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While anniversaries have different significance for every couple, giving a thoughtful gift is generally considered an important part of commemorating the occasion. In addition to a traditional theme, each year of marriage also has a modern theme. You may find that the modern gift is a better fit for your spouse.
If you’re here, you’ve most likely decided to look to the anniversary themes to guide your gift giving. Maybe you’re wondering what the modern gifts for each year are. What are they and what do they mean? Or maybe you’re looking for great gift ideas. Either way, we’ve put together this guide to help you discover the perfect modern gift for every major anniversary.
The most important thing to remember about choosing the right gift is to give something from the heart. No one knows your spouse as well as you do, so our goal is to provide creative ideas to help you find the perfect gift. You can browse the gifts we’ve selected for every year or click your anniversary year on the table below to jump to gift ideas specific to that year’s theme.
1st: Clocks | 2nd: China | 3rd: Crystal or Glass | 4th: Fruit & Appliances |
5th: Silverware | 6th: Wood | 7th: Desk Sets | 8th: Linens & Lace |
9th: Leather | 10th: Diamond Jewelry | 11th: Fashion Jewelry | 12th: Pearl & Gems |
13th: Textiles | 14th: Gold Jewelry | 15th: Watches | 20th: Platinum |
25th: Silver | 30th: Diamond | 40th: Ruby | 50th: Gold |
What Is the Modern 1st Anniversary Gift?
The modern first anniversary gift is clocks which signify your time together as a couple and the many years to come. Give a clock gift that will serve as a reminder of your first year as a married couple and a relationship that will stand the test of time.
Whether you’re shopping for him, for her, or for a couple, you can add additional sentiment to your gift by choosing a personalized clock that will always remind them of the first year as a married couple.
Modern 1st Anniversary Gift Ideas
What Is the Modern 2nd Anniversary Gift?
The modern second anniversary gift is china. Delicate and strong at the same time, china symbolizes the fragility and increasing stability of a new marriage. China is also much more durable than it looks and, like your relationship, if you treat it with care it can last a lifetime.
When choosing a china gift, consider if you want to give dinnerware that will be used on a daily basis or if it will be reserved for entertaining or special occasions. Luckily, there is a wide range of china products available, so finding a gift that best fits your loved one’s needs and style should be relatively easy.
Modern 2nd Anniversary Gift Ideas
What Is the Modern 3rd Anniversary Gift?
The modern gift for the third anniversary is crystal and glass. While crystal and glass can still be fragile, they also represent elegant beauty and the opportunity to reflect on the love you share with your spouse.
Modern 3rd Anniversary Gift Ideas
What Is the Modern 4th Anniversary Gift?
The modern fourth anniversary gift is appliances. By the fourth year of your marriage you might find yourself in a larger home or with a growing family. The modern gift theme is an opportunity to make a practical upgrade or give a specialty item that you might not otherwise buy.
Modern 4th Anniversary Gift Ideas
What Is the Modern 5th Anniversary Gift?
Silverware is the modern gift for five years of marriage. If you’ve reached this milestone, then you’ve probably shared thousands of meals with your spouse. Commemorate the occasion with a silverware set and the promise of thousands more.
Modern 5th Anniversary Gift Ideas
What Is the Modern 6th Anniversary Gift?
The modern sixth anniversary gift is wood, representing stability, strength and longevity. It is also the traditional gift for the fifth anniversary and with many gift options available, wood gives you another opportunity to give a gift specific to your loved one’s interests or needs.
Modern 6th Anniversary Gift Ideas
What Is the Modern 7th Anniversary Gift?
The modern seventh anniversary gift is desk sets. A gift that lives on your spouse’s desk will serve as an everyday reminder of your love. Gifts can include desk accessories such as lamps, pen sets and picture frames.
Modern 7th Anniversary Gift Ideas
What Is the Modern 8th Anniversary Gift?
The modern gift for eight years of marriage is linens & lace. Comprised of functional and beautiful items, linens & lace represent the delicate balance of a successful marriage.
Modern 8th Anniversary Gift Ideas
What Is the Modern 9th Anniversary Gift?
The modern ninth anniversary gift is leather. Representing the continued strength and durability of your marriage, leather gives you many gift options ranging from practical to pretty. Leather is also the traditional third anniversary gift. As a versatile material, leather gives you the opportunity to choose a gift specific to your loved one’s interests or needs.
Modern 9th Anniversary Gift Ideas
What Is the Modern 10th Anniversary Gift?
The modern tenth anniversary gift is diamond jewelry. Mark this marriage milestone with a piece of diamond jewelry that is as remarkable as your relationship.
Modern 10th Anniversary Gift Ideas
What Is the Modern 11th Anniversary Gift?
Fashion jewelry is the modern gift for the eleventh anniversary. Depending on the piece, fashion jewelry can either be worn on a daily basis or can make a big statement without putting a big dent in your bank account. Fashion jewelry represents the love you have for your spouse, either as an every day affirmation or as a shouting-from-the-rooftops declaration.
Modern 11th Anniversary Gift Ideas
What Is the Modern 12th Anniversary Gift?
While there are gemstones associated with every year, the modern twelfth anniversary gift is dedicated to pearls & gems. Show your spouse how precious they are to you by giving a gift of pearl or gemstone jewelry.
Modern 12th Anniversary Gift Ideas
What Is the Modern 13th Anniversary Gift?
Expanding on the traditional theme of lace, the modern gift for the thirteenth anniversary is textiles. Encompassing any woven fabric or material, textiles represent the intertwining of two lives to create one beautiful marriage.
Modern 13th Anniversary Gift Ideas
What Is the Modern 14th Anniversary Gift?
The modern gift for the fourteenth anniversary is gold jewelry. Like this year’s traditional ivory gift, gold is a rare material that represents purity and opulence. A gift of gold jewelry will be a treasured reminder of the perfect unity of marriage.
Modern 14th Anniversary Gift Ideas
What Is the Modern 15th Anniversary Gift?
Watches are the modern fifteenth anniversary gift. While any timepiece represents the passage of time, watches are a wearable reminder of your love, your time spent together and a promise for the future.
Modern 15th Anniversary Gift Ideas
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