Gift-Giving Advice

Traditionally, each wedding anniversary is celebrated by giving a gift made from a different material. The first anniversary is symbolized with paper, and from there anniversary gifts become more precious or scarce to reflect the growing number of years a couple has remained together.

It isn't clear when the traditional list came into existence--it probably evolved over time. Calling years twenty-five and fifty 'Silver' and 'Gold' may have originated in medieval Europe, where wives were given a silver wreath to celebrate their twenty-fifth year of marriage and a gold wreath for their fiftieth anniversary.

Diamonds are traditional in both the sixtieth and seventh-fifth years. Year sixty was probably added when Queen Victoria celebrated her Diamond Jubilee after sixty years on the British throne.


Traditional Wedding Anniversary Gifts

First	Paper	Thirteenth	Lace
Second	Cotton	Fourteenth	Ivory
Third	Leather	Fifteenth	Crystal
Fourth	Fruit or Flowers	Twentieth	China
Fifth	Wood	Twenty-Fifth	Silver
Sixth	Candy or Iron	Thirtieth	Pearl
Seventh	Wool or Copper	Thirty-Fifth	Coral
Eighth	Bronze or Pottery	Fortieth	Ruby
Ninth	Pottery or Willow	Forty-Fifth	Sapphire
Tenth	Tin or Aluminum	Fiftieth	Gold
Eleventh	Steel	Fifty-Fifth	Emerald
Twelfth	Silk or Linen	Sixtieth	Diamond

Wedding Anniversary Gemstones

First	Gold Jewelry	Eighteenth	Cat's-Eye Chrysoberyl
Second	Garnett	Ninteenth	Aquamarine
Third	Pearl	Twentieth	Emerald
Fourth	Topaz	Twenty-First	Tolite
Fifth	Sapphire	Twenty-Second	Spinel
Sixth	Amethyst	Twenty-Third	Imperial Topaz
Seventh	Onyx	Twenty-Fourth	Tanzanite
Eighth	Tourmaline	Twenty-Fifth	Silver Jubilee
Ninth	Lapis Lazuli	Thirtieth	Pearl Jubilee
Tenth	Diamond Jewelry	Thirty-Fifth	Emerald
Eleventh	Turquoise	Fortieth	Ruby
Twelfth	Jade	Forty-Fifth	Sapphire
Thirteenth	Citrine	Fiftieth	Golden Jubilee
Fourteenth	Opal	Fifty-Fifth	Alexandrite
Fifteenth	Ruby	Sixtieth	Diamond Jubilee
Sixteenth	Peridot	Seventieth	Sapphire Jubilee
Seventeenth	Watches

Wedding Anniversary Flowers

First	Pansy	Eleventh	Morning Glory
Second	Cosmos	Twelfth	Peonies
Third	Fuchsia	Thirteenth	Hollyhoch
Fourth	Geranium	Fourteenth	Dahlia
Fifth	Daisy	Fifteenth	Roses
Sixth	Calla Lily	Twentieth	Day Lily
Seventh	Jack-in-the-Pulpit	Twenty-Fifth	Iris
Eighth	Clematis	Thirtieth	Sweet Pea
Ninth	Poppies	Fortieth	Nasturtium
Tenth	Daffodils	Fiftieth	Violet