Are you planning to celebrate your 25th wedding anniversary in style this year? Or are you planning to enjoy a more low key affair? Do you know a special couple who are due to celebrate 25 years of marriage, and are a bit stressed about the kind of gift to buy? Don’t worry – gift buying for your special soul mate, or a couple of close friends is going to be easy this time round, because we’re here to help.
Nobody is going to deny that being married is easy, and the ever increasing rate of divorce certainly backs up that statement. But if you’ve made it to a quarter of a century, that’s no mean feat for sure. And certainly a jolly good reason for celebration. However you decide to celebrate, gifts will form a large part of the proceedings. Couples give each other gifts, and loved ones bestow their gifts as well.
Why is a 25th Anniversary Called the Silver One?
It all goes back to Roman times. We’ve been thanking them for lovely straight roads and indoor plumbing systems for many years. But we should also be thanking them for the tradition of celebrating a 25th wedding anniversary with a gift made of silver. All those years ago, a husband who had reached 25 years of being married to the same lovely wife, bestowed upon her a wreath made of silver. If the couple were fortunate enough to stay in good health and reach it to 50 years, then the wreath became a gold one.
The tradition of celebrating 25 and 50 years of marriage also appeared in Medieval Germany. But there it was neighbours and friends who gave the happy lady a wreath.
If we move on a little to the 20th century, a few more symbols were introduced to the masses. It was no longer just silver for the 25th anniversary, and gold for the 50th. Crystal was associated with 15 years of marriage, and for the 5th gifts were made of wood.
Bringing it bang up to date, and the symbols that are popularly used nowadays were introduced by the National Jewelry Association in America. Guess they realised they were missing out on a golden opportunity, so decided to introduce symbols for many of the other years as well.
So that’s the history of this important celebration done and dusted, let’s get on to the subject of 25th wedding anniversary gifts.
Ideas for 25th Wedding Anniversary Gifts
Should you give the couple celebrating a 25th wedding anniversary a gift? Yes we think that gifts are the order of the day. After all it’s tradition, right?
And if you’re holding or organising a silver wedding anniversary party, should you mention that gifts are acceptable? Probably not very proper at all to say that they will be, better not to make any mention. Unless that is, the celebrating couple would prefer that guests saved their money and just had a good time. Hopefully if you specify that gifts aren’t required all the guests will comply. Because it only takes one guest to turn up with a present for embarrassment to ensue. Not just for the other guests but for the hosts too.
There are so many gifts available for a couple who are celebrating a 25th wedding anniversary, that the choice can be a bit overwhelming. Silver is a great symbol to work with, but you shouldn’t feel obliged to go with such a traditional idea. Although modern gift lists also give silver as the symbol for 25 years of marriage. But there’s really no hard and fast rule that you need to follow any kind of list.
The best tip we can give you, when looking for 25th wedding anniversary gifts, is to think of the couple’s preferences.
Top Choices for 25th Wedding Anniversary Presents
Jewellery is a great choice for the couple in question, as there are a variety of pieces for both men and women. If you’re buying 25th wedding anniversary presents for a couple, you’ll need to find them a gift each. Whereas if you’re celebrating your own anniversary you only need to worry about each other’s gift. Silver jewellery is really quite affordable. Good quality silver, or sterling silver, can be found at a more than decent price.
So what kind of jewellery can you buy for your wife? A silver charm bracelet would perfectly symbolise the times you’ve enjoyed together, or maybe a pendant that has her birthstone in it. If you’re buying jewellery for the happy couple, you could ask for their initials to be engraved on it, or a sentimental message.
And if you don’t want to buy the couple jewellery, there’s still bags of silver stuff to choose from. Mirrors, picture frames, candle holders, boxes, glasses and goblets.
If you want to give a 25th wedding anniversary gift that’s precious, then give a gift that is filled with fond memories. Such as a silver photo frame that has inside a picture of them on their wedding date. Or maybe you could compile a CD with all the most popular tunes from the year they tied the knot. Don’t forget to include the tune that was playing when they had their first dance, and the song that was used to accompany the gorgeous bride as she walked down the aisle.
A Suitable 25th Wedding Anniversary Gift for Your Partner
A good place to start, if your looking for a suitable 25th wedding anniversary gift for your spouse, is to listen to the inevitable hints that will dropped, leading up to the day. After 25 years of living together you’re no doubt tuned in to the subtle comments you can both make. You also need to think about their preferences, and what they most enjoy doing. Do either of you love cooking? Then something for the kitchen would be a fantastic idea, or a gourmet cooking class, or special dinner.
Or is about time you took yourselves off and spent some time away from home, and all the associated responsibilities and family commitments. You’ve dedicated your lives so far to raising a family, and building up your home, so now’s the time to put your feet up, or simply have some fun. Some couples take this opportunity to renew their wedding vows, and take a second honeymoon. Pretty cool idea in our opinion.
25th Wedding Anniversary Gift for Him
It is a well known fact that women enjoy the whole gift giving experience, but it might surprise you to know that men do too. Finding the perfect 25th wedding anniversary gift for your husband shouldn’t be all that difficult either. But if you’re already starting to get a bit hot under the collar, don’t worry because all the effort and time you put in will be worth it. We’ve already mentioned that silver jewellery is a good choice for both men and women, but not all men are happy wearing bracelets, necklaces or rings. In which case, how about a pair of silver cuff links or tie pin? There’s even silver hip flasks, lighters and pens. If you think he’d fancy something other than a silver gift, there’s always the gift of an experience such as supercar driving, a tandem parachute jump, bungee jumping or a paintballing session for him and his mates.
Tried and Tested Silver Wedding Anniversary Gifts – Flowers
Women generally love to receive flowers for all kinds of occasions, and silver wedding anniversary gifts is no exception. However, we feel it’s time to mention that buying flowers as a gift for her, doesn’t need to have a reason. Bringing them home after work is always going to be appreciated. Silver wedding anniversary gifts require you to push the boat out a little, so silver jewellery is an obvious alternative. You’ll also have the opportunity to get it engraved with some sentimental words. But if you’re happy to stick with flowers, what are the choices?
You could buy her a rose bush for the garden. Many varieties are aptly named to give as a wedding anniversary gift. And what about the romance that is associated with the gift of a red rose?
Enjoy Your Silver Wedding Anniversary – Such an Important Milestone Only Comes Round Once in a Lifetime
A 25th wedding anniversary will only be celebrated once in your lifetime, so there’s no reason for it to be ignored. Many people commemorate the occasion by holding a lavish party, while some prefer to keep it low key, and go out for a special dinner together. For all of those looking for a suitable wedding anniversary gift, think yourself lucky that silver is the symbol. It could have been something a little more obscure. There’s so much to choose from, but you should remember that this kind of gift doesn’t have to be expensive. It has to be thoughtful, in that it will be something the couple can enjoy. Look for something that will have sentimental value, whether it’s the gift of an experience or a gift that will bring back happy memories.