Anniversary Gifts By Year: Traditional & Modern Ideas

A Guide To Anniversaries and Traditional Themes By Year The best place to start for anniversary gift ideas is with time-honoured traditions. Finding inspiration for symbolic wedding anniversary gift ideas according to the traditional themes is something many couples enjoy. Maybe you are in the first flush of a happy new marriage or have already enjoyed 50 years of bliss together. Wherever you are in your relationship, it's vital to celebrate all the happy milestones along the way. What is the symbol for years of marriage? Traditional anniversary gift ideas are a symbol to mark the passing years together. Over time, these have, of course, evolved with our changing lifestyles. Today, there are many more modern gift ideas for younger couples, which even introduce a fun element. You can choose from popular wedding anniversary gifts as great alternatives to more traditional symbolic gifts for your husband or choose romantic gifts for your wife. Each new year of marriage is a momentous occasion, and there is a special gift linked to the happy anniversary. We think each and every year is equally important! But there are some wedding anniversary years that are particular milestones that deserve a special gift for your spouse. Ideas for traditional or modern wedding anniversary presents by year from Gifts Australia are only limited by your imagination! Inspiration for modern and traditional anniversary gifts guide We've got creative gift ideas for every anniversary, including significant milestones like a 25th wedding anniversary and a 50th wedding anniversary. For advice and inspiration, check out our fun ideas for anniversaries for the first five years. If you prefer traditional wedding anniversary ideas, we have a complete list of traditional themes and a gifting guide for every year. Read on to learn more about the history of traditional wedding anniversaries, and for a modern spin on new gift ideas for anniversaries that are a super alternative. You can also see a complete table showing the traditional theme and modern equivalent for each anniversary gift by year here. SHOP ANNIVERSARY GIFTS Where did the anniversary gift tradition come from? Have you ever wondered how the symbolic gifts for each year evolved and when the traditional wedding anniversary themes started? The traditions for each year of marriage are thought to have started in Victorian times, with increasingly durable and valuable gifts given each year. In 1922, Emily Post's book on social etiquette listed only 8 traditional wedding milestone gift themes: 1 year - paper 5 years - wood 10 years - tin 15 years - crystal 20 years - china 25 years - silver 50 years - gold 75 years - diamond While there is no complete list of anniversary gifts by year from 1 to 100 with every year included, the symbolic gift list has been further expanded with themes for each of the first twenty years. Paper was chosen to symbolise the clean slate and fresh beginning of the first year of marriage. While the interwoven fibres of cotton symbolise a second year of marriage, to show how the delicate strands of cotton merge together to form a cloth that is both supple and strong. Leather symbolises the growing strength and protection of the third year of marriage. And the blossoming flowers and ripening fruit of a fourth year of marriage symbolise bounty and renewal. Each subsequent theme for years of marriage reflects either growing value or durability. The metals for each year of marriage, like copper, bronze, steel, silver, and gold, are chosen in order of increasing strength, with the more precious metals reserved for 25 and 50 years of marriage. How to choose something extra special for the happy couple First year - paper or clocks? Fragile and symbolic paper, representing the newness of marriage, has today been replaced by the modern idea of a clock. That gives a fairly wide scope to choose from for him, her or a couple! With a full year of marriage behind them, why not treat a traditional couple to a gorgeous Sweet Memories - 50 Heart-Filled Activities to Do as a Couple so they can plan special moments together? SHOP NOW For more modern ideas, romance and time need to be the main focus. How about a beautiful wall clock decorated with subtle red roses or his 'n' hers matching designer watches? If you still can't decide, then a Moët and Gourmet Nibbles Hamper, packed full of delicious snacks and a bottle of bubbly is sure to impress! SHOP NOW SHOP CHAMPAGNE HAMPERS Second year - cotton or china? The traditional anniversary present for year two is cotton, representing the weave of strength and comfort. You could choose luxurious bed linen or a cute Blush Luxuriously Soft Lounging Robe to make their day. Soft bathrobes and lounging clothes are also great ideas for gifts between couples. SHOP NOW More modern gifts are porcelain and china, pointing to the frailty and strength of any relationship. Additional pieces for dinner party sets, mugs, fridge magnets and tea sets are fun ideas. For that special something, how about a lovely, fine Royal Botanic Gardens Glass Tumbler Set as a modern touch for the living room? SHOP NOW Third year - leather or crystal and glass? For a traditional couple, leather gifts of symbolic durability are the focus. This means there is plenty to choose from for the happy couple, from watch straps and wallets to matching overnight bags. Glass gives you a broad scope of anniversary present choices from perfume and candles to something divine for the house. Our Champagne Celebrations Gift Set is a gorgeous gift that can be completed with a fabulous bottle of sparkling bubbly! SHOP NOW Fourth year - flowers and fruit or silk and electrical goods? Nothing beats a beautiful selection of fresh flowers at any time. For a perfect anniversary gift, why not go for a traditional bouquet? It's the perfect finishing touch, representing the continued blossoming of love. Or choose to have a rose named, registered and grown as a truly romantic gesture. The more modern ideas include silk, linen and household appliances and accessories. With so much to choose from, it really depends on the personalities of couples. A trendy linen wall print, silk kimonos or a coffee machine are all suitable gifts. Or what about an espresso maker for creating the perfect lazy wedding anniversary morning in bed with a fresh cup of coffee? Or choose something tasty and grow herbs with a Windowsill Kitchen Herbs Kit. SHOP NOW Fifth year - wood or silverware? Celebrating five years of marriage means strong and durable wood is the traditional anniversary present. Some suggested ideas could be a wooden clock, a beautiful music box or a carved statue. Maggie Beer's Rotating Servery is a great choice. It spins effortlessly and displays dinners and desserts beautifully. SHOP NOW The modern touch is the lovely gift of silverware, with lots of trendy alternatives to choose from today. As it's a milestone anniversary, silver cufflinks and charm bracelets to candlesticks and fruit bowls are the order of the day. As a really personal touch, our Faye Slider Bracelet is a favourite of many, with 40 handset cubic zirconia crystals and 18K gold plating. SHOP NOW SHOP JEWELLERY GIFTS Anniversary gifts suitable for any year If there isn't a specific item tied to your anniversary, we suggest the gifts below. They're tried and true, and are the perfect thing to bond and make memories. 1 - Cheese gift boxes Share a romantic moment over gourmet, mouthwatering cheeses. Our hampers feature Maggie Beer's cheese, including her cheddars, truffle brie, camembert, and triple cream brie. They also come with crackers and fruit pastes from her range - people love her Quince Paste, it's such a classic. Some include a naughty chocolate treat or two. SHOP CHEESE HAMPERS 2 - Jewellery Jewellery is a classic gift, and that's for a reason! It's so lovely to wear something someone else bought you out of love. It's also fun to pick something out for your partner and enjoy how happy they look with it on. We've got jewellery for women and men, with cufflinks, bracelets, necklaces, and earrings. SHOP JEWELLERY GIFTS 3 - Personalised leather accessories Perhaps you want something practical and useful every day. In that case, this is the range for you! Our leather accessories are made with premium goat's and cow's leather and come in a range of colours. They're either blind embossed or embossed with colour and feature your partner's name or initials. We have bags for him and her, passport covers, keyrings, jewellery boxes, wallets, toiletries bags, and much more. SHOP PERSONALISED LEATHER 4 - Maggie Beer homewares Our Maggie Beer gifts collection is full of beautiful, heirloom-quality pieces for the kitchen, dining table, and garden, and they make the perfect anniversary gift. Every time your partner pulls their gift out to use, it's a sweet reminder of the home you share and all the lovely memories you made. Some of her gifts include a rotating servery, measuring cups and spoons, wooden spoons, rolling pins, market baskets, and salad servers. SHOP MAGGIE BEER GIFTS 5 - Chocolates This is a classic gift you can never go wrong with! Spoil your sweetheart with a treat shared and make memories. We offer gift boxes with chocolate, including white, milk, and dark chocolate, and everything from caramel to wafers and chocolate nuts. SHOP CHOCOLATE GIFTS Anniversary gift ideas that will keep you together These modern-day guides can help you choose some classic or original presents for your other half. But remember, you can interpret the guidelines as loosely as you want. There is a gemstone and flower guide for each year, too! Both traditional and modern gifts will be welcomed with open arms, whether it's for an anniversary gift for couples to give to parents or friends, or to be exchanged between the married couple. Whatever wedding anniversary gift ideas you choose, make sure you give the best gift of all: your time. Material things are a wonderful thought, but your love is what will keep you together for the next five years! ANNIVERSARY GIFTS FOR HIM ANNIVERSARY GIFTS FOR HER