What Is The Anniversary Gift By Year? (Complete US List 2026)
What is the anniversary gift by year?
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The traditional anniversary gift list dates to 1937 (Chicago Public Library) and assigns a material to each anniversary year. The modern list (1985, jewelry-industry) updates the early years toward jewelry-friendly options. Most US couples blend both lists: traditional material as the theme, modern gift as the actual purchase.
Complete anniversary gift by year (US, 2026)
| Year | Traditional | Modern | Color | Flower |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Paper | Clocks | Yellow / Gold | Carnations |
| 2 | Cotton | China | Linen / White | Lily of the Valley |
| 3 | Leather | Crystal/Glass | White / Jade | Sunflower |
| 4 | Fruit/Flowers | Appliances | Green / Blue | Hydrangea |
| 5 | Wood | Silverware | Sapphire / Pink | Daisy |
| 6 | Iron / Candy | Wood | Purple / White | Calla Lily |
| 7 | Wool / Copper | Desk Sets | Onyx / Yellow | Freesia |
| 8 | Pottery / Bronze | Linens / Lace | Bronze | Lilac |
| 9 | Pottery / Willow | Leather | Terracotta | Bird of Paradise |
| 10 | Tin / Aluminum | Diamond Jewelry | Silver / Blue | Daffodil |
| 11 | Steel | Fashion Jewelry | Turquoise | Tulip |
| 12 | Silk / Linen | Pearls | Oyster White | Peony |
| 13 | Lace | Textiles / Furs | Citrine Yellow | Chrysanthemum |
| 14 | Ivory | Gold Jewelry | Ivory | Dahlia |
| 15 | Crystal | Watches | Ruby Red | Rose |
| 20 | China | Platinum | Emerald Green / White | Day Lily |
| 25 | Silver | Sterling Silver | Silver / White | Iris |
| 30 | Pearl | Diamond | Pearl Green / White | Lily |
| 35 | Coral | Jade | Coral / Jade | Sweet Pea |
| 40 | Ruby | Ruby | Ruby Red | Nasturtium |
| 45 | Sapphire | Sapphire | Sapphire Blue | Blue Iris |
| 50 | Gold | Gold | Gold | Yellow Rose / Violet |
| 55 | Emerald | Emerald | Emerald Green | Plum Blossom |
| 60 | Diamond | Diamond | Diamond White | Lily |
| 65 | Blue Sapphire | Blue Sapphire | Sapphire Blue | Iris |
| 70 | Platinum | Platinum | Platinum White | Iris / Mum |
| 75 | Diamond / Gold | Diamond / Gold | Diamond / Gold | Diamond Lily |
Traditional vs Modern — which list to follow?
The 1937 traditional list emphasizes materials. The 1985 modern list emphasizes jewelry-friendly purchases. Most US couples blend: traditional material as the theme color/concept, modern gift as the practical purchase. Example: Year 5 (wood) — buy a wooden-frame canvas with the first-dance song lyrics + an engraved silverware set as the modern blend.
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