Every year has a traditional gift and flowers, colors, and gemstones that correspond to the specific celebration. These longstanding traditions have a history extending back to the medieval period and were considered agents of good fortune and prosperity in marriage. However, giving anniversary gifts to loved ones wasn’t prevalent until the Victorian era.
Today, popular opinion differs from traditional legend, which suggests that each gift should be chosen to increase in value as you spend more time together, acknowledging a successful marriage.
Sort of a “thank you for hanging in there with me through thick and thin” gift. So, whether it’s your first year of marriage or you’re shopping for the perfect sentimental gold gift for your parents’ 50th, here are a few suggestions as to what is appropriate.
For your one-year anniversary, give a gift of paper or a clock. Your fifth year should be something wood or a piece of silverware will do. In the tenth year, a traditional gift would be tin or aluminum (not a box of tin foil). The modern gift is a little more expensive – diamonds. Jumping ahead to the 20th year anniversary, China or platinum. The 30th gets a little more expensive with pearls or diamonds (again). Your 40th is easy. Both traditional and modern gifts should be rubies. Same with the 50th and 60th but with gold and diamonds, respectively. You will notice that with each decade of marriage, the gifts tend to get more expensive, and for good reason. There should be a celebration and a reward for staying together, through thick and thin, in sickness and in health.
