What Are The Anniversary Gifts By Year?

Person holding a wrapped anniversary gift with a brown ribbon

Looking for the 10th anniversary? Tin and aluminum are the traditional 10-year gifts — a real brushed aluminum picture frame with a personalised print is one of the most-given (and best-received) modern takes on the tradition.

A Wedding Anniversary is an important milestone in a relationship and as such historically there have been traditional gifts to give for each of the years. We have searched high and low to create this extensive list of gifts to give by year, these include the US, UK and flower gifts. Although it is not necessary to give a gift based on the specific year it is a great starting point to work from as we understand it can be difficult to fine that extra special gift for your loved one. Whether it be the 1st or 90th (yes there's a gift for that!) you can check out the corresponding gift to give in the table. For a keepsake that suits any anniversary year, a personalised wedding photo frame is a timeless choice. 

Anniversary Gifts By Year
Year Traditional US Traditional UK Flower Gift
1st Paper Paper Carnation
2nd Cotton Cotton Lily of the Valley
3rd Leather Leather Sunflower
4th Fruit and Flowers Linen, Silk Hydrangea
5th Wood Wood Daisy
6th Iron Sugar, (Iron) Calla
7th Wool, Copper Wool, (Copper) Freesia
8th Bronze Salt, (Bronze) Lilac
9th Pottery Pottery (China) Bird of Paradise
10th Tin, Aluminium Tin, Aluminium Daffodil
11th Steel Steel Tulip
12th Silk Silk, fine linen Peony
13th Lace - Chrysanthemum
14th Ivory - Dahlia
15th Crystal Crystal Rose
20th Porcelain Porcelain Aster
25th Silver Silver Iris
30th Pearl Pearl Lily
35th Coral Coral -
40th Ruby Ruby Gladiolus
45th Sapphire Sapphire -
50th Gold Gold Yellow Rose, Violet
55th Emerald Emerald -
60th Diamond Diamond Poppy
65th - Blue Sapphire -
70th - Platinum -
75th Diamond, Gold Diamond, Gold -
80th - Oak -
85th Moonstone Wine -
90th Stone (Granite) Stone (Granite)

 

A summary of the main anniversary gift years can be seen in the infographic below, including some ideas for each.

anniversary gifts by year

 

Frequently asked questions

What is the 10th anniversary gift?

Tin and aluminium, in both the US and UK traditions. The flower is the daffodil. A brushed aluminium picture frame with a personalised print is the most common modern take on it.

What is the 1st anniversary gift?

Paper, in both the US and UK traditions — the flower is the carnation. A framed print is the usual modern reading of a paper anniversary.

What is the 25th anniversary gift?

Silver, in both traditions, with the iris as the flower. 30th is pearl, 40th ruby, 50th gold and 60th diamond.

Do US and UK anniversary gifts differ?

Only for a handful of years. The 6th is iron in the US and sugar in the UK, the 8th is bronze in the US and salt in the UK, and the 9th is pottery in the US and china in the UK. Most other years match.