February 6, 2008
Traditional Anniversary Gifts
Here is a list of traditional and modern anniversary gifts for wedding anniversaries compiled by librarians at the Chicago Public Library's Information Center. The list of traditional anniversary gifts includes alternatives in parentheses. I have also included live links to examples where customers have chosen to give A Gift of Poetry instead (as all our cards are handmade we can also include a theme with the cards, for example, by adding real silk to the card for a 4th wedding anniversary, please just ask and we'll accommodate)…
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|
Traditional | Modern | A Gift of Poetry |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | Paper (A Gift of Poetry ideal :o) | Clocks | First Anniversary Gift |
| 2nd | Cotton | China | 2nd Anniversary Gift |
| 3rd | Leather | Crystal, Glass | 3rd Anniversary Gift |
| 4th | Linen (Silk) | Appliances | 4th Anniversary Gift |
| 5th | Wood | Silverware | 5th Wedding Anniversary Gift |
| 6th | Iron | Wood objects | |
| 7th | Wool (Copper) | Desk sets | 7th Anniversary Gift |
| 8th | Bronze | Linens, Lace | |
| 9th | Pottery (China) | Leather goods | |
| 10th | Tin, Aluminum | Diamond | 10th Anniversary Gift |
| 11th | Steel | Fashion jewelry | |
| 12th | Silk | Pearls, Colored gems | 12th Anniversary Gift |
| 13th | Lace | Textiles, Furs | 13th Wedding Anniversary Gift |
| 14th | Ivory | Gold jewelry | |
| 15th | Crystal | Watches | |
| 16th | Silver holloware | ||
| 17th | Furniture | 17th Anniversary Gift | |
| 18th | Porcelain | ||
| 19th | Bronze | ||
| 20th | China | Platinum | 20th Anniversary Gift |
| 21st | Brass, Nickel | ||
| 22nd | Copper | ||
| 23rd | Silver plate | ||
| 24th | Musical instruments | ||
| 25th | Silver | Sterling silver | 25th Wedding Anniversary Gift |
| 26th | Original pictures | ||
| 27th | Sculpture | ||
| 28th | Orchids | ||
| 29th | New furniture | ||
| 30th | Pearl | Diamond | 30th Wedding Anniversary Gift |
| 31st | Timepieces | ||
| 32nd | Conveyances (e.g., automobiles) | ||
| 33rd | Amethyst | ||
| 34th | Opal | ||
| 35th | Coral (Jade) | Jade | |
| 36th | Bone china | ||
| 37th | Alabaster | ||
| 38th | Beryl, Tourmaline | ||
| 39th | Lace | ||
| 40th | Ruby | Ruby | 40th Anniversary Gift |
| 41st | Land | ||
| 42nd | Improved real estate | ||
| 43rd | Travel | ||
| 44th | Groceries | ||
| 45th | Sapphire | Sapphire | |
| 46th | Original poetry tribute | ||
| 47th | Books | ||
| 48th | Optical goods (e.g., telescope, microscope) | ||
| 49th | Luxuries, any kind | ||
| 50th | Gold | Gold | 50th Wedding Anniversary Gift |
| 55th | Emerald | Emerald | |
| 60th | Diamond | Diamond | 60th Wedding Anniversary |
| 70th | Not diamonds again, poetry please | ||
| 75th | Diamonds, gold | ||
| 80th | Diamond, Pearl | ||
| 85th | Diamond, Sapphire | ||
| 90th | Diamond, Emerald | ||
| 95th | Diamond, Ruby | ||
| 100th | 10-carat Diamond |
Sources:
Anderson, Charles. "The Exchange," RQ 25 (1985): 175.
The World Almanac and Books of Facts. Mahwah, New Jersey: World
Almanac Books, 1997.
World Book Encyclopedia, 1997 ed., s.v. "wedding anniversary."
For live examples of many more anniversary gifts (please see http://www.agiftofpoetry.com for more details)
