Not sure what to give for your anniversary this year? Choose any year below to see the traditional and modern anniversary gifts by year, plus the gemstone, flower, color, gift ideas, and a card message, then pair your gift with one of our love messages or a note of your own.
- A framed print of your wedding vows or first-dance lyrics
- Printed tickets to a show, game, or concert you'll see together
- A custom map of the place you met or got married
How to Use the Anniversary Gift Finder
Pick your anniversary year from 1 to 75: type the number, tap the − and + buttons to step through the years, or tap a milestone chip like 25 or 50. The finder shows the traditional gift, the modern gift, and the gemstone, flower, and color linked to that year. You’ll also get three gift ideas that fit the theme and a card message you can copy or swap with the New message button.
Shopping for a coworker instead? Switch to Work anniversary to see popular gifts for common career milestones: 1, 3, 5, 10, 15, 20, and 25 years.
Wedding Anniversary Gifts by Year Chart
Here is the complete list of traditional and modern anniversary gifts by year, with the gemstone and flower for each year that has one. After the 25th anniversary, the lists only name every fifth year.
| Year | Traditional | Modern | Gemstone | Flower |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | Paper | Clocks | Gold | Carnation |
| 2nd | Cotton | China | Garnet | Cosmos |
| 3rd | Leather | Crystal or glass | Pearl | Sunflower |
| 4th | Fruit and flowers | Appliances | Blue topaz | Geranium |
| 5th | Wood | Silverware | Sapphire | Daisy |
| 6th | Candy or iron | Wood | Amethyst | Calla lily |
| 7th | Wool or copper | Desk sets | Onyx | Freesia |
| 8th | Bronze | Linens or lace | Tourmaline | Clematis |
| 9th | Pottery or willow | Leather | Lapis lazuli | Poppy |
| 10th | Tin or aluminum | Diamond jewelry | Diamond | Daffodil |
| 11th | Steel | Fashion jewelry | Turquoise | Morning glory |
| 12th | Silk or linen | Pearls | Jade or pearl | Peony |
| 13th | Lace | Textiles or furs | Citrine | Chrysanthemum |
| 14th | Ivory (choose ivory-colored items, never real ivory) | Gold jewelry | Opal | Orchid |
| 15th | Crystal | Watches | Ruby | Rose |
| 16th | – | Silver hollowware | – | – |
| 17th | – | Furniture | – | – |
| 18th | – | Porcelain | – | – |
| 19th | – | Bronze | – | – |
| 20th | China | Platinum | Emerald | Aster |
| 21st | – | Brass or nickel | – | – |
| 22nd | – | Copper | – | – |
| 23rd | – | Silver plate | – | – |
| 24th | – | Musical instruments | – | – |
| 25th | Silver | Silver | Silver | Iris |
| 30th | Pearl | Diamond | Pearl | Lily |
| 35th | Coral | Jade | Emerald | – |
| 40th | Ruby | Ruby | Ruby | Gladiolus |
| 45th | Sapphire | Sapphire | Sapphire | – |
| 50th | Gold | Gold | Gold | Yellow rose and violet |
| 55th | Emerald | Emerald | Emerald | – |
| 60th | Diamond | Diamond | Diamond | – |
| 65th | Blue sapphire | Blue sapphire | Blue sapphire | – |
| 70th | Platinum | Platinum | – | – |
| 75th | Diamond or gold | Diamond or gold | Diamond | – |
Traditional vs. Modern Anniversary Gifts
Traditional gifts come from a much older custom. The materials start out delicate, like paper and cotton, and get stronger and more precious as the marriage grows, ending with gold at 50 years and diamond at 60. The idea is simple: a marriage becomes more valuable and more durable with time.
Modern gifts came later. In the 20th century, jewelers and retailers added more practical updates, such as clocks for the first year, appliances for the fourth, and watches for the fifteenth. Many couples now mix both lists, or choose whichever one sparks a better idea.
Gemstones, flowers, and colors are a fun extra layer. You don’t have to follow them, but they’re handy when you want to add a bouquet, choose a gift-wrap color, or plan a theme for an anniversary party.
The Big Milestone Anniversaries
- 1st (Paper): A blank page for your story together. Think letters, books, prints, and tickets.
- 5th (Wood): A sign of deep roots. Engraved wood, furniture, or a cabin weekend all fit.
- 10th (Tin or aluminum): Tin stands for flexibility and lasting strength. The modern list upgrades it to diamond jewelry.
- 25th (Silver): The silver anniversary, one of the best-known milestones.
- 40th (Ruby): A deep red stone for a deep, lasting love.
- 50th (Gold): The golden anniversary, often celebrated with a family party.
- 60th (Diamond): The diamond anniversary, a rare and remarkable milestone.
Wishes for a newly married couple are a lovely way to start the tradition if you’re buying for friends who just tied the knot and will celebrate their paper anniversary next year.
Gift Tips for Every Budget
Treat the material as a theme, not a rule. A “paper” gift can be a love letter, a framed map, or concert tickets. A “wood” gift can be a picnic in the forest. The best anniversary gifts mix the theme with something personal, like a shared memory, an inside joke, or a place that matters to you both.
Thank you messages for a gift will help if you’re on the receiving end this year and want to say something sweeter than “thanks, I love it.”
On a tight budget? Use the year’s color for wrapping paper, add the year’s flower, and write a heartfelt card. That small effort shows you know the tradition and you care.
Want to dig deeper into where these customs came from? The Wikipedia article on wedding anniversaries covers the history of the US and UK lists, and Good Housekeeping’s anniversary gift guide explains the meaning behind each year’s gift, gemstone, and flower. Our lists follow these standard US sources; a few gemstones, flowers, and colors vary between lists, so we show the most common choice.
Work anniversary wishes are the perfect partner to the work anniversary mode above, so you can choose a gift and the words to go with it in one go.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the traditional anniversary gifts by year?
The most common US list is paper (1), cotton (2), leather (3), fruit and flowers (4), wood (5), candy or iron (6), wool or copper (7), bronze (8), pottery or willow (9), tin or aluminum (10), and so on, up to silver (25), ruby (40), gold (50), and diamond (60).
What is the difference between traditional and modern anniversary gifts?
Traditional gifts are older and based on materials that grow stronger over time. Modern gifts are more recent, practical updates, such as clocks instead of paper for the first year or watches instead of crystal for the fifteenth.
What is the gift for a 16th or 23rd anniversary?
Years 16 to 24 have no traditional gift, so most people use the modern list: silver hollowware (16), furniture (17), porcelain (18), bronze (19), brass or nickel (21), copper (22), silver plate (23), and musical instruments (24).
Is there an official list of work anniversary gifts?
No. Companies choose their own recognition gifts. Popular choices include a handwritten card in year one, a quality keepsake at five or ten years, and something silver at 25 years, a nod to the silver wedding anniversary.
Do I have to follow the anniversary gift list?
Not at all. The lists are a fun source of ideas, not a rule. A thoughtful, personal gift will always mean more than a gift that only matches the theme.