Every marriage anniversary is worth celebrating. One popular way to commemorate this special annual occasion is with gifts. There are traditional, modern, and gemstone anniversary gifts for every year of marriage for the first decade. The first five years of marriage, including the anniversary gifts you give, are the most important. How you start and adjust to marriage and what gifts you give your partner will set the tone for the rest of your marriage and celebratory gifts. We have some helpful gift ideas to guide you below.
First Anniversary: Paper, Clocks, Gold
The traditional theme for gifts for your first anniversary is paper, but the modern theme is clocks. This year’s gemstone is gold. You can choose between these themes or combine them to inspire your gift. For example, give your spouse a scrapbooked wedding album with a gold cover to combine paper and gold.
Alternatively, you could get them a personalized clock engraved with your wedding date. Hang this clock in your home to enjoy forever, and don’t forget the importance of saying thank you in relationships. An earnest thank you for gifts on your first anniversary will set the tone for other gift-giving occasions.
Second Anniversary: Cotton, China, Garnet
Cotton, china, and garnet are the traditional, modern, and gemstone anniversary presents for your second year of marriage. A great way to combine cotton and garnet is with a jewelry gift. You can find feminine, masculine, and gender-neutral jewelry with cotton cords and colored gemstones online and in jewelry stores.
Alternatively, you could personalize china in white or with garnet accents. Don’t worry about accidentally recreating your parents’ boring china cabinet with this gift. Personalized mugs and jewelry dishes are practical; you can use them daily instead of storing them away.
Third Anniversary: Leather, Crystal/Glass, Pearl
If you prefer to gift activities, then the traditional, modern, and gemstone anniversary for year three is the perfect opportunity. One fun way to celebrate the leather anniversary is by creating leatherworking crafts together. Alternatively, you could also take a glass-blowing class together and create something to display in your home. For those who want to stick with gemstone gifts, you can make a trip out of pearl diving or take a jewelry-making class.
Fourth Anniversary: Fruits or Flowers, Appliances, Blue Topaz
Fruits or flowers is a broad category for traditional anniversary gifts. If you’re trying to cut down on clutter in your home, you can gift fruit baskets or go flower picking for this anniversary. Appliances seem much more practical and can incorporate the fruit/flowers idea if you give your spouse a blender for fruity smoothies or a dehydrator for preserving flowers. Predominately blue fruits, blue flowers, or a blue appliance can incorporate the blue topaz gemstone theme.
Fifth Anniversary: Wood, Silverware, Sapphire
Finally, we reach the fifth anniversary. You can choose between or combine wood, silverware, and sapphire for this special year. This is one of the easiest anniversaries to combine all three; buy a new silverware set with sapphire blue handles and a wooden silverware drawer organizer. However, wooden windchimes, personalized barbeque tools, and sapphire jewelry or cufflinks are also great options.
For the first five years of marriage and the years beyond, anniversary gifts are important. These gift ideas can help you stick with the traditional, modern, or gemstone themes for this special annual occasion in your household. Combining two or three themes will inspire creative gifts that your spouse will love.
