Anniversary chart ยท Updated 2026-10-25
Anniversary Gifts by Year: The Traditional and Modern Chart
Anniversary gifts by year follow two lists: the traditional list starts with paper at year 1, wood at 5, silver at 25 and gold at 50, and the modern list pairs each year with a newer material like clocks, silverware and diamond jewelry. Use the chart below, or pick your year in the finder.
Plan your anniversary gift in Prezynt
Explore anniversary gifts by year
- 1st anniversary gifts
1 year anniversary gift ideas for the 1st: paper and clocks themes, plus ideas from a framed vow to a desk clock. With real product picks to shop.
- 2nd anniversary gifts
2 year anniversary gift ideas for the 2nd: cotton and china themes, plus ideas from cotton robes to china dinnerware. With real product picks to shop.
- 3rd anniversary gifts
3 year anniversary gift ideas for the 3rd: leather and crystal or glass themes, plus leather goods and crystal glass ideas. Real product picks.
- 4th anniversary gifts
4 year anniversary gift ideas for the 4th: fruit or flowers and appliances themes, plus ideas from fruit trees to kitchen appliances. Real product picks.
- 5th anniversary gifts
5 year anniversary gift ideas for the 5th: wood and silverware themes, plus ideas from wooden keepsakes to flatware sets. With real product picks to shop.
- 6th anniversary gifts
6 year anniversary gift ideas for the 6th: iron and wood themes, plus cast iron cookware to wooden keepsakes. With real product picks to shop.
- 7th anniversary gifts
7 year anniversary gift ideas for the 7th: wool or copper and desk sets themes, plus wool, copper and desk set ideas. With real product picks to shop.
- 8th anniversary gifts
8 year anniversary gift ideas for the 8th: bronze or pottery and linens or lace themes, plus bronze, pottery and linen gift ideas. Real product picks.
- 9th anniversary gifts
9 year anniversary gift ideas for the 9th: pottery or willow and leather themes, plus pottery, willow and leather gift ideas. Real product picks.
- 10th anniversary gifts
10 year anniversary gift ideas for the 10th: tin or aluminum and diamond jewelry themes, plus tin, aluminum and diamond jewelry ideas. Real product picks.
- 11th anniversary gifts
11 year anniversary gift ideas for the 11th: steel and fashion jewelry themes, plus stainless steel and fashion jewelry ideas. Real product picks.
- 12th anniversary gifts
12 year anniversary gift ideas for the 12th: silk or linen and pearls themes, plus silk, linen and pearl gift ideas. With real product picks to shop.
- 13th anniversary gifts
13 year anniversary gift ideas for the 13th: lace and textiles or furs themes, plus lace and textile gift ideas. With real product picks to shop.
- 14th anniversary gifts
14 year anniversary gift ideas for the 14th: ivory (symbolic) and gold jewelry themes, plus ivory-colored keepsakes and gold jewelry ideas.
- 15th anniversary gifts
15 year anniversary gift ideas for the 15th: crystal and watches themes, plus crystal glasses and watch ideas. With real product picks to shop.
- 20th anniversary gifts
20 year anniversary gift ideas for the 20th: china and platinum themes, plus fine china, emerald and platinum ideas. With real product picks to shop.
- 25th anniversary gifts
25 year anniversary gift ideas for the 25th: silver themes, plus silver jewelry, frames and keepsakes. With real product picks to shop.
- 30th anniversary gifts
30 year anniversary gift ideas for the 30th: pearl and diamond themes, plus pearl jewelry and diamond gift ideas. With real product picks to shop.
- 35th anniversary gifts
35 year anniversary gift ideas for the 35th: coral and jade themes, plus coral-colored keepsakes, jade and emerald ideas. With real product picks to shop.
- 40th anniversary gifts
40 year anniversary gift ideas for the 40th: ruby themes, plus ruby jewelry and keepsake ideas. With real product picks to shop.
- 45th anniversary gifts
45 year anniversary gift ideas for the 45th: sapphire themes, plus sapphire jewelry and blue keepsake ideas. With real product picks to shop.
- 50th anniversary gifts
50 year anniversary gift ideas for the 50th: gold themes, plus gold jewelry and golden anniversary ideas. With real product picks to shop.
- 55th anniversary gifts
55 year anniversary gift ideas for the 55th: emerald themes, plus emerald jewelry and green keepsake ideas. With real product picks to shop.
- 60th anniversary gifts
60 year anniversary gift ideas for the 60th: diamond themes, plus diamond jewelry and family celebration ideas. With real product picks to shop.
What is the difference between traditional and modern anniversary gifts?
Traditional anniversary gifts come from an older English and American etiquette list that gives each year a material, such as paper for the first and wood for the fifth, and modern anniversary gifts come from a list the American jewelry trade published in 1937.
The modern list swaps many of the older materials for ones that are easier to buy, like clocks for year one, silverware for year five and diamond jewelry for year ten. For the big milestone years the two lists are the same, so silver at 25 and gold at 50 work on both.
Which anniversary years have their own gift pages?
Every year from 1 to 15 has a page, and so does every fifth year from 20 to 60. The years between those milestones have no set theme on most lists, so pick the nearest milestone or the theme you like best.
The finder above does this for you: pick a year or enter your wedding date and it shows the themes and links to the page.
How do you choose an anniversary gift when the theme does not fit?
Treat the theme as a starting point, not a rule. The best anniversary gifts match the person, and the theme only has to be a thread you can pull on.
Try the gemstone, the flower or the color if the material does not suit them. A wooden watch box, a sapphire pendant and a blue notebook all count for the fifth year.
- Pick the theme that fits the person, not the one that looks easiest.
- Use the gemstone, flower or color if the material is a poor match.
- Choose an experience if neither of you wants more things.
- Ask Mira in Prezynt for a shortlist built from their interests and your budget.
What are the anniversary gifts by year?
Traditional (US), modern, gemstone, flower and color by anniversary year. Sources are listed at the bottom of the page.
| Year | Traditional | Modern | Gemstone | Flower | Color |
|---|
| 1st | Paper | Clocks | Gold | Carnation | Gold or yellow |
| 2nd | Cotton | China | Garnet | Lily of the valley | Red |
| 3rd | Leather | Crystal or glass | Pearl | Sunflower | White or jade green |
| 4th | Fruit or flowers | Appliances | Blue topaz | Hydrangea | Blue or green |
| 5th | Wood | Silverware | Sapphire | Daisy | Blue, pink or turquoise |
| 6th | Iron | Wood | Amethyst | Calla lily | Purple, turquoise or white |
| 7th | Wool or copper | Desk sets | Onyx | Freesia | Onyx black or yellow |
| 8th | Bronze or pottery | Linens or lace | Tourmaline | Lilac | Bronze |
| 9th | Pottery or willow | Leather | Lapis lazuli | Bird of paradise | Terracotta or copper |
| 10th | Tin or aluminum | Diamond jewelry | Diamond | Daffodil | Silver or blue |
| 11th | Steel | Fashion jewelry | Turquoise | Morning glory | Yellow or turquoise |
| 12th | Silk or linen | Pearls | Jade | Peony | Jade green or oyster white |
| 13th | Lace | Textiles or furs | Citrine | Chrysanthemum | White |
| 14th | Ivory (symbolic) | Gold jewelry | Opal | Dahlia | Ivory or gold |
| 15th | Crystal | Watches | Ruby | Rose | Ruby red |
| 20th | China | Platinum | Emerald | Aster | Emerald green or white |
| 25th | Silver | Silver | Silver | Iris | Silver |
| 30th | Pearl | Diamond | Pearl | Lily | Green |
| 35th | Coral | Jade | Emerald | No set flower | Coral |
| 40th | Ruby | Ruby | Ruby | Gladiolus | Ruby red |
| 45th | Sapphire | Sapphire | Sapphire | No set flower | Sapphire blue |
| 50th | Gold | Gold | Gold | Yellow rose with violets | Gold |
| 55th | Emerald | Emerald | Emerald | No set flower | Emerald green |
| 60th | Diamond | Diamond | Diamond | No set flower | Diamond white |
Where do anniversary gift lists disagree?
The lists were compiled by different publishers, so a few years have more than one answer. The chart above uses the most common one.
| Year | Other answers you may see |
|---|
| 2nd | Flower: cosmos (Wikipedia); UK traditional: paper or cotton |
| 4th | Flower: geranium (Wikipedia); UK traditional: linen or silk |
| 6th | UK traditional: sugar or candy |
| 7th | Gemstone: yellow sapphire (International Gem Society); UK traditional: wool |
| 8th | UK traditional: bronze or salt |
| 9th | Gemstone: morganite (International Gem Society); UK traditional: copper |
| 10th | Gemstone: blue sapphire (Zola) |
| 11th | Flower: tulip (South Florals) |
| 12th | Gemstone: alexandrite (International Gem Society) |
| 30th | Flower: orchid (some lists) |
| 35th | Gemstone: jade or coral |
| 55th | Gemstone: alexandrite (some lists) |
Frequently asked
What are the traditional anniversary gifts by year?
The traditional list runs paper, cotton, leather, fruit or flowers, wood, iron, wool or copper, bronze or pottery, pottery or willow and tin or aluminum for years 1 to 10, then silver at 25 and gold at 50.
What are the modern anniversary gifts by year?
The modern list runs clocks, china, crystal or glass, appliances, silverware, wood, desk sets, linens or lace, leather and diamond jewelry for years 1 to 10.
What is the 25th anniversary gift?
Silver is the 25th anniversary gift on both the traditional and modern lists, which is why it is called the silver anniversary.
What is the 50th anniversary gift?
Gold is the 50th anniversary gift on both lists, and the milestone is called the golden anniversary.
Which anniversary is diamond?
Diamond is the 60th anniversary gift on both lists. The modern list also gives diamond jewelry for the 10th and diamond for the 30th.
Do I have to follow the anniversary gift list?
No. The lists are traditions, not rules, so use them for ideas and choose what the two of you would enjoy.