Of course, you know that the 25th anniversary is known as the silver jubilee and calls for silver gift items. But did you know that every anniversary has its own gifting theme and a name? Yes, because each year you spend together is a special milestone accomplished with your love, care, and efforts.
Anniversaries offer the perfect opportunity to express your love and appreciation for your partner. As each year passes, the significance of your journey together grows. To make these occasions even more memorable, consider giving gifts based on specific themes for each year of marriage. Because they all have a meaning. Here are the traditional themes to celebrate your first to tenth year together.
1st Year: Paper Anniversary
The theme of the first-year anniversary is paper and is often known as the paper anniversary. Because like a paper, the first year you spend together is delicate. Also, it is blank so you can start writing a new life story together. Besides, paper gifts such as a personalized love letter, a handmade card, a scrapbook of your first-year journey, or simply your wedding promises are both creative and sentimental.
2nd Year: Cotton
Fiber like cotton represents that the two people are interwoven with each other. It also signifies durability and comfort, reflecting the growth of your relationship. However, cotton is also fragile and weak like your young relationship. That’s why, the second year of marriage is known as the cotton anniversary. Gifts such as luxurious bedding, personalized towels, matching t-shirts, or cozy blankets are considered traditional for this occasion.
3rd Year: Leather Anniversary
Leather is strong and flexible, illustrating your relationship that has developed over the years. The rich, rugged, and durable nature of leather is perfect to represent your 3 years of marriage. To traditionally celebrate your 3rd anniversary, you can exchange leather gifts such as a wallet, handbag, belt, shoes, or more. This means that your relationship is now more stronger and durable than ever before.
4th Anniversary: Fruit or Flowers
The fourth year of your marriage is about the beauty and nourishment of your relationship. Accordingly, this milestone is known as the fruit or flower anniversary. After 4 years, your bond is evolving into maturity like a flower or fruit. To make it more remarkable, consider giving a bouquet of your partner’s favorite flowers, planting a garden together, or a fruit basket with a love note.
5th Year: Wood
Now that you’ve made it halfway to a decade, you two share more strength and stability like a wood. Likewise, wood is the traditional theme for the fifth anniversary. It represents durability and strong roots. So, for this special occasion, you can exchange wooden gifts like classic furniture, a pen stand, or an adorable picture frame. To make it more romantic, you can also enjoy a playful picnic in the woods.
6th Year: Iron or Sugar
After six years of marriage, iron means the strength of your relationship, while sugar symbolizes the sweet moments you shared. It reminds you to keep your bond sweet, strong, and young from the heart. The traditional gift for this year is candy or iron. You can also combine both themes with gifts like iron cookware for the kitchen or a candy date night.
7th Year: Wool or Copper
The traditional theme for seven years of marriage is wool and copper. While wool illustrates warmth and comfort, copper stands for beauty and durability. For this occasion, you can gift each other a cozy woolen sweater, or a stylish copper kitchen device. To add a touch of romance, go for a short trip to a warm and rustic cabin where you can spend some quality time together.
8th Year: Bronze Anniversary
After eight years, you both are strong like bronze which is a biblical symbol of strength. For the record, bronze is an allow that represents the blending of two independent lives. Also, it is refined like the love you have for each other. Accordingly, you can gift bronze jewelry, figures, clocks, picture frames, and other related things.
9th Anniversary: Willow or Pottery
Willow is a symbol of flexibility, while pottery signifies the molding of your life together. Pottery is clay that is molded into something beautiful, lasting, and worth preserving. To mark this special milestone, choose gifts like handmade pottery, picnic baskets, or earthen home decor. Even more, you can enjoy a pottery class for a fun and creative date.
10th Year: Tin or Aluminum
Your decade of love, care, and commitment is an exceptional event. Traditionally, this is marked with a tin or aluminum present. These materials symbolize the durability, strength, flexibility, and solidity of your marriage. Of course, you can celebrate in whatever way you want. Traditionally, it is marked by exchanging tin or aluminum gifts like personalized aluminum photo frames.
Anniversaries are more than just a number of years. It is about the ups and downs you’ve faced together and the memories you’ve created. These themes are just a reminder to let your love grow in all life phases. So, stay tuned to mark the following years of commitment and vows.
