The first years

The year-by-year list is older than the gift industry that now sells against it, and the traditional and modern versions disagree more often than either admits. This is the run through the early years, with both versions given and the disagreements pointed out rather than smoothed over.

The reading, in order

• The UK anniversary list, year by year
• Which anniversary is it? (free tool)
• Anniversary gifts by year
• The year-by-year list
• What the symbols mean
• The 1st: paper
• The 2nd: cotton
• The 3rd: leather
• The 4th: flowers, fruit - or linen
• The 5th: wood
• What to write in an anniversary card

Looking up a particular year?

And after that

The stage that follows this one is the milestones: Tin, silver, pearl, ruby, gold. The years that get a party, and what earns a place on the wall.

Written by Craig Fearn, Printed Weddings.