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Well, it’s that time of year again—Valentine’s Day. For many, a celebration of love…often filled with plush animals, flowers, chocolates, jewelry, puzzles, candlelit dinners, and romantic gestures.
For me, Valentine’s Day holds three special meanings. Of course, it’s a day to show those special someones you care, but it also happens to be my mom’s birthday…and my wedding anniversary. Yep, my husband and I got hitched on Valentine’s Day. Call it corny, but I love that we did.
There was a sentimental reason behind it, too. My mom couldn’t be at our wedding, so getting married on her birthday was my way of honoring her. Of course, there’s another big perk…my husband can never forget our anniversary.
Everywhere he turns, Valentine’s Day serves as a reminder. No excuses!
This year, we’re hitting 21 years of marriage. Twenty-one years! Man, time flies.
No matter what Valentine’s Day means to you, it’s always a good time to pause, appreciate love, and celebrate the people who matter most.
Anniversary Gift Themes
As I previously mentioned, my wedding anniversary falls on valentines day…hence the reason why I’ve included this section in my Valentine’s Day post.
Anniversaries are more than just another year together. They’re milestones. And over time, people have attached symbolic themes to each year—especially when it comes to gifts.
It’s no surprise that my husband was totally unaware of this tradition, but now he even thinks it’s pretty cool.
According to the interweb, the idea of anniversary themes dates back to the Middle Ages. Certain materials were believed to bring luck, prosperity, or strength to a marriage. Over time, this evolved into the traditional anniversary gift list. The first few years focus on materials that are fragile but meaningful—like paper and cotton. As the years go on, the gifts represent strength, endurance, and value—think silver, gold, and diamonds.
I absolutely love it! It’s a creative and meaningful way to reflect on how a relationship grows over time.
Plus, these themes can be used as special Valentine’s Day gift ideas as well.
If you don’t know or remember the traditional anniversary gift themes for each year, don’t worry…I’ve got you covered all the way to a 60th anniversary:
1st Anniversary: Paper
2nd Anniversary: Cotton
3rd Anniversary: Leather
4th Anniversary: Fruit or Flowers
5th Anniversary: Wood
6th Anniversary: Candy or Iron
7th Anniversary: Wool or Copper
8th Anniversary: Pottery or Bronze
9th Anniversary: Willow or Pottery
10th Anniversary: Tin or Aluminum
11th Anniversary: Steel
12th Anniversary: Silk or Linen
13th Anniversary: Lace
14th Anniversary: Gold Jewelry
15th Anniversary: Crystal
16th Anniversary: Wax or Silverware
17th Anniversary: Furniture
18th Anniversary: Porcelain
19th Anniversary: Bronze
20th Anniversary: China
21st Anniversary: Fire (theme)
22nd Anniversary: Water (theme)
23rd Anniversary: Air (theme)
24th Anniversary: Stone (theme)
25th Anniversary: Silver
26th Anniversary: Art
27th Anniversary: Music
28th Anniversary: Linens
29th Anniversary: Tools
30th Anniversary: Pearls
31st Anniversary: Travel
32nd Anniversary: Bronze
33rd Anniversary: Iron
34th Anniversary: Food
35th Anniversary: Coral
36th Anniversary: Antiques
37th Anniversary: Books
38th Anniversary: Luck (theme)
39th Anniversary: Laughter (theme)
40th Anniversary: Ruby
41st Anniversary: Office or Desk Decor
42nd Anniversary: Clocks or Watches
43rd Anniversary: Entertainment (theme)
44th Anniversary: Electronics (theme)
45th Anniversary: Sapphire
46th Anniversary: Games
47th Anniversary: Garden or Plants
48th Anniversary: Home Improvement (theme)
49th Anniversary: Copper
50th Anniversary: Gold
51st Anniversary: Photos or Cameras
52nd Anniversary: Bath or Spa (theme)
53rd Anniversary: Plastic
54th Anniversary: Glass
55th Anniversary: Emerald
56th Anniversary: Day (theme)
57th Anniversary: Night (theme)
58th Anniversary: Faith and Hope (theme)
59th Anniversary: Charity (theme)
60th Anniversary: Diamond
Gift Ideas That Go Beyond Tradition
While it’s great to have some tradition built into your gift giving, I personally don’t stick to the list. For me, it’s about finding a meaningful way to celebrate your years together…tradition optional. If you’re looking for some gift inspiration, here are some wedding anniversary gift ideas that go beyond tradition!
For her:
For him:
Retro Boombox w/Radio, Cassette, Bluetooth
Well there you have it. To all the lovebirds out there, I hope this post sparks some inspiration this Valentine’s Day!
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