Traditional anniversary gifts for weddings are chosen from a list of materials that are designated for each year. The first wedding anniversary is symbolized with paper, and from there traditional anniversary gifts become more precious or scarce to reflect the growing number of years a couple has remained together.

It isn't clear when the traditional gift list came into existence. It probably evolved over time. Calling years twenty-five and fifty 'Silver' and 'Gold' may have originated in medieval Europe, where wives were given a silver wreath to celebrate their twenty-fifth year of marriage and a gold wreath for their fiftieth wedding anniversary.

Diamonds are traditional anniversary gifts in both the sixtieth and seventh-fifth years. Year sixty was probably added when Queen Victoria celebrated her Diamond Jubilee after sixty years on the British throne.

The traditional list may seem somewhat boring for the early years, but it doesn't have to be if you get creative. Especially if you give a gift of one of my pens...

A pen made of wood, what a perfect gift. You won't find another like it anywhere. Consider an "heirloom pen". If you can provide a piece of wood from the childhood home, or the family farm, or the backyard, there is a bond between the gift and that time of the intended's life.

5th Wedding Anniversary

Traditional Gifts: Wood

6th Wedding Anniversary

Modern Gifts: Wood

7th Wedding Anniversary

Modern Gifts: Desk Sets