The 26 Best Anniversary Gifts by Year

Custom cards

In a world of Snaps, DMs, and texts, it’s a real thrill to receive physical mail. Whether you’re ready for joint stationery or you’re still sending missives as individuals, you can seriously up your correspondence game with these personalized cards. Printed on 110-pound, lightly textured cardstock, these note cards are available in a range of fonts, ink shades, and envelope colors. Bespoke stationery can get expensive, yet these cards are nicely priced.

Conversation starter

Esther Perel’s Where Should We Begin? A Game of Stories card game helps encourage conversation, with prompts that probe everything from silly memories to serious fears. Even if your partner is the opposite of an open book, this smartly designed game is a fun way to spice things up, according to senior editor Catherine Kast, who took the game for a spin with her husband. “I heard stories I’d never heard before, and we’ve known each other for more than a decade,” she said. “I was surprised at how the game was able to elicit hilarious tales from childhood as well as revelations about our relationship.” (Perel is best known for her research on romantic partnerships and eroticism.) Catherine said this card game is also great to play with friends. “I’d even whip it out at a casual dinner party to break the ice and set the tone for a fun evening.” (But first be sure you’ve removed the NSFW cards, which have a cheeky pink triangle on the bottom-right corner!)

Our song

Get the lyrics to your song printed on Lime & Lou’s Music Memories Custom Canvas, which displays them in a spiral atop a vinyl record design, with an inscription of your names and special date at the bottom. On the website, just type in the title and artist of your song, and the company will find the lyrics. We tried the Viagra Boys’ cover of “In Spite of Ourselves” with no problem. (Deep cuts can be emailed directly to customer service.) You can also choose the size, frame, and record-label color. When ours arrived, we were delighted by the sharply printed characters and nicely textured material. And we loved the floating canvas with neatly folded edges inside a well-structured, solid frame.

Pretty passport cover

Two tickets to Paris would be a wonderful anniversary gift. But if budgets or schedules don’t align this year, the Tusk Siam Passport Cover can serve as a placeholder. And when you do set out on a trip, this bright, cheery cover will prove its worth as you’re digging to find your passport in a harried security line (the vibrant tones really stand out). The cover is made from supple goatskin leather and has two inner card slots, for stashing luggage tags, stray customs forms, or other printed ephemera. Editor Hannah Morrill loves hers, and she reports that even after years of use, it still looks clean and crisp.

Best bowl

Finding a partner—and a bowl—that can do it all is no easy task, but The Vermont Bowl Company’s Colonial Hardwood Bowl gets you halfway there. It’s not cheap, and shipping is extra. But in a world of disposables, this beauty is a rare built-to-last item—just like your relationship, no? Crafted from solid blocks of hardwood on century-old machines in Wilmington, Vermont, each bowl is both rugged and unique. This vessel is finished with a proprietary (and food-safe) oil. So, similar to a cast-iron pan, it gets better with age and olive oil. The bowl has a low, shallow silhouette, and it comes in black walnut, cherry, or maple. It’s also available in five sizes; the 10-inch version (under $100) is ideal for fruit, popcorn, or salad.

Beating bowl

If your love is passionate about airy pancakes, soufflés, and cakes, the gorgeous Mauviel M’Passion Egg White Beating Bowl will help you create a lifetime’s worth of meals to swoon over together. Due to their foam-stabilizing ions, copper bowls are excellent for whipping egg whites. And French-family-owned Mauviel has been crafting copper tools in Villedieu-les-Poêles, France, since 1830. This bowl is made with unlined copper, which is more responsive to heat changes, and it has a lovely rolled rim. The brass ring riveted to the side provides grip, and you may be encouraged to hang up the bowl for display, à la Julia Child. Consider adding in a stand, so cooking is even easier for your partner—isn’t that what marriage is all about?

The best watering can

For the lover with a green thumb, a beautiful watering can will add joy to their gardening. Among all the models Wirecutter tested, this copper can from iconic British company Haws is the handsomest. The Haws Mini Watering Can has a long, narrow spout, so it’s easy to maneuver around even the bushiest plants. And though this vessel doesn’t store as much water (just 16 ounces) as others we tested, its diminutive size makes it even cuter to look at when it’s displayed.

Colombian casserole

This smooth, handmade La Chamba casserole is elegant and sleek but also imperfect, with slight lumps and bumps along the way (just like a relationship!). The black clay—from the banks of Colombia’s Magdalena River—is flecked with mica, providing a unique natural sheen. The shallow vessel is ideal for traditional Colombian dishes like ajiaco (chicken and potato soup) or slow-cooked beans, as well as European gratins and American casseroles. And all dishes are made tastier by the clay’s slow release of steam. It withstands both the microwave and traditional oven, but because the clay is slightly porous, it shouldn’t go in the dishwasher.

Shiny suitcase

The slick metallic version of our pick for best hard-sided carry-on has all of the benefits of the original, and this model will make your partner look like a real VIP while strutting through the airport. The upgrade—available in silver, rose gold, or black—isn’t just aesthetic. The aluminum version also has even smoother wheels, two TSA-approved combination locks, slow-release handles, and leather details. Preferred by international spies, the tough aluminum shell is also ideal for transporting fragile goods like camera equipment, electronics, or breakable souvenirs. It also weighs 3 pounds more than the original, costs an extra $350, and will ding and dent with use. But, oh, man, is it good-looking.

A metal toolbox

The exquisite Trusco Two-Level Toolbox is less ding-resistant than a plastic toolbox—including our top pick—so it’s not ideal for toting to dodgy job sites. But for someone with a low-key hobby (knitting, needlepoint, painting, woodworking), this Japanese box’s clean lines and enamel finish are an invitation to create. And it can even look quite fetching all beaten up. Our pick is about 13 inches long, with up to 10 adjustable compartments on top, but there are smaller and larger versions. And if you’re looking for more color choices, Trusco’s pricier sister brand, Toyo, offers the exact same models in a range of shades.

Modern crystal

Leaded crystal shouldn’t be used for consumables, but when it comes to catching the light and displaying a flower, it can’t be beat. A modern take on tradition, this prismatic piece, which was designed in Berlin, reflects and refracts light, so it picks up the colors around it. The small version is just 3-inches tall and fits in the palm of a hand, but we think the larger 6-inch size—with its unusual, off-center stance—really stands out.

A productive vase

Yes, as a child you may have sprouted avocado pits using the jelly-jar-and-toothpick method. But your special person is a grown-up. So they deserve a grown-up avocado-growing vase, one that lets them watch the roots and leaves bud, unfurl, and flourish. This oblong receptacle is specially designed for the job, with a mouth that deftly cradles the seed so that it rests in the water without being submerged. The sturdy and temperature-resistant borosilicate glass won’t shatter if it’s inadvertently knocked, and it comes in clear, smoke gray, and blue. As a bonus, the included book is filled with avocado lore and growing tips that are fascinating and strangely helpful.

A modern wind chime

This wind chime’s nine simple, sculptural cups are inspired by traditional bell-shaped Japanese furin (“wind bells”), and they’re handcrafted from bone-white clay and strung along a 20-inch faux-leather cord. The percussive sound is somewhere between a satisfying clack and an ethereal ting—nothing like what you get from those treacly tube-shaped chimes. While it’s ideal for catching breezes outdoors, this wind chime is also lovely strung indoors. And clusters of these chimes also look and sound divine. Do bring it in during storms: Though the fine clay can withstand rain and snow, strong winds can cause the cups to crack or shatter.

Enduring design

If your partner favors chunky jewelry to wispy, barely there chains, the David Yurman Cable Classics Bracelet may very well endure as long as your relationship. In 1982, then-sculptor David Yurman created his now-signature motif by hand, twisting 50 feet of wire into a cable bracelet inspired by the metal ropes on the Brooklyn Bridge and ancient torque jewelry in the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The beloved design has spurred countless iterations, and fans of the brand often collect a few. Accented with two rounded, 18-karat gold bands near the end caps, this regal, 4-mm sterling silver bracelet is a slightly thinner version of that classic, twisted-cable open cuff.

Love locked

This petite, personalized Oak & Luna Initial Lock joins two strands of a delicate paper-clip chain and manages to be lovey-dovey without being cheesy. It comes in the traditional sterling silver, for the 25th anniversary, or gold vermeil or solid 14-karat gold. There’s also an option to add a diamond, and while diamonds aren’t official until the 60th anniversary, we’re sure your beloved will look the other way.

Love journal

Relationships take care and nurturing and this 3-year journal encourages you and your beloved to look at yours in a loving and playful way. Each page includes a prompt for a one-sentence answer meant to be completed by you and your partner separately each year on the same date. Some prompts, like “Write down one thing you never want your partner to change” are specific to your bond, others, like “What news stories are you following right now?” help keep track of time and what you’ve been through together. Once completed it’s the ultimate relationship keepsake.

Classic coupes

Every couple needs a set of high-quality cocktail glasses, both for entertaining and relaxing at home. Versatile coupes are the shape of choice for iceless cocktails both shaken (daiquiri, aviation, gin sour) and stirred (martini, Manhattan, Negroni). And they’re also perfect for sparkling wines on a quick-drinking occasion (the bubbles will dissipate more quickly than in a wine glass). The leggy Bormioli Rocco Italian Coupe Glasses—produced by a venerated Italian glassmaker in operation since 1825—gracefully have no seam between the bowl and stem, since they are crafted from a single piece of dishwasher-safe soda glass. They also sport a thin, laser-cut rim for smooth sipping.

A great vibrator

Long-lasting couples know that intimacy and novelty both matter—and that’s where good adult toys come into play (literally and figuratively). While many vibrators are aesthetically clunky, to say the least, the minimalist Dame Aer—one of our also-great vibrator picks—has a sporty, sloping design, with a contemporary light purple hue. The suction vibrator features five intensity levels and five pattern modes, and it has a waterproof silicone design, so it’s easy to clean. It also charges quickly and holds that charge for a long time, making spontaneity and connection even easier.

Personalized bubbly

The Williams Sonoma Heart Mini Bottles are etched with two first names and a date; just type everything into the website form, and then the bottles are painted by hand in gold. Offered in packs of six, 12, or 24, each bottle contains 6.32 ounces—enough for a couple of flutes. These mini splits are just right for sharing a celebratory glass, with no commitment to a full bottle of bubbly. There are four options: Moët & Chandon, Chandon, and Freixenet Cordon Negro champagnes, as well as La Marca prosecco. When we received them, we were impressed by the bougie quality of the etching—deeply cut in thick glass, with hearts accenting the debossed names. When we received them, we were impressed by the bougie quality of the etching—deeply cut in thick glass, with an embossed ampersand between the debossed names.

Delicate diamonds

Some people just want diamonds, plain and simple. And as diamonds go, the Mejuri Pavé Diamond Huggie Hoops are among the best-priced ones we’ve seen. Made with 14-karat yellow or white gold, each thin, glittery hoop features 11 teensy, 0.8-mm diamonds. These hoops are small enough to wear with jeans and a blouse on a Tuesday, yet they’re also glitzy enough to pair with a date-night dress. And the company offers great customer service. When editor Hannah Morrill realized one diamond had fallen out of hers, Mejuri repaired and replaced the diamond, no questions asked.

A sexy candle

There’s no reason to be shy: You enjoy getting busy with your partner. And since laughter is sexy and Nice Stuff’s Thanks for All the Orgasms Luxury Candle is funny, you can consider it an aphrodisiac. True, the packaging is really the point here, but the scents are great too. (If your beloved is particular about fragrance, our guide to scented candles might have something that’s a better fit.) We tested two of the five scents. The first, Relax & Unwind, was fresh, citrusy, and kind of currant-y (though that’s not listed in the description). And the moodily named Dark & Handsome smelled like the aftershave aisle, in a good way. All of the candles (made from a “nontoxic soy wax vegetable blend”) come in two sizes. The pricier, 12-ounce version is housed in opaque black glass, and it has a bamboo lid, to keep the candle fresh (and dust-free).

A bespoke bracelet

The engravable, understated Gldn Basquiat Bar Bracelet makes an elegant gift, especially if your partner’s personal style is more minimalist than flashy. You can select from several materials, based on your recipient’s preference or the anniversary year (14-karat gold fill, rose gold fill, sterling silver, or solid 14-karat gold). And there are two finish styles (hammered or smooth) and several wrist-circumference options. You can also get creative with the engraving—perhaps include the date of your wedding, your shared last name, or even an inside joke.

Flowers on the regular

Let’s be honest, flowers are nice, but they’re not exactly unexpected on an anniversary. What is unexpected? Fresh flowers on the regular. UrbanStems is our pick for best flower-delivery service because its stylish arrangements were the freshest, most well packaged, and easiest to order of those we tested. For the subscription, just choose the frequency (from weekly to bimonthly) and the size (classic, seasonal, luxe), and your beloved will get fresh, seasonal bouquets delivered to their door (the first delivery includes a glass vase).

An old-fashioned slide show

Wedding photos! Vacation snaps! Pictures of your favorite foods! Rescue your best photos from the digital graveyard, and make your paramour a bespoke slideshow. Image 3D’s RetroViewer is less chintzy than those of yesteryear. Each viewfinder comes with an order code for one DIY reel, and it will still play your old reels, should you have any kicking around. It took our tester about 20 minutes to upload seven photos, edit as desired, and create her own reel. However, it took over two weeks for the reel to arrive, so build in some time if you want to give the reel and viewfinder together. Additional reels are currently about $17; start a tradition and present one at every anniversary.

Not just any chocolate

These chocolate bars are among our favorite gifts. And the company recently launched Tony’s Chocolonely Custom Chocolate Bars, a design-your-own-wrapper option that elevates this chocolate from an already-great gift to a personalized slam dunk. The online process is easy: Choose a splashy background color, and then upload your own photos, or choose from Tony’s templates and stickers. Finish up by adding a loving message, and select one of a handful of playful fonts. You and your sweetie can feel good about the contents, too, since Tony’s Chocolonely sources cocoa only from ethically run farms, unlike many other chocolate companies (subscription required). One thing to keep in mind about this gift: Shipping is $10 for any order up to $85, so you may want to buy in bulk.

A sophisticated seat

A bidet may not seem like the most romantic gift idea, but consider how much time you and your partner spend in the bathroom. Also consider how much you love your partner’s butt. And then consider buying a bidet. The Toto Washlet C5 is the most impressive of those we tested. It’s easy to operate, and it has plenty of customizable features, such as a pulsating or oscillating stream, warm or cool water, and high or low pressure. This bidet will turn your bathroom into the most luxurious room in the house.

We love finding gifts that are unusual, thoughtful, and well vetted. See even more gift ideas we recommend.

Dorie Chevlen contributed reporting. This article was edited by Hannah Morrill and Jennifer Hunter.