Choosing the Perfect Anniversary Gift in South Carolina

Whether the couple has been married one year or one hundred, an anniversary is a reason to celebrate. Gift giving is a tradition in South Carolina and anniversary gifts are among the most popular and fun to give. You may choose to give a traditional gift or branch out and give something more contemporary. If you put thought, love and a little creativity into your gift – the happy couple is sure to enjoy it!

Traditional Wedding Anniversary Gifts

Traditional anniversary gifts are chosen from a list of materials commemorating each year. The materials gradually become more precious as the number of years increase, symbolizing the time the couple has been together. The origin of traditional anniversary gifts is a mystery, but probably dates back to medieval times. It was traditional in these days for a woman to be given a wreath of silver for her 25th year of marriage and a wreath of gold for her 50th year of marriage – the other traditions likely filled in around these two milestones. Many people in South Carolina are migrating away from the traditional list because they find it dated or too restrictive. However, if you use a little creativity you can come up with some amazing gifts that still follow the traditional list. Below is a partial list of traditional wedding gifts as well as some suggestions for putting a creative twist on an old favorite.

Year	Traditional	Contemporary
1st	Paper	Clocks
2nd	Cotton	China
3rd	Leather	Crystal
4th	Fruit or Flowers	Appliances
5th	Wood	Silverware
6th	Candy or Iron	Wood
7th	Wool or Copper	Desk Sets
8th	Bronze or Pottery	Linens or Lace
9th	Pottery or Willow	Leather
10th	Tin or Aluminum	Diamond Jewelry
15th	Crystal	Watches
20th	China	Platinum
25th	Silver	Silver
30th	Pearl	Diamond
35th	Coral	Jade
40th	Ruby	Ruby
45th	Sapphire	Sapphire
50th	Gold	Gold
55th	Emerald	Emerald
60th	Yellow Diamond	Diamond
70th	Diamond/Gold	Diamond/Gold

1st year – Paper is the traditional gift for a 1st anniversary. A scrapbook of special memories is a wonderful way to give a traditional gift, as well as something that is very popular today.

4th year – Fruit is traditionally the gift given for a 4th anniversary. A gourmet fruit basket or fruit of the month club membership would both be wonderful ideas. For a longer lasting gift, purchase a fruit tree sapling for the couple to plant at their home. They can watch the tree grow as their marriage grows.

5th year – Traditionally, wood is given for a 5th anniversary. Wood is an easy element to incorporate into any gift you want to give. A wooden picture frame, jewelry box or piece of furniture would all make functional, yet traditional gifts.

25th year – The 25th year is known as the -silver” anniversary. Gifts of silver are traditionally given for this milestone anniversary. Silver candlesticks, picture frame or serving platters are among the most popular choices. However, you can certainly use creativity to make your silver anniversary present more unique. Silver jewelry is appropriate for the couple, as are many of the monogrammed or personalized silver gifts that are readily available today.

50th year – The 50th year is known as the -golden” anniversary. Gifts of gold are traditionally given on this anniversary. Gold jewelry is a popular choice, as are clocks and other commemorative items.

Contemporary Wedding Anniversary Gifts

While giving traditional anniversary presents is still popular, many people are choosing to step away from the constriction of the traditional gift list. There is an alternate list of -contemporary” materials to give as anniversary gifts. They are generally easier to find and serve to be more functional in a modern home.

Wine has become one of the most popular gifts to give for anniversaries in South Carolina, regardless of the year. With wine connoisseurship growing in popularity, many couples appreciate a good bottle of wine or wine accessory to add to their collection. Many wineries recommend a dessert wine for a 1st anniversary gift, a good champagne for a 5th anniversary gift and a port wine for a 10th anniversary gift. If the couple you are purchasing for has a particular taste, you can certainly deviate from these recommendations. To make the gift even more special, choose a vintage from the year of a couple’s marriage, from a country or particular vineyard they like to visit or even customize a wine label for the special occasion. For additional resources regarding anniversary gifts and party planning visit www.EventPlanning.sc.