How to Make Choosing a Gift Easy with our Best 50th Wedding Anniversary Gift Ideas

Being married to one person for half a century is not a feat many couples will achieve. Some recent statistics put a figure of 5% of married couples actually making it to their 50th anniversary. And we don’t think it’s poor health that makes this figure so low.

Fifty years of devotion to each other and keeping strong throughout life’s ups and downs is certainly an achievement. And an incredible statement to be making to those around you, regarding the joys of marriage and your shared love.

golden wedding anniversaryA 50th wedding anniversary has long been known as the ‘golden anniversary’. This is thought to date back to Medieval Germany, when a husband gifted his wife a garland made of gold upon reaching their 50th anniversary. The theme for a 50th wedding anniversary hasn’t changed since then, but we think a golden garland might not be quite what your wife had in mind for one of her 50th wedding anniversary gifts.

So what do we think would make suitable golden wedding anniversary gifts?

Our top 50th anniversary gift ideas

Both modern and traditional gift themes for a 50th wedding anniversary are gold. Not really surprising as this is a golden wedding anniversary. If you’re looking for 50th anniversary presents for your spouse of course you want it to be special, so here are a few of our ideas.

  • A gold locket with a photograph of you both on your wedding day inside
  • A gold ring, bracelet or earrings
  • Gold photo frame with a photo taken on your wedding day
  • Take your wife on a vacation to a gold mine or to pan for gold
  • Compile a collection of tunes from the year you got married and include some of her other favourite tunes
  • Buy tickets for a music concert, play or sporting event and wrap them up in gold paper, tied with a gold ribbon

Buying golden anniversary gifts for your lovely lady wife shouldn’t be all that difficult. After all no one on this earth will know her preferences as well as you do. Always think about her likes when you’re buying her a gift and don’t forget it’s the thought that counts.

And what about a special couple you know who are soon to be celebrating their golden anniversary? Have we got any suggestions for 50th anniversary presents for them?

rose for her

 

Presents for a couple’s 50th wedding anniversary we know they’ll adore

50th anniversary presents should be a commemoration of reaching such a significant milestone. It should show the couple how you appreciate and love all that they’ve done for you and how the strength they’ve shown has had an influence on your life. It should also, if possible, remind them of the loving and warm memories you’ve shared with them over the years. Although this is their golden anniversary, presents don’t have to be gold. They could be wrapped in gold paper or tied with a gold ribbon.

Here are some options if you’re looking for suitable 50th anniversary gifts for a couple who are very dear to you:

gold cards

  • Present a digital restoration of their wedding photograph in a gold picture frame or as part of a golden wedding anniversary album or scrapbook. You could include other memorable photographs such as previous homes, family vacations, special events and even some messages from family members.
  • Personalized anniversary keepsakes such as pillow cases, cushions, plaques, plates and glasses.
  • A gift basket filled with some of the couple’s favourite treats such as beverages, food, movies, music, beauty products and plants for the garden.
  • Gift coupons for a restaurant because they deserve a night off from cooking.
  • Pool your gift money with a few other people, and you might have enough to send them on a vacation, or at the very least a long weekend away.
  • Are there any updates they need for their home? They’re going to appreciate some help with the cost.
  • Have they just started a new hobby, such as golf, and would appreciate a few handy lessons? Or would they appreciate a year’s membership to their local golf course?
  • Why not buy them tickets to a show they’ve been longing to see? And include the cost of a room and dinner.

Some of the best 50th anniversary gift ideas are those that give the couple the opportunity to enjoy life more. There are many couples that would prefer not to receive a gift at all. In which case why not give them your time? Run some errands for them, take them shopping in your car, tidy up their back yard or put up some shelves. Think about the things you can do to make a difference to their life and do a few of them.

You might be wondering where the idea of celebrating wedding anniversaries came from and how it developed, so let’s give you a short history lesson.

Who we’ve got to thank for the list of anniversary themes?

It was the Romans who began the tradition of celebrating a wedding anniversary. However, way back then it was considered that only the 25th and 50th anniversaries were worthy of a celebration. A silver garland for the 25th anniversary and a gold one for a 50th anniversary – it all started off pretty simple.

Over time many more years became associated with certain kinds of gifts. For example, rubies for a 40th anniversary, paper for a 1st anniversary and diamonds for a 60th anniversary. To start with, diamonds were the theme for a 75th wedding anniversary, but this changed after Queen Victoria celebrated 60 years on the throne, and it became known as her diamond jubilee.

50th wedding anniversary gifts
Nowadays, there are two lists often referred to when looking for anniversary gifts. A traditional list of themes and a modern one. The traditional list is one that has developed over time and is still the most popular list to follow. However in 1937, the National Jewelers of America felt that more anniversaries were worthy of recognition and they compiled the modern list that many use today. Every year, up to 25, and every fifth year after, was allocated its own special theme. We like to think that this was a very sentimental gesture, but are wondering whether it was just a brilliant way for them to generate more sales.

It doesn’t really matter what the reason is. Having a list to follow is very useful. Coming up with a different gift every year can be quite a challenge.

When it comes to 50th wedding anniversary gift ideas both modern and traditional lists feature gold. However there is also an anniversary list of flowers themes and one that uses gemstones for the themes. The anniversary flowers is a violet, or yellow rose and the gemstone is actually gold, so why not give her a piece of jewellery that contains her birthstone?

Half a century of married life is worthy of more than generic and boring gifts

You’ve been ticking along nicely for quite a few years now, and we think celebrating fifty years of marriage is not too late to be trying something new. We think it’s safe to say there isn’t much you really need in order to make life more comfortable. Hopefully your kids have left home by now, which just leaves you and your spouse. No responsibilities, no commitments, so what’s stopping you?

golden wedding anniversary gifts
Take the opportunity this golden wedding anniversary is offering you and change some of your habits, learn a new skill or start a new hobby. Make it all perfect by trying something together, and who knows where you’ll both end up. Don’t they say you can’t teach an old dog new tricks? We happen to think it’s not true.

There are plenty of options if you’re looking for a new activity you can enjoy together. It just depends on how far you want to push the boundaries and how different you want it to be. If you’re both not too keen on travelling there are likely to be things you can do locally. Many couples take the opportunity to renew their wedding vows. After all things are pretty different than when you first said I do. Add in the chance to hold an anniversary party and you’ll be having the perfect day. Best of all you’ll be sharing it with all your friends and family.

What about golden anniversary gifts that are different?

white rose earrings
If you’d prefer to give your beloved a gift they can feel or see rather than experience you’re going to find yourself spoilt for choice. There are thousands of generic anniversary gifts to choose from but there are also thousands of unusual ones too. And even the more generic gifts can be made a little more unusual with a touch of personalization.

If you’re worried about choosing a golden wedding anniversary gift for your parents, each other, friends or other family members you really shouldn’t be. We’re not going to lull you into a false sense of security by telling you it’s going to be easy. The truth is you don’t need to worry because we’re going to help. Rather than spending days surfing the hundreds of online gift sites, you’ll find everything you need right here. Then all you need to do is find somewhere that sells the gift you’ve chosen and jobs done.