Over the years certain gifts have come to represent specific wedding anniversaries. These traditional gifts represent a balance between traditional needs and customs, and personal intent. When choosing a gift for a couple on their anniversary, try to combine the traditional aspect into your gift in a useful, interesting and unusual way. Your gift and your effort to find the right gift will long be remembered.

We have included the modern equivalents, for information only. The advertising departments in the jewellery and gift industry created this "modern" list. It has little or nothing to do with tradition and a lot more to do with marketing and profits.

Year    Traditional         Modern

  1      Paper                Clocks
  2      Cotton               China
  3      Leather              Crystal (glass)
  4      Linen                 Electrical appliances
  5      Wood                Silverware
  6      Iron                  Wood
  7      Copper              Pens and Pencils
  8      Bronze               Linen and Lace
  9      Pottery               Leather
10      Tin                     Diamond Jewelry
11      Steel                  Jewellery
12      Silk                    Pearls, coloured gems
13      Lace                   Textiles, Furs
14      Ivory                  Gold Jewellery
15      Crystal               Watches
20      China                 Platinum
25      Silver                 Sterling Silver
30      Pearl                  Diamond
35      Coral                  Jade
40      Ruby                  Ruby
45      Sapphire             Sapphire
50      Gold                   Gold