What Gifts are Appropriate for Wedding Anniversaries?

Did you know there are traditions for anniversary gifts by year? Coming up with the perfect and most appropriate gift each year is stressful. Luckily, there are some traditions in place to help guide us. In the same manner that each month of the year is characterized by a zodiac sign, each year a marriage realized corresponds to a very specific item traditionally gifted during this time.

You may be familiar with the silver and the golden anniversaries which correspond to the 25th and 50th year of marriage, respectively, where the celebrated traditionally receive a gift of these metals. What you may not be as aware of are the anniversaries in between, such as the bronze (8th) or the silk (12th), which are often overlooked, yet just as significant! Some say this tradition dates back to medieval times when a husband would gift his wife a silver garland upon reaching 25 years of marriage. There’s speculation as to when and how this tradition really began, but today, this list is still used by many as a gift-giving guide.

We dug up the widely accepted list of anniversaries with their corresponding gifts. Use these traditions to guide you, but always remember that it’s the thought you put into your gift that counts!