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Anniversaries are a perfect time to celebrate, whether you’re marking the years since you first met, your first date—or most often, the years since you officially tied the knot. And for many couples, the wedding anniversary is a big gift-giving occasion, where you surprise your partner with a special anniversary gift to commemorate the beginning of your partnership.
And of course, when you meet big milestone anniversaries, such as the 25th or the 50th, many couples opt to host a big celebration, where guests may feel inclined to give a special anniversary gift to the happy couple as well.
While there are both modern and traditional anniversary gifts that are given for each particular anniversary celebration, you can look for creative takes on the theme—or just gift something that you know they’ll love, if you’re not feeling like tin for the 10th anniversary or cotton for the first. (Odds are, your partner won’t care if you don’t stick with the tradition.)
Here is our hand-picked list of best anniversary gifts by year.
Table of Contents
First Anniversary: Paper and Clocks
Paper is the time-honored first anniversary gift—though there are definitely ways to get creative with it beyond stationery. (Think tickets to a performance, art prints, a handmade journal, or a map of your adventures.) The modern alternative is a clock, which can be something sentimental for the home, or a nice timepiece for their wrist.
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Origami Wall Clock
Combine the traditional and modern anniversary gifts in one with this charming folded paper clock.
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The Couple’s Bucket List
This clever game lets you pick cards to inspire your date nights, with fun activities that’ll help keep the romance burning.
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Custom Anniversary Clock
Track every moment together with the anniversary clock, which is customized to your wedding date to trace the years, months, days, minutes, and seconds since you said “I Do.” And every year on your anniversary, it plays your wedding song, too.
Second Anniversary: Cotton and China
Traditionally, second anniversary gifts were made of cotton, with china as the modern anniversary equivalent. But that doesn’t necessarily have to mean that you spring for formal china (especially if that wasn’t on your registry). Porcelain mugs or even jewelry will be a beloved anniversary gift as well.
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Love Birds China Jewelry Set
Not into china on your table? Consider this charming necklace, created with a piece of repurposed vintage china. Consider it a little something old, and something blue.
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Personalized Faux Bois Mug Set
His and hers mugs perfect for a daily caffeine fix.
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Brooklinen Luxe Move-In Bundle
Year two is the perfect time to splurge on some ultraluxe sheets—and this 480-thread count sateen set will feel silky smooth at bedtime.
Third Anniversary: Leather, Glass, Crystal
Leather is the traditional third anniversary gift, whether you opt for clothing or an upgraded wallet or bag. If you’re going for the modern equivalent, look for glass or crystal—this might be a good time to spring for a pretty vase or upgrade your stemware, if you’ve already broken a few since your wedding day.
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Leather Luggage Tag
Help your partner easily spot their luggage at the baggage claim with a boldly colored luggage tag. (You get bonus points if you pair this with a little romantic getaway.)
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Aalto Vase
This lovely, wave-like vase is a piece of art all on its own. It’s made of 100% recycled glass, making it an eco-friendly anniversary gift.
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Speakeasy Cocktail Party Bundle
Raise a glass to celebrate year three. This kit includes elegant hand-crafted crystal coupes, along with mixing tools and Luxardo cherries to garnish your creation.
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Crystal Illusion Hoop Earrings
Smoky crystals sparkle inside these elegant brass hoops.
Fourth Anniversary: Fruit, Flowers, Appliances
For year four, if you’ll opt for the modern anniversary gift—appliances—skip the super practical and splurge on something fun that they’ll love, like an ice cream maker. The traditional fruit or flowers can be something lovely that you enjoy for just a brief time—or you can find ways to give them something they’ll love for years to come.
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Birth Month Flower Glasses
Pretty flowers are pressed into these stemless wine glasses. Bonus points if you pick a bloom that was featured on your wedding day.
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Phillips Espresso Machine With LatteGo
If your partner loves fancy coffee drinks, this machine makes it easy to craft lattes, macchiatos, and other favorites—it even saves your favorite settings.
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Affogato Gardenia Plant
This pretty gardenia plant will keep blooming, anniversary after anniversary.
Fifth Anniversary: Wood and Silverware
For the fifth anniversary, wood or silverware make perfect anniversary gifts—or perhaps, combine the two with a wooden-handled knife set or serving tray.
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Reclaimed Oak Cheese Board
Handcrafted of reclaimed oak wood, this generously sized board is perfect for entertaining (or putting out a fabulous, just-the-two-of-you spread).
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Zwilling Now Knife Block
Brighten up the kitchen with this pop-of-color knife set, from the legendary knife company Henckels.
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Spoon Bookmark
Repurposed vintage spoons make clever bookmarks—and a great gift to customize with an inside joke for your favorite reader.
Sixth Anniversary: Iron and Wood
The sixth anniversary gift options—iron and wood—can easily be combined in a lovely piece of furniture or an objet d’art. (And if one or both of you like to golf, golf clubs seem like a clever opportunity here!)
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Cora Black Iron Bed
Give your bedroom an upgrade with this elegantand modern bed.
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Ironwood Gun Metal Pen
A made-to-order pen, crafted of desert ironwood, makes a useful, yet personal, gift.
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Colorful Backgammon Set
A bold-colored backgammon board will look gorgeous on the coffee table—even when you’re not ready to play.
Seventh Anniversary: Copper, Wool, Desk Sets
Copper and wool are the traditional seventh anniversary gifts (perhaps the wool is the origin for the “seven-year itch?”). If you’re following modern anniversary gift guidelines, a desk set is the perfect present.
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Hand-Hammered Copper Flasks
A charming, hand-hammered copper flask will make to-go cocktails classy—or look gorgeous on your home bar.
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Alpaca Wool Throws
An ultra-soft, cozy throw is the perfect gift for a cuddly couple—and this one features wool ethically sourced from the Peruvian Andes.
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Codefiy Desk Organizer
Keep pens, pencils, and other office tools organized with a copper desk organizer—perfect for dressing up a WFH setup.
Eighth Anniversary: Bronze, Pottery, Linen, Lace
There are lots of anniversary gift options for year number eight—with bronze and pottery as the classic picks, and linen and lace as the contemporary options.
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Bronze Pottery Nesting Bowls
Get a two-for-one anniversary gift with these handcrafted pottery bowls with a bronzed finish.
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Chamberlin Platter
Real lace is pressed into each stoneware platter to create a gift that’s as useful as it is beautiful.
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Scalloped Crochet Cotton-Linen Duvet
Hand-croched trim adds a touch of luxe to a soft linen duvet.
Ninth Anniversary: Willow, Pottery, Leather
For year number nine, you see a few repeats of anniversary gift themes—with pottery and leather—plus willow as another potential gift idea.
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Champion Picnic Basket
Be ready for a romantic picnic with this classic wicker basket, loaded with all the gear you need—just add food and a bottle of wine.
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Holden Leather Duffle Bag
A timeless leather duffel will help your mate go from work to the gym to a romantic weekend away in classic style.
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Atrio CoIMBRA Earrings
Handmade reproductions of 17th century Portuguese tiles are the centerpiece of beautiful earrings. (The Atrio shop also features cufflinks for men, if you need a coordinating gift.)
10th Anniversary: Aluminum, Tin, Diamonds
Think metal for your 10th anniversary gifts, to symbolize the strength of your bond—aluminum and tin are in the mix here. And diamonds are another possibility to celebrate your first decade together.
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Raw Diamond Earrings
Diamonds don’t have to be clear to be beautiful. These petite studs feature salt-and-pepper hued gems set in the metal of your choice.
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Recycled Aluminum Dancing Mosaicl
Thousands of tiles crafted from recycled aluminum cans move whenever the air is stirred, creating a shimmering piece of art.
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Away Aluminum Carry On
This chic carry-on fits beautifully in overhead compartments (but is heavy duty enough to take a licking in the baggage hold). The included battery pack makes sure you stay charged through even the longest flight.
20th Anniversary: China and Platinum
Celebrate the end of your second decade together with china, which is both strong and fragile, or one of the rarest precious metals, silver-white platinum.
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Les Exclusives Platinum Candle
A fruity-floral candle with notes of grapefruit and amber handcrafted in Europe.
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Christian Lacroix Butterfly Parade Platter
A handpainted platinum and gold border adds a touch of luxe to the hyper-realistic, 3D butterflies on this platter.
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Kate Spade Larabee Road Platinum Serving Bowl
Even if you skipped the fine china for your wedding, you can go ahead and splurge now. Kate Spade’s platinum-adorned pattern is dishwasher safe, so you don’t have to save it for special occasions.
25th Anniversary: Silver
If you’re celebrating your 25th anniversary, think silver—which can be the color or the metal. Gifts can include jewelry, of course, but there are plenty of ways to incorporate the theme into your anniversary gift.
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Scirocco Necklace
Go bold with a jewelry gift for the 25th anniversary—this elegant statement necklace was inspired by playing cards swirling in the wind.
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Manzanita Jewelry Branch
The natural bends and branches of this aluminum jewelry holder artfully display favorite jewelry pieces.
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Map Wall Art
Create a sentimental reminder of a favorite place—your hometown, honeymoon destination, or a favorite vacation spot.
30th Anniversary: Pearls and Diamonds
For the 30th anniversary, pearls and diamonds are the traditional and modern gifts—but if a jewelry gift isn’t your thing, you can still find elegant ways to include these anniversary gift themes.
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Capiz Shell Mosaic Mirror
Pearlescent shell tiles add a little shimmer and glow to the mirror frame. It’s an ideal not-jewelry 30th anniversary gift.
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Floating Freshwater Pearl Necklace
A halo of diamonds surrounds the cultured freshwater pearl at the center of the pendant—all set in 14K white gold.
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Abstract Mother of Pearl Wall Art
On this nature-inspired work of art, mother-of-pearl “leaves” are arranged along a branch.
40th Anniversary: Ruby
The ruby anniversary can be marked with jewelry featuring that gemstone, but if the gift recipient isn’t the jewelry type, consider anniversary gifts that feature that deep red hue.
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Ruby Red Glass Coral Bowl
Hand-fused from ruby red glass, this elegant centerpiece bowl mimics the look of coral.
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Red Flowers Bouquet Art
Red poppies make a bold piece of art that’ll brighten any corner of your home.
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Raw Ruby Ring
Skip a perfectly polished gem in favor of this dainty stackable ring, adorned with a rough ruby.
50th Anniversary: Gold
Congratulations! Making it to the 50th anniversary is a really big deal—and it’s a marriage milestone that’s often celebrated with a big party. Gold jewelry is an obvious golden anniversary gift option, but you can still be creative within this gifting theme.
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Goldshine Vace
This unique vase makes a lovely 50th anniversary gift—especially when paired with a beautiful bouquet of flowers.
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Terrace Bar Cart
A Deco-inspired bar cart has plenty of room for your favorite spirits and barware.
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Custom Quotes
Turn your favorite inside joke—or a heartfelt message of love—into a permanent display.
Anniversary Gifts for Her
If the year-by-year ideas don’t inspire you, consider seeking out one of these equally special anniversary gifts for your wife.
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Sirciam Rose Cut Diamond Eternity Band
Rose-cut diamonds in a rose gold setting create a more organic and unique take on the classic eternity band.
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Vosges Haut Chocolat Club
If the way to her heart is through her stomach, wow her with a monthly delivery of exotic-flavored goodies from one of the top chocolatiers in the U.S.
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First Dance Personalized Art
Make a wonderful wedding memento with one of these vintage-style posters, which can be customized with your details.
Anniversary Gifts for Him
If you’re shopping for your husband, you might find the perfect anniversary gift for him among these options.
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Custom House Papercut Portrait
Artist Nicola McGovern handcrafts the perfect portrait of your home, giving the piece a textured, 3D effect.
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Persol Titanium Sunglasses
Crafted of titanium, these stylish sunnies are truly timeless—kind of like your marriage.
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Foosball Table
Gear up for fun game nights with a deluxe foosball table, with sleek, modern players and a bold black and white playing field.