List of Traditional Wedding Gifts by Year
For each year of a couple's marriage, there are certain gifts it is traditional to give. Usually a couple exchanges these gifts with each other. If an anniversary party is being given, however, these are the traditional wedding anniversary gifts to give.
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Years One to Five
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The first year of marriage is commemorated by a gift of paper. For example, you might give a nice stationery set. As the bride or groom, consider writing a love letter to your spouse on the first sheet of stationery. The second year is cotton. Buy each other matching pajamas or sports jerseys of favorite teams. The third year is leather, and the fourth year is fruit and flowers. The fifth year is wood, and a nice gift could be a ring box with both of your names engraved on it.
Years Six to 10
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The next five years of a marriage use metals as the inspiration for traditional gifts. Year six is iron, year seven is copper, year eight is bronze, year nine is pottery, and year 10 gets tin. These anniversaries can be a great time to pick up art sculptures, decor items, or something equally unique as a gift. For the seventh or eighth anniversary, buy a miniature mailbox made of copper or bronze, set it in a special spot, and use it to send each other romantic notes throughout the year.
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Years 11 to 15
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Steel is the gift for the 11th wedding anniversary. The 12th year gift is silk; a nice dressing robe could be a wonderful gift. Year 13 is lace, while year 14 is ivory. While lace lingerie may seem like the perfect gift, husbands can make the day even more special by giving jewelry made with a lace filigree design. Year 15 is crystal. For the 15th anniversary, buy a pair of crystal champagne goblets for the two of you to use on special occasions.
Years 20 to 35
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After the first 15 years of marriage, traditional gift ideas only occur every five years, requiring you to be more creative on anniversaries with no traditional gift. China is the traditional 20th year gift, and silver is given for year 25. A silver teapot makes a good silver anniversary gift. At year 30, the traditional gift is pearl, and year 35 is coral. Think outside the box and take a vacation to the Great Coral Reef as a 35th anniversary gift.
Years 40 to 60
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The last set of traditional anniversary gifts has a jewel theme, making jewelry an excellent gift. For the 40th anniversary, ruby is traditional. The 45th anniversary calls for sapphire, 50 years is gold, 55 is emerald, and a 60th wedding anniversary gift is traditionally diamonds. If you aren't into jewelry as a couple, consider using the jewels as inspiration for colors of a gift. For example, you might choose a bouquet of all ruby-red flowers. Or go on a trip to the Emerald Isle (Ireland) as a 55th anniversary gift.
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References
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