Anniversary Gift Ideas For Him And Her

Anniversary gifts go wrong in one of two directions: identical to last year, or so elaborate it turns into an event neither of you wanted.

The traditional list - paper, cotton, wood and so on - is a useful prompt, not an instruction. Treat it as a theme to riff on.

Below: ideas for him, ideas for her, ideas for the two of you, and what to write once you've got the card.

Gift ideas for him

• A proper wallet or belt to replace the one falling apart.
• Tickets to see his team play away, with the travel sorted.
• A tasting - whisky, beer, coffee - booked for a date you've already put in the diary.
• A framed photo from the year you met.
• An engraved hip flask, keyring or watch back.
• A record of the album that was playing when you met.

Gift ideas for her

• Jewellery with the date or an initial on it.
• A print of the place you got married, met or moved into.
• A day booked entirely to her taste, with no input required.
• Perfume she's already wearing, in the full size for once.
• A letter - handwritten, not typed - about the year just gone.
• Flowers that aren't from the supermarket, delivered on the day.

Gifts for the two of you

• A night away somewhere you've never been.
• A class you'd both be bad at - pottery, cooking, dancing.
• The good restaurant, booked properly, phones away.
• A photo book of the last year, printed.
• A tree planted somewhere you can go and look at it.

By year, briefly

• First - paper: a letter, tickets, a print.
• Fifth - wood: a chopping board, a frame, a tree.
• Tenth - tin: a keepsake box or an engraved tin sign.
• Twentieth - china: a good dinner set or a single beautiful mug.
• Twenty-fifth - silver: jewellery, a frame, or a party.
• Fortieth - ruby: red stones, red wine, a red door.
• Fiftieth - gold: gold leaf, gold jewellery, and a proper do.

What to write in the card

• Still the best decision I ever made.
• One year down. Many to go, and I still like you.
• Happy anniversary - thank you for all of it, especially the boring bits.
• Same time next year, and the one after that.

Shop anniversary cards

How to write it so it lands

• Book the restaurant before you buy the gift - the date is the harder bit.
• Write the year on the back of the card; they stack up nicely in a box.
• If you're both busy, move the celebration to the nearest free weekend rather than skipping it.

Where to shop next

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• Anniversary gift ideas for him and her
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• Wedding cards
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• Wedding cards guide
• Thank you cards guide
• All guides

Frequently asked questions

What are the traditional wedding anniversary gifts?

Paper for the first, cotton second, leather third, fruit and flowers fourth, wood fifth, then tin at ten, china at twenty, silver at twenty-five, ruby at forty and gold at fifty.

How much should you spend on an anniversary gift?

Most couples spend £30-£70 on an ordinary year and more on the milestones. Agree it between you - a mismatch in spend causes more awkwardness than the gift itself.

Do you buy a gift for every anniversary?

Plenty of couples do cards every year and gifts only on the fives and tens. Decide together and it stops being a test.

What do you write in an anniversary card?

One specific memory from the year, one thing you're looking forward to, and a short sign-off. Two sentences that sound like you beat a printed verse.