Wedding Anniversary Gifts: The First 10 Years

Anniversary gifts are such a sweet exchange once you’re married. However, you may be wondering what to actually give your partner. Let’s go over some traditional ideas, to see if they work for you!

Many people have heard that there are traditional anniversary gifts, but not everyone knows what they are or how to apply them to a more modern lifestyle. At the root of it, anniversary gifts are a general idea for what to give your spouse on certain wedding anniversaries. Each idea is supposed to symbolize a different phase of married life. They are fun because they help provide a little guidance on what to give your partner, and you can create your own meaning for them. 

Wedding Anniversary Gifts: The First 10 Years

To give a little background on this tradition, let’s go over the history. Wedding anniversaries have been celebrated for thousands of years, and some of them have had traditional gifts. There is even documented proof that in the Holy Roman Empire, husbands would crown their wives with silver wreaths on their 25th anniversaries and gold on their 50th. These wreaths have also been documented in Medieval Germany, when friends and neighbors would give them to couples on those anniversaries. 

Today, the tradition varies by country. If you live in a British Commonwealth country, you’ll receive a message from a monarch on your 60th, 65th, and 70th anniversaries, as well as any anniversary after that. In Canada, the Queen of England will send a message on a couple’s 50th anniversary, and every fifth anniversary afterwards. The same goes in the USA, where the president will send a message every year, starting on a couple’s 50th wedding anniversary. 

From all the messages and celebrations from heads of countries, it’s clear that anniversaries can be a big deal. So, if you’re interested in celebrating each year of marriage with wedding anniversary gifts, and want more information and ideas, you’re in the right place. This post is going to go over traditional gifts for the first ten years of marriage, but the list does go on and on, as seen in this article.  

Remember, you’ll have to interpret what seems the best for your partner and relationship. With some creativity and intention, you may be able to start a tradition that will see you through your entire marriage. 

Let’s get into it! 

YEAR 1 ANNIVERSARY GIFT: PAPER

Yes, the first traditional anniversary gift is Paper. 

Now, you may be thinking that paper is so boring. And what does it even mean? Well, paper does have some cool symbolism that parallels marriage. It represents strength and connectivity. Paper is also about having a blank slate to write about anything you’d like. A clean canvas is also a form of paper. Doesn’t all of that sound inspirational once you’ve made it through the first year of marriage? 

Ideas for PAPER anniversary gifts:

• Books
• Cookbooks / recipes
• Paintings / Illustrations
• Tickets
• An event like a book reading or art exhibit

YEAR 2 ANNIVERSARY GIFT: COTTON

Your second year of marriage is stronger than your first. This is why Cotton is the traditional anniversary gift; because theoretically it’s stronger than paper. Cotton is more mature, and it’s interwoven to create something durable. It takes more time, and curation, but the product can last a lifetime. 

This is a great anniversary to upgrade any linens or fabrics around your home, and use this anniversary gift as inspiration to do so. 

Ideas for COTTON anniversary gifts:

• New bedding / rugs / blankets
• Upgrade furniture or create a comfortable space in your home
• Spend some time shopping together and discuss what you both like and enjoy

YEAR 3 ANNIVERSARY GIFT: LEATHER

Alright, so you’re into your third year of marriage. By now you’ve probably gone through some struggles, been there to support each other, and experienced new things. Hopefully all of this has made your marriage much more strong and long lasting. This is why the third traditional wedding anniversary gift is leather.

Now, this gift can have a lot of interpretations, but there are some fun ideas that you can gift your partner to celebrate this anniversary. Even if it’s faux-leather, the thought still counts.

Ideas for LEATHER anniversary gifts:

• A new watch
• Nice shoes
• Upgraded accessories
• A leather-bound book or journal

YEAR 4 ANNIVERSARY GIFT: FRUIT OR FLOWERS

In your fourth year of marriage, your partnership is strong, durable, and has probably weathered some storms.  This means that it’s time to nurture your marriage and see it grow. The fourth anniversary gift of fruit or flowers helps symbolize just that. Your marriage is blossoming, and it’s up to the both of you to help it ripen into maturity. Fruit and flowers are also sweet, so this anniversary should allow you to take some time to sweeten up your marriage.

Ideas for FRUIT or FLOWER anniversary gifts:

• Plant something together
• Give your partner a plant
• Visit a local garden

YEAR 5 ANNIVERSARY GIFT: WOOD

Though in the grand scheme of life, five years isn’t that long, but really, it’s a huge milestone for marriage. Half a decade is something that should be truly celebrated. For your fifth anniversary gift, the tradition is to give something related to Wood. Wood symbolizes strength, durability, and also roots. By now, you’ve settled into married life and it’s about growth and staying sturdy, together.

Ideas for WOOD anniversary gifts:

• An awesome frame with a photo of the two of you
• New furniture for a home uplift
• A trip to a wooded area, such as the mountains

YEAR 6 ANNIVERSARY GIFT: SUGAR OR IRON

It’s kind of funny that there are two suggestions for your sixth wedding anniversary gift, sugar and iron. The two of them don’t seem to have that much in common, but there are some similarities and you can connect them to marriage. Sugar is sweet, and is a reminder to enjoy each other. Iron is solid and strong, so it’s supposed to represent staying together and building that solid foundation.

Ideas for SUGAR OR IRON anniversary gifts:

• Vintage iron wine openers
• Cast iron skillets (or a cooking class that involves them)
• Re-creation of your wedding cake

YEAR 7 ANNIVERSARY GIFT: WOOL OR COPPER

Year seven also brings two suggested anniversary gifts; wool or copper. When you think about it, these two items also help symbolize marriage goals. Wool insulates, keeping us warm and protected from a harsh world.  Copper conducts, and allows energy to move and transfer. With your marriage, protection and energy are both huge aspects to keeping your it secure and also interesting. 

Ideas for WOOL OR COPPER anniversary gifts:

• Copper mugs for Moscow Mules
• An engraved sign for your front door made from copper
• A wool blanket

YEAR 8 ANNIVERSARY GIFT: BRONZE

While bronze isn’t quite as popular as gold and silver, it’s still a notable metal. Bronze is made from a combination of copper and tin, which turn it into something stronger than if those two elements were independent. Because of this, bronze is the traditional anniversary gift for your eighth anniversary. It symbolizes a strong blending of two independent lives into one. 

Ideas for BRONZE anniversary gifts:

• Bronze cufflinks or jewelry
• A bronzed frame
• Bronze wine glasses

YEAR 9 ANNIVERSARY GIFT: POTTERY

Pottery is the traditional gift for year nine. When you think about it, pottery is when you take something pliable and mold it into something new that is both beautiful and can last a long time. When you make something from clay, it becomes strong, durable, enduring, and better with age. All of this helps frame why it’s such an awesome gift as you get closer to the first decade of marriage.  

Ideas for Pottery anniversary gifts:

• Vases, pots
• Taking a pottery class together
• A trip to Pottery Barn to browse (hey, why not?!)

YEAR 10 ANNIVERSARY GIFT: TIN OR ALUMINUM

Wow, so you’ve made it to year ten of marriage. This is a big one that should be celebrated, right? Yes! While it may seem funny to give the gift of tin or aluminum for this anniversary, it does make sense. These items are flexible, strong, and resilient. They allow outside influences to pass through them, and they don’t change because of that. They also reflect light and shine. What a cool way to look at your marriage and focus for the next year.

Ideas for TIN or ALUMINUM anniversary gifts:

• Aluminum camping table or supplies
• Cocktail tools
• Custom license plates
• Other cool goodies from this site

CLOSING THOUGHTS

When it comes down to it, the thought behind these traditional anniversary gifts is pretty fun. If you’re a sentimental kind of couple, and you love symbolism, why not start this trend? Even if you’re a few years into your marriage, it’s never too late to start. You can use these ideas as a guiding post for each year of marriage, and keep it going as time goes on. 

More From Hummingbird Gives Advice

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Five Crucial Conversations To Talk About Before You Get Married

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