Anniversary gifts by year: traditional and modern
Each wedding anniversary has a theme: paper for the first, wood for the fifth, silver for the twenty-fifth, gold for the fiftieth. The idea is that the materials get stronger and more precious as the marriage does. Below is the list by year, with the traditional theme, the modern alternative and a few ideas for each.
These lists are custom, not rules. Sources disagree on some years, and many British lists swap the first two — cotton for the 1st anniversary, paper for the 2nd. The “modern” list dates from the twentieth century and was popularized by jewelers and retailers, so feel free to mix and match.
1st to 15th anniversary
| Year | Traditional | Modern | Gift ideas |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Paper | Clocks | Concert or travel tickets, a photo book, a framed print |
| 2 | Cotton | China | Bedding, a quilt, a pair of mugs |
| 3 | Leather | Crystal, glass | A wallet, a bag, a watch strap |
| 4 | Fruit and flowers, linen | Appliances | Flowers, a fruit tree, a linen tablecloth |
| 5 | Wood | Silverware | A carved box, a cutting board, a piece of furniture |
| 6 | Iron, sugar | Wood | A cast-iron skillet, a sweet treat |
| 7 | Wool, copper | Desk sets | A wool blanket, copper cookware |
| 8 | Bronze | Linens, lace | A bronze sculpture, fine linens |
| 9 | Pottery, willow | Leather | Handmade ceramics, a pottery class together |
| 10 | Tin, aluminum | Diamond jewelry | A tin keepsake box, jewelry |
| 11 | Steel | Fashion jewelry | Kitchen knives, a steel watch |
| 12 | Silk, linen | Pearls | A silk scarf or robe, pearls |
| 13 | Lace | Textiles, furs | Lace, a cozy throw |
| 14 | Ivory | Gold jewelry | Ivory-colored decor (never real ivory), gold jewelry |
| 15 | Crystal | Watches | Crystal glasses, a watch |
Milestone anniversaries: 20th to 60th
| Year | Traditional | Modern |
|---|---|---|
| 20 | China | Platinum |
| 25 | Silver | Sterling silver |
| 30 | Pearl | Diamond |
| 35 | Coral | Jade |
| 40 | Ruby | Ruby |
| 45 | Sapphire | Sapphire |
| 50 | Gold | Gold |
| 55 | Emerald | Emerald |
| 60 | Diamond | Diamond |
After the 15th, most couples celebrate only every fifth year, and the big parties tend to be the 25th and the 50th.
How to pick a gift
- Use the theme as a prompt, not a rule. A “paper” gift can be tickets, a letter or a book; “wood” can be a weekend in a cabin.
- Experiences count. A dinner, a trip or a class together is often remembered longer than an object.
- Gifts from guests are for both. When you are invited to someone else’s anniversary, something the couple can share — for the home or a night out — works best.
- Photos never miss. An album of the years so far suits any anniversary.
Not just years: 100, 500 and 1,000 days
Plenty of couples also mark round numbers of days. They are hard to work out in your head — for example, for a wedding on June 12, 2026, counting the wedding day as day zero:
| Days married | Falls on |
|---|---|
| 100 | September 20, 2026 |
| 500 | October 25, 2027 |
| 1,000 | March 8, 2029 |
To turn days into months and years, see how many days are in a year; to count how long you have been together, see how many days since a date.
Never miss the date
In Temfy: Countdown Days & Widget you can set a count-up from your wedding day: it shows how long you have been married in days, hours and minutes and marks the milestones — 100, 500 and 1,000 days and each anniversary. There is a ready-made wedding template for counting down to the big day, and a yearly event rolls over to the next date by itself. A reminder arrives at the moment of the event or ahead of it — a day or a week before, with time to shop. The app is free for iPhone and Android.
Let the days count themselves
Temfy: Countdown Days & Widget shows how long until an event and how long since a big day, down to the second. Widgets, reminders, habit streaks and milestones. Free for iPhone and Android.