Year 1
1st anniversary
Traditional
Paper
Modern
Clocks
- Flower
- Carnation
- Gemstone
- Gold
- Colour
- Gold/Yellow
Anniversary gifts
Browse 60 years of traditional and modern wedding anniversary gift themes, including cited US/UK differences and the flower, gemstone, or colour where a source assigns one.
Year 1
Traditional
Paper
Modern
Clocks
Year 2
Traditional
Cotton
Modern
China
Year 3
Traditional
Leather
Modern
Crystal or glass
Year 4
Traditional
US: Fruit or flowers / UK: Linen
Modern
Appliances
Year 5
Traditional
Wood
Modern
Silverware
Year 6
Traditional
US: Candy or iron / UK: Iron or sugar
Modern
Wood
Year 7
Traditional
US: Wool or copper / UK: Copper
Modern
Desk sets
Year 8
Traditional
US: Pottery or bronze / UK: Bronze
Modern
Linens or lace
Year 9
Traditional
US: Willow or pottery / UK: Pottery
Modern
Leather
Year 10
Traditional
Tin or aluminium
Modern
Diamond jewellery
Year 11
Traditional
Steel
Modern
Fashion jewellery
Year 12
Traditional
Silk or fine linen
Modern
Pearls
Year 13
Traditional
Lace
Modern
Textiles
Year 14
Traditional
US/UK: Ivory; Hallmark: Gold jewellery
Modern
Gold jewellery
Year 15
Traditional
Crystal
Modern
Watches
Year 16
Traditional
US: Wax or silverware / UK: Wax
Modern
Silver hollowware
Year 17
Traditional
US: Furniture / UK: Watches
Modern
Furniture
Year 18
Traditional
Porcelain
Modern
Porcelain
Year 19
Traditional
Bronze
Modern
Bronze
Year 20
Traditional
China
Modern
Platinum
Year 21
Traditional
US: Fire theme / UK: Brass or nickel
Modern
Brass or nickel
Year 22
Traditional
US: Water theme / UK: Copper
Modern
Copper
Year 23
Traditional
US: Air theme / UK: Silver plate
Modern
Silver plate
Year 24
Traditional
US: Stone theme / UK: Opal
Modern
Musical instruments
Year 25
Traditional
Silver
Modern
Sterling silver
Year 26
Traditional
Art
Modern
Original pictures
Year 27
Traditional
Music
Modern
Sculpture
Year 28
Traditional
Linens
Modern
Orchids
Year 29
Traditional
Tools
Modern
New furniture
Year 30
Traditional
US: Pearl / UK: Pearl
Modern
Diamond
Year 31
Traditional
Travel
Modern
Timepieces
Year 32
Traditional
Bronze
Modern
Conveyances
Year 33
Traditional
Iron
Modern
Amethyst
Year 34
Traditional
Food
Modern
Opal
Year 35
Traditional
US: Coral / UK: Coral
Modern
Jade
Year 36
Traditional
Antiques
Modern
Bone china
Year 37
Traditional
Books
Modern
Alabaster
Year 38
Traditional
Luck theme
Modern
Beryl or tourmaline
Year 39
Traditional
Laughter theme
Modern
Lace
Year 40
Traditional
Ruby
Modern
Ruby
Year 41
Traditional
Office or desk decor
Modern
Land
Year 42
Traditional
Clocks or watches
Modern
Improved real estate
Year 43
Traditional
Entertainment theme
Modern
Travel
Year 44
Traditional
Electronics theme
Modern
Groceries
Year 45
Traditional
Sapphire
Modern
Sapphire
Year 46
Traditional
Games
Modern
Original poetry tribute
Year 47
Traditional
Garden or plants
Modern
Books
Year 48
Traditional
Home improvement theme
Modern
Optical goods
Year 49
Traditional
Copper
Modern
Luxuries
Year 50
Traditional
Gold
Modern
Gold
Year 51
Traditional
Photos or cameras
Modern
Photos or cameras
Year 52
Traditional
Bath or spa theme
Modern
Bath or spa theme
Year 53
Traditional
Plastic
Modern
Plastic
Year 54
Traditional
Glass
Modern
Glass
Year 55
Traditional
Emerald
Modern
Emerald
Year 56
Traditional
Day theme
Modern
Day theme
Year 57
Traditional
Night theme
Modern
Night theme
Year 58
Traditional
Faith and hope theme
Modern
Faith and hope theme
Year 59
Traditional
Charity theme
Modern
Charity theme
Year 60
Traditional
Diamond
Modern
Diamond
Wedding anniversary gifts started as a small set of symbolic milestones, not a complete shopping calendar. Silver for 25 years and gold for 50 years were already recognised in Germanic and Victorian-era customs, while etiquette writers such as Emily Post later helped popularise early-year and five-year milestone suggestions. The underlying idea was material progression: fragile paper, flexible cotton, and practical leather gave way to stronger metals, precious stones, and eventually diamond.
Modern lists filled in many of the missing years during the twentieth century. Retail and greeting-card lists made the tradition easier to use by assigning a gift to nearly every anniversary, but regional variants remain. A US list might say fruit or flowers for year 4 while a UK list says linen; year 6 can be candy, iron, or sugar depending on the source. This table keeps those differences visible instead of flattening them into one answer. For date planning, pair the roster with the anniversary calculator.