An anniversary is a special day to bask in the love you and your partner share. It's also a time to express your affection for them. Every year presents an opportunity to relive cherished moments, and some of these years are considered milestones.

Traditionally, couples would celebrate anniversary milestones with specific themes and symbols, such as silver for the 25th and gold for the 50th. While some anniversary traditions have changed, one thing remains the same: the exchange of heartfelt gifts.

In this guide, you'll learn about anniversary milestones and traditions and discover meaningful anniversary gifts for each year.

The gift-giving tradition for celebrating each year of marriage

Wedding anniversary gifts date back to the early Roman Empire. During this time, a husband would gift his wife a silver crown on their 25th year together. On their 50th anniversary, he would give her a crown made of gold.

This gift-giving tradition became more common in medieval Germany, when men gave their wives silver or gold wreaths to wear as crowns on their 25th and 50th anniversaries, respectively.

Over time, notable people celebrated milestones with items that soon became fan favorites. For instance, during the Victorian era, Queen Victoria celebrated her 60th jubilee with diamonds. This celebration is why diamonds are now a symbol of the 60th anniversary instead of the 75th.

The biggest influence in wedding anniversary gifting likely came from Emily Post's "Blue Book of Social Usage." In this book, the author listed eight anniversaries any high-society member must know: the first, fifth, 10th, 15th, 20th, 25th, 50th, and 60th.

These wedding anniversary traditions continued to take on greater importance, weaving their way into modern society. So, how do you know whether to choose a traditional or modern gift? Keep reading for helpful tips.

Traditional vs. modern anniversary gifts by the milestone

When selecting an anniversary gift, choose one that follows the year's theme. It doesn't have to be a traditional gift. Instead, focus on personalization. Mix this personalized touch with the traditional theme to find the perfect modern gift.

Below are traditional and modern gift ideas for each anniversary milestone.

First anniversary: The first anniversary is called the paper anniversary. Paper represents the freshness of a new marriage and the possibilities to come, with traditional gift ideas including stationery, books, or art prints. Modern gifts include an anniversary photo book, photograph canvas, or personalized star map.
Fifth anniversary: Following suit is the fifth anniversary, also called the wood anniversary. Traditional gift ideas for a wood anniversary represent the stability of tree roots. This includes an engraved cutting board, personalized wood décor, or a picnic basket. Modern gifts include sapphires — the gemstone of a fifth anniversary.
10th anniversary: The first major milestone anniversary is the 10th, also known as the tin or aluminum anniversary. Traditional 10th-anniversary gifts include titanium jewelry or tin serving trays. Modern gifts include diamond jewelry or diamond cufflinks.
15th anniversary: The 15th anniversary is called the crystal anniversary. A crystal encapsulates the sparkle of your marriage, and the refracted light symbolizes the facets. A traditional 15th-anniversary gift includes crystal flutes and jewelry, while a modern gift includes rubies — the gemstone of the 15th year. Modern gift ideas include ruby earrings, rings, and a ruby-encrusted keepsake box.
20th anniversary: China is the traditional theme for the 20th anniversary. Fine china, such as Royal Doulton, is the preferred gift. However, those seeking a modern gift might prefer platinum décor or emerald jewelry.
25th anniversary: The theme for the 25th anniversary is silver. Modern 25th-anniversary gifts include a silver-colored champagne chiller and stainless-steel appliances. For a more traditional gift, consider silver jewelry or fine silverware.
50th anniversary: The theme for this long-awaited milestone is gold. Gold represents both traditional and modern gifts, which often include jewelry.

How to personalize an anniversary gift

The perfect wedding anniversary gift should contain elements of each partner's gift preferences and interests. If you're wondering how to personalize an anniversary gift for your partner or a married couple, follow these tips.

Engrave it: Customize the gift by adding engraved details such as names, the wedding date, and captions or quotes.
Highlight their hobbies: Choose items that are useful to the couple. For instance, if your partner is a chef, consider gifting engraved kitchenware such as a cheese board or charcuterie board.
Recognize their interests: Does the recipient have a hobby like golfing or surfing? If so, choose a golf club or surfboard with elements of the anniversary theme.
Bring back old memories: Gift a scrapbook or photo book with images from your favorite memories. Add backgrounds or stickers highlighting the anniversary's theme — such as wood grain or silver.
Relive your first dance: Create a video featuring the song from your first dance and include clips of significant moments you shared throughout the year. End the video with footage of your wedding dance.
Give the gift of a new memory: Plan a vacation to your partner's favorite location or create a romantic weekend getaway. This could include a spa weekend or a ski trip.
Incorporate lyrics to your favorite song: Engrave your gift with the lyrics to a song. Engravable gifts include custom maps, stainless steel flutes, and jewelry.
Use their favorite color: Even though every anniversary follows a specific color theme, selecting your partner's favorite color is always best. This makes the gift more personal and meaningful.

Creative and thoughtful anniversary gift ideas

Traditional anniversary gifts like gold watches, flowers, and rings are timeless, but thoughtful gifts that deviate from that practice are more meaningful. To reflect on your journey of love this anniversary, begin a new gifting custom.

Here are a few ideas for creative and thoughtful anniversary gifts to get you started:

Book of firsts: Design a book of firsts by compiling images from your first date, first anniversary, and first vacation together. Complete the look by adding memorable captions to each photo.
Time capsule: Collect items from your joint memories, such as movie or concert tickets, and bury them in a capsule to open on your 50th anniversary.
Customized puzzle: Make a puzzle from a photo of your favorite place together. Solve the puzzle on your anniversary.

Budget-friendly options and DIY wedding anniversary gifts by year

You don't have to break the bank for the perfect anniversary gift. Many budget-friendly gift ideas, including DIY gifts, can celebrate your anniversary and show your partner how much you care. No matter your anniversary, it's possible to commemorate the day creatively.

Here are a few ideas for affordable and DIY anniversary gifts:

First anniversary: Give a budget-friendly gift such as a personalized calendar or planner in keeping with the paper theme. A personalized calendar also doubles as a DIY gift. Another DIY paper anniversary gift includes handwritten notes.
Fifth anniversary: Plant a tree together to symbolize your wood anniversary. This is a gift that will last a lifetime. Consider personalizing a wooden coaster or painted wooden wall décor for a DIY option.
10th anniversary: For a budget-friendly tin or aluminum gift, choose a picture frame for your wedding or anniversary picture. You can also create reflective candle holders as a DIY gift.
15th anniversary: Instead of purchasing expensive crystalware, consider crystal jewelry or polished crystal gemstones. These options are relatively inexpensive and readily available. For a budget-friendly DIY option, create a crystal-embellished jewelry box.
20th anniversary: China comes in different tiers. Some tiers are designed for special occasions (this is called fine china), and others for everyday use. Consider budget-friendly china or porcelain dinner sets for everyday use. For a romantic DIY option, sign up for a pottery class, create a porcelain vase together, or design your porcelain dishes.
25th anniversary: Silver prices fluctuate yearly, sometimes outside a person's anniversary budget. If this happens during your silver anniversary, choose a silver-plated gift such as jewelry or household accessories. For a fun DIY project, create an acrylic canvas together. Use acrylic paint in your favorite colors and add silver leaf accents.
50th anniversary: If you're looking for budget-friendly gift options for your golden jubilee, consider gold-plated jewelry, pyrite jewelry, and gold ornaments. A meaningful DIY option is a "50 years of love" anniversary book. Design it with your favorite images, gold accents, and engraving on the cover.

This list is only the start of ways to give anniversary gifts on a budget. The key is to use your creativity and your partner's preferences to craft a meaningful gift they'll never forget.

Create unique anniversary gifts with Mixbook Studio.

Mixbook Studio makes crafting meaningful gifts such as photo books, canvases, and acrylic art quick and easy. All you need are your favorite photos and a few captions to enhance the theme.

Once you have these items, navigate to the category of your choice and select a template. Then, upload your photos. Personalize your gift with a custom background or stickers to add dimension. Add a textbox to highlight your quote. Then, place your order.

It's that easy! Head over to Mixbook today to get started on crafting the perfect anniversary gift.