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Every year of marriage or relationship deserves celebration! Giving specific types of gifts for anniversaries is a tradition that’s most likely to have originated in Victorian England. A gift list was created matching each year of marriage to a material like tin, wood or gold. Over the years, this was expanded to include gems, colours, and new materials and objects.

Behind each gift match are sentiments that connect to both new and long-lasting marriages. We’ve rounded up some great ideas to help you decide on the gifts that hold the most meaning for you and your partner. 

Chosen for its fragility – and a reminder the bond between you and your partner should be treated with care to flourish – paper is the traditional pick for celebrating your first wedding anniversary.
 

A pair of tickets to a show or vouchers for a couple’s spa day, slipped into a gift card allows you to create new memories as you revisit your favourite moments from the past year. 

Both strong and delicate, china highlights the strengths and weaknesses in a relationship. And with a couple’s DIY kintsugi workshop, you can honour both! 

This ancient Japanese art form uses gold to repair broken ceramics, resulting in something more stunning than the original.

When you problem-solve the bumps in the road together it brings you closer as a couple. 

Glass is made when lightning strikes sand – a moment of electricity – maybe that’s what you felt when you first fell in love? A romantic picnic at the beach, with all your favourite treats, could be the perfect setting for reminiscing about when you first met… 

Marriages can feel comfortable, stable, soothing – much like linen! But there’s always room to grow. Why not go on an adventure? You could plan a road trip, go skydiving (eek!) or get your scuba licence… Tackling something new together will see your relationship bloom like never before. 

It’s said by your fifth year of marriage your relationship has sprouted roots like a tree – you’ve got a strong foundation, ready to endure whatever life throws at you. Bring a new meaning to getting ‘down and dirty’ and volunteer with a local environmental group to plant some trees.

This fun activity can represent the future of your relationship as well as the survival of the planet. Once the hard work is done, get dressed up and head to your favourite restaurant for a delicious celebratory dinner. Woodfired pizza anyone?

Seven years of marriage is traditionally celebrated with wool or copper. This gift is about being cosy and warm, supported and strong. A trip to a tropical island may be off the cards thanks to finances or the pandemic, but embracing ‘hygge’, the Danish and Norwegian word for cosy comfort and wellness, is a great alternative.

Rug up by gifting yourselves new blankets or throws, make a pot of hot chocolate or tea for two, and indulge in some sweets. 

Representing flexibility and emotional warmth, there are so many possibilities with willow and terracotta. You could hike to a secret lake for a refreshing swim, create a tasty platter with sun-dried tomatoes and olives, or even attend a pottery class – choose something that nourishes your souls. 

Precious metals often feature in anniversary gifting traditions, with silver and gold being the pick for both quarter and half century anniversaries. Opt for fair trade golden bracelets or schedule an evening picnic on a hilltop to soak up the burning gold of a breathtaking sunset. 

Quick tip: Can’t choose? Layered necklaces are a lovely way of honouring several sentiments at once. Different length chains worn together could celebrate your relationship’s strength, clarity and endurance. Add a pendant that represents a shared passion (music for example, or your children) and you have a special homage to your partnership. 

If your 45th wedding anniversary is on the horizon, it’s safe to say you’ve learned a lot about yourself, your partner, and your unique synergy together! It’s fitting, then, that blue sapphire – the gem of third eye wisdom and intuition – is associated with this marriage milestone.

It’s said by your fifth year of marriage your relationship has sprouted roots like a tree – you’ve got a strong foundation, ready to endure whatever life throws at you. Bring a new meaning to getting ‘down and dirty’ and volunteer with a local environmental group to plant some trees.

Traditionally reserved for your 60th wedding anniversary, this gem is now popular for first decade and 30th anniversaries too. In fact these days, diamonds are practically synonymous with celebration!

But diamonds aren’t only found in jewellery – the sun sparkling like diamonds on the water, the shine of glitter in beards and eyebrows, laughter shared over a glass of bubbles… Have fun with the concept of diamonds, make it your own. 

 The most important part of an anniversary gift – tangible or otherwise – is that it’s a thoughtful celebration of your story together: revel in the joy and comfort of your partner, be proud of how far you’ve come and keep communicating, keep growing, keep celebrating one another. 

Happy anniversary to you both!

Love from the team at ASTRA