamond
The ultimate culmination of a life built through years of marriage is aptly represented by the ultimate gem.
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No matter if you’re celebrating one year together or sixty, show your spouse how much they impact your life by giving them a gift that they will cherish as much as their love for you. Classic, modern, or alternative, there’s sure to be something in this list that will put a smile on their face.