# Traditional Anniversary Gifts

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/traditional-anniversary-gifts/447131>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [April 27, 2008, 9:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/traditional-anniversary-gifts/447131 "2008-04-27T21:24:32Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![HeyHomie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/heyhomie/32/207_2.png) [@HeyHomie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HeyHomie)\
**Post date:** [April 27, 2008, 9:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/traditional-anniversary-gifts/447131/1 "2008-04-27T21:24:32Z")

</div>

[Here](http://marriage.about.com/cs/anniversaries/a/wedannivideas.htm) is a list of “traditional” anniversary gifts (and suggestions for modern replacements). By way of example:

1st anniversary: Paper  
2nd anniversary: Cotton  
3rd anniversary: Leather  
…the list goes on.

My question: Was there actually a time in history when a couple celebrating their third anniversary could have expected gifts of leather? Or is this list more symbolic than anything else?

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![amarone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e0b2c6/32.png) [@amarone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amarone)\
**Post date:** [April 28, 2008, 2:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/traditional-anniversary-gifts/447131/2 "2008-04-28T02:49:52Z")

</div>

[QUOTE=HeyHomie]  
[Here](http://marriage.about.com/cs/anniversaries/a/wedannivideas.htm) is a list of “traditional” anniversary gifts (and suggestions for modern replacements). By way of example:

1st anniversary: Paper  
2nd anniversary: Cotton  
3rd anniversary: Leather  
…the list goes on.

My question: Was there actually a time in history when a couple celebrating their third anniversary could have expected gifts of leather?  
[/QUOTE]  
Yes - last month, in my case.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\
**Post date:** [April 28, 2008, 3:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/traditional-anniversary-gifts/447131/3 "2008-04-28T03:39:18Z")

</div>

We just had our fifth anniversary and gave each other gifts made out of steel, so I guess we blew it.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Kiwi\_Fruit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kiwi_fruit/32/12_2.png) [@Kiwi\_Fruit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kiwi_Fruit)\
**Post date:** [April 28, 2008, 4:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/traditional-anniversary-gifts/447131/4 "2008-04-28T04:06:12Z")

</div>

[QUOTE=HeyHomie]

My question: Was there actually a time in history when a couple celebrating their third anniversary could have expected gifts of leather? Or is this list more symbolic than anything else?  
[/QUOTE]  
I interpret these gifts as being something the couple would exchange. I’d say it’s a bit rude to expect others to keep giving, every year. Exceptions might be for the sparkly years; silver, ruby, gold and diamond, although not necessarily including those in the gifts.

My partner and I celebrated our 5th anniversary this year with wooden gifts.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\
**Post date:** [April 28, 2008, 4:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/traditional-anniversary-gifts/447131/5 "2008-04-28T04:10:55Z")

</div>

For some of us, we apparently celebrate our Third Anniversary on a daily basis. 😉

Is there a Crisco Anniversary?