I decided to follow the traditional gift guide for anniversary gifts as I love the idea of incorporating some long standing traditions into our Marriage. It will also challenge us to find bespoke and purposeful gifts that are meaningful to us both.
Here are the traditional themes for each Anniversary along with the gifts that we have given each other.
1st Anniversary | Paper represents a blank canvas, symbolizing the fresh start of a marriage. Russell gave me the Fifty Shades of Grey Trilogy, and I gave him a book by his favourite author, 'Raymond E Feist’. |
2nd Anniversary | Cotton symbolizes the intertwining of lives and durability, and we gave each other t towels that were replicas from those used on our Wedding Day. A message on one read “Home is where the husband runs the show, but the wife writes the script”. |
3rd Anniversary | Leather signifies protection and warmth, and Russell gave me a one-of-a-kind leather brassard, and I gave him a luggage tag holder. |
4th Anniversary | Linen symbolizes strength, durability and flexibility much like the fibers that it is woven with. Our combined gift for each other was a Mr & Mrs pillowcase set which we still have on our bed today. (see photo) |
5th Anniversary | Wood symbolizes strength and solid foundations and my gift to Russell was a wooden roller back massager. |
6th Anniversary | Iron represents the strength and resilience of a relationship and our combined gift to each other was a piece of corrugated iron art with a photo of the two of us on it suitable to be hung outdoors. |
7th Anniversary | Wool symbolizes warmth and comfort and our combined gift to each other were matching woolen berets, a black one for Russell and a red one for me. (see photo) |
8th Anniversary | Bronze symbolizes durability and strength, and I gave Russell some cufflinks that had been made from old NZ 1c coins which are made out of bronze. |
9th Anniversary | Pottery represents the shaping and moulding of a relationship and our combined gifts were a set of pantry cannisters. |
10th Anniversary | Tin symbolizes preservation and longevity, and I gave Russell a custom-made mint tin with a photo on it from our Wedding Day, where we had our second date, and Russell gave me a custom-made set of metal dice. (see photos) |
11th Anniversary | Steel symbolizes strength and durability, and I gave Russell a stainless-steel thermos which we later used as a time capsule to open again in 2032. |
12th Anniversary | Silk symbolizes the elegance and luxurious quality of a strong marriage and our combined gift was a silk eye mask that we could both use. |
13th Anniversary | Lace symbolizes intricate beauty and delicate care and our combined gift for each other were some personalized cookies decorated with a lace design. (see photos) |
14th Anniversary | Ivory symbolizes purity, though many opt for ethical alternatives today which is what we did. I gave Russell a nut ivory Buddha statue and he gave me ethically sourced ivory earrings. |
15th Anniversary | Crystal symbolizes clarity and transparency. TBC what we get each other as at the time of writing this post our anniversary is 4 months away. |
We would love to hear about your Anniversary gifts so feel free to contact us and tell us what you have given each other and how you celebrate them each year.
