Anniversaries

Anniversary Gifts by Year

A Wedding Day is an incredibly important occasion when two people celebrate the beginning of their marriage in the presence of family and friends. Following this significant occasion, anniversary celebrations each year commemorate the continuation of each person’s love for the other.

It is generally considered important that each wedding anniversary is celebrated in a memorable and meaningful way, because the anniversary is like an annual renewal of the commitment between two people. This is one time of the year when time and effort needs to be invested into finding a suitable gift, and a gift that is romantic, unique, or symbolic in some special way for the couple.

In the earlier years of a marriage, it is often simple to think of a meaningful gift when two people tend to have plenty of things on their wish lists they want to purchase someday. However, as the years go by and the assets build up, it becomes increasingly more difficult to think of an anniversary gift that will be treasured.

The tradition of giving gifts for a wedding anniversary extends back to medieval times. It is known that during the time of the Holy Roman Empire, a man would crown his wife with a silver wreath on the 25th anniversary, and a gold wreath on the 50th anniversary, however, there was little else documented in terms of themes for gift giving on other anniversaries.   

To overcome the common problem people faced as to what to give one’s spouse each year, an American author by the name of Emily Post, who wrote on the topic of etiquette, was the first to recommend a list of anniversary gift themes which was published in 1922 in her book titled ‘Etiquette’. In that book, she listed suggestions for the first anniversary, followed by the fifth anniversary, and then every five years or so up until the 25th, and concluded with the 50th wedding anniversary. The American National Retail Jeweler Association expanded on this list in 1937 by filling in the missing years up to the 14th wedding anniversary, and the subsequent multiples of five up to the 50th year.

These gift suggestions for each year of marriage are today referred to as the ‘Traditional’ themes for each anniversary. This list was later reviewed and updated to incorporate a ‘Modern’ theme for each anniversary.

As time progressed, this list was broadened even further by other authors who suggested gift themes for every year from the first to the 25th, as well as every five years up to the 75th wedding anniversary.

We have put together a comprehensive and accurate list detailing the most recognized traditional and modern gift themes by anniversary year.