Anniversary Gifts and Wording for Parents

Buying for your parents' anniversary is awkward for one reason: they already own everything they want, and they'll tell you not to bother. The gifts that land are the ones that are about the marriage rather than the house.

That means photographs, print, time and food, and a card that says something you have never actually said out loud.

Below: ideas by budget, what suits the milestone years, and wording from one child, from all the children, and from the grandchildren too.

Anniversary cards, printed in the UK

Blank inside so the whole family can sign it. Drawn and printed by us in the UK, posted first class - usually the same working day.

I Still Fancy You Peach Emoji Anniversary Card I Still Fancy You Peach Emoji Anniversary Card £3.87 I Still Fancy You Eggplant Emoji Anniversary Card I Still Fancy You Eggplant Emoji Anniversary Card £3.87 365 Days Still Not Bored Anniversary Card 365 Days Still Not Bored Anniversary Card £3.87 365 Days of Settling Anniversary Card 365 Days of Settling Anniversary Card £3.87 Still Fancy You Anniversary Card Still Fancy You Anniversary Card £3.87 Happy Anniversary Card For Our Favourite Couple Happy Anniversary Card For Our Favourite Couple £3.75

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Gift ideas that suit parents

  • A framed print of the year they married, the church, or the street they first lived on.
  • A photo book made from the boxes in the loft, scanned by you rather than bought in.
  • Dinner booked and paid for, with the table already reserved so they can't argue.
  • A candle for the room they actually sit in, not the good front room.
  • Something to do rather than own: a day out, a garden visit, a trip back to where they honeymooned.
  • A card everyone in the family signs, which is the thing that ends up on the mantelpiece.

By budget

  • Under £10 - a card with a specific memory written inside it.
  • Under £25 - an A4 print, or a candle and a card.
  • Under £50 - a framed print, or flowers plus dinner at home cooked by you.
  • Over £100 - a meal out for everyone, which is what most parents ask for when pushed.

Card wording from one of you

  • Happy anniversary. Thank you for making it look easy, even when it clearly wasn't.
  • Congratulations on another year. I learned what a marriage looks like from watching you two.
  • Happy anniversary, both of you. Still the best example I've got.
  • Another year of you putting up with each other, and with us. Well done.
  • Happy anniversary. I hope I end up with something half as good as this.

Card wording from all the children

  • Happy anniversary from all of us. We turned out alright, so you must have done something right.
  • To the pair of you: thank you for the house, the noise and the years. Happy anniversary.
  • Congratulations on another year of marriage - and on keeping the lot of us fed throughout.
  • Happy anniversary, Mum and Dad. Love from all of us, including the ones who forgot to sign this.
  • Here's to the two of you. Same time next year, same table.

Wording for the milestone years

  • Silver, 25 years - 'Twenty-five years. Still holding hands in the supermarket, still arguing about the route.'
  • Ruby, 40 years - 'Forty years of marriage. An absolute innings.'
  • Gold, 50 years - 'Fifty years. Congratulations, and thank you for all of it.'
  • Diamond, 60 years - 'Sixty years. We're all quietly taking notes.'
  • Any year in between - name the year, then one specific thing from it.

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How to write it so it lands

  • Write the number of years in the card, not just 'happy anniversary'.
  • One specific memory is worth more than three compliments.
  • For milestones, the gift everyone remembers is usually a meal, not an object.

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We make cards, pin badges, prints and party bits in house. These are from other shops we rate, and buying through the link costs you nothing extra.

Anniversary book

Anniversary book

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Frequently asked questions

What do you buy parents for their wedding anniversary?

Something about the marriage rather than the house: a framed print of the year they married, a photo book, or a meal out with the family. Parents rarely need objects, and almost always keep the card.

What do you write in a parents' anniversary card?

Name the number of years, then one specific thing you've learned from watching them. 'Happy anniversary' plus a real detail beats any printed verse.

Should all the children sign one card or send separate ones?

One card everyone signs is the one that goes on the mantelpiece. If you're spread out, post it to whoever lives nearest to sign first, or write your lines and have them added.

How much should you spend on a parents' anniversary?

For an ordinary year, a card and something under £25 is plenty. Milestone years - 25, 40, 50, 60 - are usually marked with a meal or a party that everyone shares the cost of.

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