Wedding anniversaries are special times for you and your spouse to celebrate your love and commitment to each other. They’re an opportunity to review the vows you made to each other. The traditional gifts have fallen out of popularity, but there are still fun ways to give these gifts with a modern and practical twist. Here’s a guide to traditional anniversary gifts by year on milestone years.
Year one: paper
Making it through the first year of marriage is a huge accomplishment. You and your spouse learned how to function as a married couple, recovered from a wedding, and kept your commitments for the first full year. This bodes well for the years to come. To celebrate year one and your paper anniversary, print a picture of the two of you—possibly a wedding photo—on high-quality paper and frame it.
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Year five: wood
Five years of marriage is a big deal, so celebrate these first five years in style by keeping with tradition and getting your spouse a gift that reflects your wooden anniversary. Get your spouse a wooden watch or bracelet to commemorate the five years of teamwork you now have under your belts.
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Year 10: tin or aluminum
Your first decade together as a married couple is quite an achievement. Commemorate your tin or aluminum anniversary with home décor or kitchenware. These are items you can both use as you move into decade number two as a united front.
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Year 20: china
20 years together deserves some recognition. When you’re with somebody this long, you know what they like and dislike, so you can get really personal with your china anniversary celebrations. Do something extra-special this year by designing a custom dinnerware set that symbolizes your continued union and love.
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Year 30: pearl
If you don’t want to shell out for a natural pearl necklace, you can make year 30 a pearl-hunting date night. If you don’t live near a body of water full of oysters, you can order a bag of oysters online and get cracking together.
Year 40: ruby
40 years together may deserve some real rubies, but it’s not always the most practical purchase. For this anniversary, try using the color ruby as the theme. Get ruby red roses, decorate cards with rubies, or light a ruby-colored candle to have a romantic night in.
Year 50: gold
You made it half a century with the love of your life. Celebrate by adding gold anniversary bands to your wedding rings—50 years together deserves a little upgrade to the symbol of your commitment to one another.
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