Because tomorrow marks the sixth year that I've been married, I thought it would be appropriate to post the traditional gifts for each wedding anniversary year. Not that I will receive a gift...or ever have, mind you, I just thought it would make an interesting and informative blog post.
Each year of every couple's marriage is marked by a specific item.
1st anniversary: Paper
Can it really be a year ago you said 'I do'? Time flies when you're having fun…
Paper weddings have an edible tradition. If you opted for a fruit wedding cake, you can freeze the top tier and have it re-iced to eat on this day.
2nd anniversary: Cotton
3rd: anniversary: Leather
4th anniversary: Linen
5th anniversary: Wood
In Wales, elaborately carved wooden 'lovespoons' have been given for centuries. The term 'spooning' - meaning 'romancing' - originates from this Welsh tradition.
6th anniversary: Iron
In his famous diary, Samuel Pepys (1633-1703) writes of going home 'to be merry, it being my sixth wedding night'.
7th anniversary: Wool
8th anniversary: Bronze
9th anniversary: Pottery
10th anniversary: Tin
At ten years old, your marriage is getting all grown up and hopefully, more mature. But not too mature!
As a gift idea, tin may not sound too promising. Fortunately, there's also a gemstone or precious metal associated with each wedding anniversary. According to this tradition, you can celebrate your first decade together with diamonds. Any excuse!
11th anniversary: Steel
12th anniversary: Silk
In Denmark, it's traditional to make a big fuss of the 12-and-a-half-year anniversary. Called a copper wedding, friends and family build the couple half an arch made from spruce (you get the other half when you reach your 25th). The arch is decorated with flowers and lights and positioned at the door of your home.
13th anniversary: Lace
Romantic lace is often associated with weddings. The veil made for Queen Elizabeth's 1923 wedding to George VI required 12,000 hours of work and 12million stitches.
14th anniversary: Ivory
15th anniversary: Crystal
Anniversary symbols vary worldwide. In some cultures, your 15th wedding anniversary, for example, is called a 'glass' wedding.
16th anniversary: Topaz
17th anniversary: Amethyst
Why are certain materials associated with different anniversaries? As the years pass, you'll see that the materials become more durable and more valuable the longer the marriage - just like your relationship! Another theory is that they are designed to help you replace wedding gifts at the time they wear out…
18th anniversary: Garnet
19th anniversary: Aquamarine
Aquamarines are the colour of the sea.
20th anniversary: China
21st anniversary: Brass
22nd anniversary: Copper
23rd anniversary: Silver plate
24th anniversary: Musical instruments
25th anniversary: Silver
Silver weddings have a long tradition. In medieval Germany, husbands gave their wives a wreath of silver when they had been married for 25 years. 'Sylver brydells' are mentioned in an English church record of 1624, and the term 'silver feast' is attributed to the Germans in a letter to Dr Samuel Johnson in 1806.
26th anniversary: Original pictures
27th anniversary: Sculpture
28th anniversary: Orchids
In China, orchids symbolise nobility, friendship, elegance and perfection - making these exotic, mysterious blooms an ideal anniversary present.
29th anniversary: New furniture
30th anniversary: Pearl
In Indian mythology, pearls are said to be dewdrops from heaven that fell into the sea. These jewels represent peace, nobility and beauty.
31st anniversary: Timepieces
32nd anniversary: Conveyances (vehicles)
33rd anniversary: Amethyst
The Victorians were fond of making rings with a message conveyed in the first initial of each jewel. So a ring with a Diamond, Emerald, Amethyst, Ruby, Emerald, Sapphire and Topaz on it spelt 'dearest'.
34th anniversary: Opal
35th anniversary: Coral
Jewelery is the natural choice for this anniversary gift, as coral goes so well with jade, the gemstone associated with 25 years of marriage.
Jade was once used as currency in China and is considered to be lucky. Red coral is the most valuable kind.
36th anniversary: Bone china
37th anniversary: Alabaster
38th anniversary: Beryl
Beryl is a little known, colourless gemstone in it's pure form. Aquamarine is it's blue versiou and it's green is one of the most
precious gems of all - emerald.
39th anniversary: Lace
There is no traditional material for the 39th wedding anniversary but the modern lists state lace, which also marks the 13th. 26 years on, it may be time to replace that tablecloth!
40th anniversary: Ruby
Life begins at 40, and the 40th wedding anniversary is considered to be one of the most important after the 25th. Not surprisingly it's been attached to one of the world's most precious gems. Rubies are said to be rarer than diamonds - they symbolise health, wealth and wisdom and, of course, passion.
41st anniversary: Land
In 1659, John Evelyn wrote in his diary about going to a 'forty-first wedding day feast', one of the earliest references to wedding anniversaries in English literature. It looks as if all anniversaries were an excuse for a celebration back in those days - what a good idea!
42nd anniversary: Real estate
43rd anniversary: Travel
This couldn't be easier. Enjoy a day or weekend away, or head off on the holiday of your dreams!
44th anniversary: Groceries
Groceries don't sound too exciting, but they can make a great present. Just remember to avoid standard supermarket fare and go for a luxury hamper instead.
45th anniversary: Sapphire
Sapphires come in an array of colours - pink, yellow, white, green and red as well as blue.
46th anniversary: Poetry
47th anniversary: Books
48th anniversary: Optical goods
49th anniversary: Luxuries
50th anniversary: Gold
You've spent half a century together - what better cause for a celebration? Golden weddings have been marked for many years. In medieval Germany, men would present their wives with a golden wreath on their 50th anniversary. This was said to symbolise harmony.
Going for gold is the obvious choice for a 50th wedding gift and you may want to use the opportunity to buy each other new wedding rings to add to your old ones. You could even have special inscriptions made inside the rings to mark the occasion.
55th anniversary: Emerald
These precious stones symbolise love and rebirth and make beautiful jewelery.
60th anniversary: Diamond
The word 'diamond' originates from the Greek adamus, meaning unconquerable - which, if you've lasted 60 years, is the perfect epithet for your own marriage. Splash out in celebration of this fantastic event and buy a beautiful piece of diamond jewellery.
70th anniversary: Platinum
After 70 years together, you've earned your own platinum record. And like the metal, your marriage is strong, precious and rare.
Eternity rings are a popular anniversary present. Of course, you can buy one whenever you feel like it, but it might be an ideal gift to mark a special anniversary like the 70th.
75th anniversary: Diamond
Although the 75th is the second diamond wedding in the anniversary calendar, it was actually the first to exist - the 60th was added in 1897 when Queen Victoria celebrated her Diamond Jubilee. There's no modern symbol for a diamond wedding.
Thanks for reading my thoughts! <3
House-Wise
"Make yourself at home"
