How to Buy a 30th-Year Wedding Anniversary Gift

Anniversary gifts can be downright regal when you've been married for three decades. The traditional gift list suggests ivory or pearls, while the modern list recommends diamonds.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Gift Ribbons
• Cufflinks
• Anniversary Greeting Cards
• Flowers
• Wrapping Paper
• Chardonnay
• Diamond Earrings
• Diamond Studs
• Jewelry
• Pearl Earrings
• Pearl Necklaces
• 2 Baseball Tickets
• Credit Cards And Loans
• Gift Certificates

1. Take stock of your spouse. Would modern gifts work best, or should you go the traditional route?

2. Think creatively. With diamonds, pearls, and ivory as your categories, the range is wide.

3. Assess your budget and decide if you want to splurge. Consider faux jewels versus elegant jewelry.

4. Shop around at specialty stores, department stores, catalogs and online shops before you buy.

5. Enclose a personal gift card.

6. Deliver the gift yourself if you can.

Tips & Warnings

• If you're splurging this anniversary, does he need pearl tux studs? Could she use a strand of pearls? Diamond studs and cuff links for him and her?
• Save money and opt for seed or freshwater pearls, cubic zirconium or pave diamonds. Or choose to give a basket with champagne and fresh oysters.
• More utilitarian gifts include a drill with a "diamond" bit or baseball (diamond) tickets. People refer to caviar as "pearls of the sea," so how about a few ounces of beluga?
• Before you buy that pearl and diamond tiara, make sure the recipients will find use for it.

on 11/22/2005 We just bought a beautiful table lamp for some dear friends' 30th anniversary, and accompanied it with a small box containing two pearl light bulbs (we made sure they opened the small package first)!