The Best Traditional Anniversary Gifts by Year, Because You're Going to Have a Long Life Together

When you first get married, your life is a blank slate — hence the traditional first anniversary gift of paper. Those plain white sheets symbolize the blank pages on which you'll write the story of your lives together. According to the list of modern gifts, the first anniversary gift is clocks, for a similar reason: you two have all the time in the world.

The traditional color of a first anniversary is yellow or gold, and the "gemstone" is gold, too (even though that's obviously a metal, not a gemstone). And, for that first-year bouquet, the traditional first anniversary flower is the simple carnation.

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As the anniversaries go on, the materials get sturdier. Cotton is used for second anniversaries because it's both soft and strong, just like your union. (The modern take is china, for the same reason — tough but fragile.) Also, the way that cotton is woven together represents the way that your lives are now forever intertwined.

The color for the second anniversary is red, and so too are the flower and gemstone. The flower is the cosmos, and the gem is the garnet — both come in a variety of colors, but look gorgeous in deep red hues.

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Leather: It's stronger than cotton, but still really flexible. By this point, three years into your marriage, you've probably been through a few ups and downs that have tested your strength, and come out the other side even heartier.

The modern third anniversary gift is crystal or glass, which is similar to china in that it can last forever, but is still very breakable. The color is white, so the corresponding gemstone is pearl. The flower, on the other hand, is the brilliant yellow sunflower.

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Why is the fourth anniversary fruit or flowers? Aren't they more delicate than leather? The answer is that, after four years, your relationship has really blossomed, so fruit and flowers are only fitting.

The modern anniversary list says four years means you're due for an upgrade in appliances, which, if you're in the market, the Good Housekeeping Institute Appliance Lab can help you find the perfect gift.

And while the theme of the year means any bouquet of flowers would be appropriate, the traditional fourth anniversary flower is the geranium. The color is blue/green, echoing the color of the blue topaz gemstone.

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Five years in, you're solid. Solid like wood, the traditional fifth anniversary gift. And, like trees, you're still growing, too. The modern fifth anniversary gift is silverware, in preparation of all the family meals you've shared and will continue to share. (Life is too short to put up with old forks.)

Usually the colors of the gemstone and the flower line up, but this year they're disparate: The flower is the daisy, and the gemstone is a brilliant sapphire. Traditional colors are blue and pink.

You are sweet. You are tough. So, for your sixth anniversary, you can go in either direction: candy or iron. (We'll take the candy every time, but that's just us.) Or you could take a third route, since the modern guide is catching up to the traditional one: The modern gift this year is wood.

Colors also give you a range of choice, as purple, white and turquoise are all appropropriate. The sixth anniversary flower is the calla lily, popular in wedding bouquets, and the gemstone is the amethyst, which is said to protect the wearer from impurities.

The seventh anniversary is all about cozying up. Wool is known for its warmth, and copper conducts heat, and the two elements represent the snuggly comfort of your marriage. The modern gift is a desk set, so you can send your warm wishes to your loved ones from afar.

The rest of the anniversary may seem black-and-white: The color is off-white or yellow, and the gemstone is onyx. The flower is freesia, which represents faithfulness (no seven-year itches here).

The same way your marriage is a union of individuals, bronze is a union of copper and tin — and a strong one, too — making it the perfect eighth anniversary gift. Then again, the modern gift list takes on a much more refined tone, making the eighth year one for linens or lace.

The traditional color is also bronze, and the flower is the clematis. The gemstone is tourmaline, which is versatile because it comes in a range of colors.

You, and your marriage has transformed over time. Both willow (wicker) and pottery, the traditional ninth anniversary gifts, are materials that have also undergone a transformation due to the elements and emerged more beautiful. The same goes for the modern gift: leather.

Fittingly, the color of the ninth anniversary goes well with pottery: terracotta. Lapis lazuli is the gemstone, and the flower is poppy.

The traditional 10-year anniversary gift is tin or aluminum, again as a symbol of strength. To be honest, that's a bit of a letdown after a decade of marriage. The modern gift list and the gemstone are in agreement on a present that's a little more deserving of the occasion: diamonds. Time for a ring upgrade?

The traditional colors are silver and blue, and the flower is the sunny, happy daffodil.

Many of the materials in the traditional anniversary gifts have been metal, and as they've progressed, the metals have gotten stronger, symbolizing the growing strength of your bond. The eleventh anniversary brings us to steel, the second-toughest metal in the world. The first is tungsten, which sadly does not make the anniversary list, though you can buy tungsten rings — fitting, since the modern gift for the year is fashion jewelry.

If you want to incorporate the eleventh-anniversary gemstone into that fashion jewelry, you'd buy something with turquoise in it. (The color is turquoise, too.) The flower is either the morning glory, or the tulip.

The twelfth anniversary gifts represent aspects of your relationship other than its strong bond: Linen stands for purity, while silk represents elegance. The modern gift is pearls, which symbolize wisdom. In either case, you're coming up in the world.

Pearl is also the gemstone, though it can also be jade, and the colors are therefore oyster white or jade green. The flower is a peony, which has big, round blooms reminiscent of a pearl.

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Who says 13 is unlucky? Not when you get lace as a 13th anniversary gift, with the delicate, intricate pattern representing how your lives have become inextricably intertwined. The modern gift — textiles — works off the same idea. You're one woven fabric now.

Even luckier, the 13th gemstone is the bright citrine, and the flower is the chrysanthemum, which often symbolizes royalty. The color is an antique white, just like lace.

The fourteenth anniversary is traditionally the ivory anniversary, and to that, we say no thank you. You can use the tradition as inspiration to get an ivory-colored gift — the color of the year is ivory, too — or go with the modern gift: gold jewelry.

The perfect stone to go in that gold jewelry? Opal, the gemstone for the year, which is perfect for gift-giving because legend says it's unlucky to buy an opal for yourself. The traditional flowers of the year are orchids and dahlias.

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What better way to toast your 15th anniversary than with some brand-new crystal to hold your libations? Or you can go with the modern interpretation: watches. Or get a watch with a crystal face, and kill two birds with one stone.

The 15th anniversary gem and color go hand in hand: the gemstone is ruby, and the color is red. The flower is roses, so feel free to get a big bouquet of red ones to celebrate such a milestone year.

After 16 years, you still have that spark, and you know how to make each other melt. Sounds like this is the perfect year for a wax anniversary gift. The modern equivalent is silver serving pieces, also called holloware. Do both, and you'll have a beautifully presented table where you can have you anniversary dinner.

The color is a beautiful emerald green, which coordinates with the peridot gemstone. The flower, on the other hand, is the bright purple and blue statice.

The 17th anniversary is furniture, a perfect time to look around, take stock and see what parts of your domicile need new home ideas and a design refresh. It just makes sense that both the traditional and the modern gift, then, would be furniture. Get something sturdy, to match the solidity of your bond. Maybe get something yellow, the color of the year.

The 17th anniversary gemstone is carnelian, which comes in a fiery red color that symbolizes bold energy and warmth. And to match it, the flower circles back to the red carnation.

Your love will last forever. So too will this durable porcelain, which is both the traditional and modern gift of the year. Porcelain is also made of clay that has been tested by fire and made stronger, just as your relationship has undergone some trials of its own.

When it comes to flowers, though, it's anyone's choice: There is no traditional flower associated with the 18th anniversary. The color, though, is blue, and the gemstone is the sparkling cat's eye.

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Bronze is the material so nice, it's on the list twice! It was the eighth anniversary gift, and it's back for the 19th, for both the traditional and modern lists. And there's no better way to show how enduring something is than circling back to it after more than 10 years and seeing how you view it differently. Bronze is also the color of the year.

The flower is a repeat, too: Chrysanthemums are the flower of the 19th year, especially ones that come in a bronze color. But the gemstone goes in a different direction, with the cool, blue aquamarine being the stone of choice for this year.