20th Wedding Anniversary: China Anniversary Gifts

China is the traditional UK gift for the twentieth wedding anniversary. The modern list says platinum, the flower is the aster and the gemstone is emerald.

China is something delicate that has been looked after for two decades without chipping. It is also the anniversary where couples finally buy plates they both chose, rather than the ones they were given.

Below: gift ideas that use the symbol without being ruled by it, what to spend, and lines you can copy into the card.

Anniversary cards, printed in the UK

Blank inside, one size, drawn and printed by us in the UK. Ordered on a working day it usually goes out first class the same day.

I Still Fancy You Peach Emoji Anniversary Card I Still Fancy You Peach Emoji Anniversary Card £3.87 There's Someone For All Of Us (Funny Wedding Card) There's Someone For All Of Us (Funny Wedding 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 Personalised Polaroid-style wedding card featuring an illustrated wedding cake and the text Just Married with custom names. Just Married Cake Polaroid Wedding Day Card (Personalised Names) £3.87 Personalised Wedding Card Featuring Pigeons Personalised Wedding Card Featuring Pigeons £3.87

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China anniversary gift ideas

  • A proper dinner set, twenty years after the wedding list one gave up.
  • Two good mugs, which get used more than any dinner service.
  • A ceramic vase or bowl for the table.
  • A framed print for the room you've just redecorated.
  • Dinner somewhere you'd never normally book.
  • A card that marks twenty years without a single rhyme in it.

By budget

  • Under £10 - a card and a message naming one thing from each decade.
  • Under £25 - two good mugs, or an A4 print.
  • Under £50 - a vase, a print and the frame.
  • Over £100 - the dinner set, or dinner out and no cooking.

Twentieth anniversary card messages

  • Twenty years. Still not bored of you, which is its own achievement. Shop this card
  • China for twenty years: looked after, still in one piece.
  • Two decades of marriage. Here's to the next two.
  • Twenty years in and you're still the person I want to tell things to first.
  • Happy twentieth anniversary. Same table, better plates.

The year at a glance

  • Traditional UK symbol: china.
  • Modern equivalent: platinum.
  • Flower: aster.
  • Gemstone: emerald.

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Prints for the wall

A5, A4 and A3 art prints, drawn in house and printed in the UK. They post flat and frame easily.

All You Need Is Love / Love Is All You Need Print (A5 - A3) All You Need Is Love / Love Is All You Need Print (A5 - A3) £8.00 Look At The Stars Song Lyrics Print (A5 - A3) Look At The Stars Song Lyrics Print (A5 - A3) £8.00 Music Sounds Better With You Music Print (A5 - A3) Music Sounds Better With You Music Print (A5 - A3) £8.00 99 Problems but Excel Ain't One (A5 - A3) 99 Problems but Excel Ain't One (A5 - A3) £8.00 12 Days of Christmas Lyrics Print 12 Days of Christmas Lyrics Print £6.00 Play That Funky Music Print (A5 - A3) Play That Funky Music Print (A5 - A3) £8.00 99 Problems, Prompting Ain't One A6 Postcard 99 Problems, Prompting Ain't One A6 Postcard £3.00 Play That Funky Music Print A6 Postcard Play That Funky Music Print A6 Postcard £3.00

How to write it so it lands

  • Use the symbol as a starting point, then choose for the person.
  • Name a specific memory in the card - that's the bit that gets kept.
  • A card plus one good thing beats three forgettable presents.

You might also be interested in...

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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Where to shop next

Frequently asked questions

What is the twentieth wedding anniversary gift?

China is the traditional UK gift for the twentieth anniversary. The modern list suggests platinum instead, and plenty of couples pick whichever suits the person better.

What flower and gemstone go with the twentieth anniversary?

The flower is the aster and the gemstone is emerald. Both are a useful way round the symbol if china doesn't suit them.

Do you have to follow the traditional list at all?

No. The lists are a prompt, not a rule - they exist to stop you buying the same thing every year. A gift that fits the person beats a gift that fits the symbol.

How many years is the china anniversary?

The china anniversary is 20 years of marriage - the twentieth wedding anniversary on the traditional UK list.

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