Anniversaries are special days that people, particularly couples, celebrate. It is a symbol of their journey together, including their growth, challenges conquered, and everything in between. To make anniversaries more meaningful, giving gifts to your loved one makes the celebration more romantic and memorable. This guide brings together anniversary gifts by year, symbols, themes, messages, and celebration tips to make this day extra special.
Anniversary Gifts by Year: Traditional, Modern, and What They Mean
The number of years being together shows the couple’s milestone. The gifts prepared and given each year reflect the journey of shared love. Here is an overview of the list of anniversary gifts by year.
Here are the most popular anniversary gifs by year:
1st Anniversary – Paper
Paper symbolises new beginnings and memories, like a new chapter to be written.
Gift Ideas: love letters, personalised notebooks or journals, custom artwork.
5th Anniversary – Wood
Wood reflects strength, growth, and deepening roots.
Gift Ideas: engraved wooden keepsakes, custom boards
10th Anniversary – Tin or Aluminium
These materials represent resilience and flexibility.
Gift Ideas: aluminium home decor, customized keychains, personalized tins
20th Anniversary – China
China stands for the beauty of love and long-term relationships.
Gift Ideas: porcelain ornaments, fine china, a couple of figurines
25th Anniversary – Silver
Silver reflects brilliance and long-lasting value
Gift Ideas: silver jewelry, silver-accented picture frames
50th Anniversary – Gold
Gold signifies prosperity, a lifetime bond, and wisdom.
Gift Ideas: gold jewellery, golden decorations, or ornaments
Whether you want to give traditional anniversary gifts by year, modern gifts, or a mix of both, using the year’s symbol can make the gift more meaningful.
Wedding Anniversary Gifts by Year: Celebrating Every Chapter
Anniversary milestones symbolise a couple’s journey that is filled with love and everything in between. Every year is a milestone that should be celebrated, even in the simplest but thoughtful way.
1st – 10th Years: Early Marriage Milestones
The first ten years serve as the foundation of the relationship, where you get to know each other well. Couples may prefer simple but special gifts that are heartfelt. Some celebrate by taking on new experiences, like travels, staycations, or a simple dinner date.
11th – 25th Years: Growing Together
As the relationship lasts longer, the responsibilities grow, and the celebrations become more intentional. Some perfect gift ideas for this milestone are personalised gifts or something useful. The common celebrations in this milestone are more family-inclusive, to share the joy with the whole family.
30th – 50th Years: Legacy Years
Reaching the legacy years is such a wonderful gift, and it celebrates the long-term relationship. Symbolic items or presents are perfect for this occasion, like a pearl for a 30th, a ruby for a 40th, and gold for a 50th. The typical celebrations for these years are vow renewals, family tributes, and destination celebrations.
Anniversary Gift for Your Loved Ones
Here are the anniversary gift ideas for your loved ones:
Anniversary Gift for Your Spouse
For Him: The ideal gifts for him are leather goods, surprise trips, engraved accessories, and gadgets aligned with the theme.
For Her: The perfect gifts for her are curated gift boxes, spa experiences, or staycations.
For Non-Binary Partners: The gifts that are perfect are matching couple gifts, travels, and personalised art.
Anniversary Gifts for Parents or Grandparents
The perfect gifts for parents and grandparents celebrating anniversaries are memory scrapbooks, personalised family tree frames, and celebration gatherings.
Anniversary Gifts for Friends or Other Couples
For friends or other couples, the ideal gifts are household items, wine gift sets, and modern gifts.
Budget-Friendly Anniversary Gifts for Your Loved Ones
If you want a budget-friendly yet meaningful gift, consider romantic letters or special messages in a bottle, a travel photo book, or a homemade dinner. It's always the thought, presence, and love that count.
Anniversary Messages & Templates
A heartfelt message written on cards or paper adds meaning to the gift and celebrations. Here are some messages and templates for inspiration:
Short & Sweet
- Happy anniversary, my love. Here’s to us – always.
- Another year with you is my favourite blessing.
Romantic
- Our love grows deeper with every year, every story, every shared moment.
- You are my forever. Happy Anniversary.
Funny
- Another year of tolerating each other. We’re doing great!
- Still married! We should get an award.
For Parents
- Your love is an example to our family. Happy Anniversary.
- Thank you for showing us what a lasting partnership looks like.
By Year
- Happy First Anniversary! Here’s to a journey ahead filled with love.
- Happy Silver Anniversary! Twenty-five years and still shining bright.
Anniversary Celebration Ideas
Celebrations can be done at home or at a special place you prefer. Here are the celebration ideas for you:
At Home. Home is an ideal place to celebrate anniversaries. You can invite family members and people who are special to you and enjoy a simple yet thoughtful gathering. You can also celebrate it through breakfast in bed, a movie marathon with your favourite food, a couple’s game night, a dinner night, and an at-home spa day.
Going Out. Many couples also go out to celebrate their anniversary. The celebration ideas, if you want to go out, are a fancy dinner, a rooftop date, a weekend getaway, a beach picnic, a show, or a concert.
Travel Ideas. If you prefer to go on a trip, you can choose a destination that matches your theme. For the fifth anniversary that reflects wood, the forest cabin getaway is ideal. For the 50th anniversary, which symbolises gold, you can celebrate it in a luxury hotel or a golden-sunset destination.
Family-Inclusive Celebrations. An anniversary celebration is also great to be celebrated with family and share the joy with them. Some of the ideas for the whole family are renewal of vows, a family photoshoot, a meaningful gathering, and a special show or video created by kids or grandkids that shows the couple’s journey through the years.
If you want to share your anniversary milestone on social media, you can caption it with “Celebrating 50 years with my favourite person” and “Every year with you is my favourite. Happy Anniversary.”
Traditional vs. Modern Anniversary Gifts: Which Should You Choose?
Are you thinking about which is better between traditional and modern anniversary gifts? Traditional gifts by year are perfect for those who are sentimental, old souls, classic romantics, minimalists, and practical but thoughtful. On the other hand, modern gifts are ideal for those who are trendsetters, tech-savvy, aesthetic curators, modern minimalists, and experience lovers.
Traditional wedding gifts are perfect when:
- You want something symbolic and meaningful
- You’re celebrating a milestone year
Choose modern gifts when:
- You want something practical
- Your partner prefers contemporary styles
Many couples also mix both traditional and modern gifts to create a unique, thoughtful, and creative gift.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the traditional wedding anniversary gifts by year?
There is a symbolic material in each anniversary year, like paper for the 1st, wood for the 5th, silver for the 25th, and gold for the 50th.
What are modern anniversary gifts?
Some of the modern anniversary gifts are watches, staycations, and travels.
What do anniversary materials symbolise?
The anniversary materials symbolise love and how the relationship stays stronger.
What should I write in an anniversary card?
The message you should write in an anniversary card should be something that comes from your heart. It must be sincere and personal, so the recipient will feel your love.
An anniversary is a special milestone that is worth celebrating. It doesn’t always need to be grand and luxurious. It can be simple but meaningful. This special occasion reflects the love in everyday moments. Whether you want to give a traditional gift, a modern gift with a twist, or something unique, the best anniversary gifts are something that reflects your story. Those gifts will be more meaningful with a heartfelt message.
Let the card do the talking
At La La Land, our cards are illustrated with love, humour, and heart by Australian artists. From quirky to sentimental, we’ve got the perfect card to inspire your words, or speak for you.
