Wedding anniversary
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A wedding anniversary is the anniversary of the date a wedding took place. Traditional names exist for some of them: for instance, fifty years of marriage is called a "golden wedding anniversary", "golden anniversary" or "golden wedding".
Recognition
Celebrating wedding anniversaries as gold or silver is documented in Germanic countries since the 1500s.[1] In the twentieth century, commercialism led to the celebration of more anniversaries according to a list of predetermined gifts.[2] In the Commonwealth realms, one can receive a message from the monarch for 60th, 65th, and 70th wedding anniversaries, and any wedding anniversary after that.[3] This is done by applying to Buckingham Palace in the United Kingdom, or to the Governor-General's office in the other Commonwealth realms.[4]
In Australia, where one can receive a letter of congratulations from the Governor-General on the 50th and all subsequent wedding anniversaries; the Prime Minister, the federal Opposition leader, local members of both state and federal parliaments, and state Governors may also send salutations for the same anniversaries.[5]
In Canada, one can also receive a message from the Governor-General for the 50th anniversary, and every fifth anniversary after that.[6]
In the United States, a couple can receive an anniversary greeting card from the President for the 50th and all subsequent anniversaries.[7]
Roman Catholics may apply for a papal blessing through their local diocese for wedding anniversaries of a special nature (25th, 50th, 60th, etc.).[8][9]
Celebration and gifts
 | This section needs additional citations for verification. (August 2018) |
The names of some anniversaries provide guidance for appropriate or traditional gifts for the spouses to give each other; if there is a party these can be brought by the guests or influence the theme or decoration. These gifts vary in different countries, but some years have well-established connections now common to most nations: 5th Wood, 10th Tin, 15th Crystal, 20th China, 25th Silver, 30th Pearl, 35th Jade, 40th Ruby, 45th Sapphire, 50th Gold, 60th Diamond, and 70th Platinum. In English-speaking countries the first, wooden, gift was cut on the day of celebration and then presented to the wife as a finished article before the next two quarter days had passed.
In 1937, the American National Retail Jeweler Association (now known as Jewelers of America as a result of an organizational merger) introduced an expanded list of gifts. The revamped list gave a gift for each year up to the 25th, and then for every fifth anniversary after that.[10]
Traditional anniversary gifts
| Year | Traditional (U.S.)[11][12][13][14] | Traditional (U.K.)[15][16][17] |
|---|---|---|
| 1st | Paper | Cotton or Paper |
| 2nd | Cotton | Paper or Cotton |
| 3rd | Leather | |
| 4th | Fruit and flowers | Linen, silk |
| 5th | Wood | |
| 6th | Iron | Sugar |
| 7th | Wool, copper | Woollen |
| 8th | Bronze | Salt |
| 9th | Pottery | Copper |
| 10th | Tin, aluminum | Tin |
| 11th | Steel | |
| 12th | Silk | Silk and fine linen |
| 13th | Lace | |
| 14th | Ivory | |
| 15th | Crystal | |
| 20th | Porcelain | |
| 25th | Silver | |
| 30th | Pearl | |
| 35th | Coral | |
| 40th | Ruby | |
| 45th | Sapphire | |
| 50th | Gold | |
| 55th | Emerald | |
| 60th | Diamond | |
| 65th | Blue sapphire | |
| 70th | Platinum[18][19][20] | |
| 75th | Diamond, gold | |
| 80th | Oak[21][22] | |
| 85th | Moonstone | Wine |
Flower gifts
|
| Year | Flower |
|---|---|
| 1st | Carnation |
| 2nd | Lily of the valley |
| 3rd | Sunflower |
| 4th | Hydrangea |
| 5th | Daisy |
| 6th | Calla |
| 7th | Freesia |
| 8th | Lilac |
| 9th | Bird of paradise |
| 10th | Daffodil |
| 11th | Tulip |
| 12th | Peony |
| 13th | Chrysanthemum |
| 14th | Dahlia |
| 15th | Rose |
| 20th | Aster |
| 25th | Iris |
| 28th | Orchid |
| 30th | Lily |
| 40th | Gladiolus |
| 50th | Yellow rose, violet |
| 60th | Poppy |
See also
References
- ^ Hanns Bächtold-Stäubli i Folklore suisse. Schweizerische Gesellschaft für Volkskunde, 11. årgang (1921) S. 51–52.
- ^ "Wedding Anniversaries". Debrett's Everyday Etiquette. Retrieved 22 October 2012.
- ^ "Who is entitled?". The Monarchy Today. Retrieved 6 April 2009.
- ^ "Queen and anniversary messages". The Monarchy Today. Retrieved 6 April 2009.
- ^ "It's an Honour – Anniversary Messages". Australian Government. 25 January 2008. Retrieved 11 February 2008.
- ^ "Invite the Governor General" (Requires access). The Governor General of Canada. Retrieved 2 August 2010.
- ^ "White House Greeting". About.com. The New York Times Company. Retrieved 3 February 2010.
- ^ Office of Papal Charities. Vatican.va. Retrieved on 2015-05-13.
- ^ "To Request a Papal Blessing". The Roman Catholic Diocese of Tucson, Office of the Bishop. Retrieved 28 January 2008.
- ^ Lee, Cookie (October 2001). Wedding Anniversaries: From Paper to Diamond. Ryland Peters & Small.
- ^ "Wedding Anniversaries," compiled by librarians at the Chicago Public Library's Information Center (December 2000)
- ^ Anderson, Charles. "The Exchange," RQ 25 (1985): 175.
- ^ The World Almanac and Book of Facts, Mahwah, New Jersey: World Almanac Books, 1997.
- ^ World Book Encyclopedia, 1997 ed., s.v. "Wedding Anniversary".
- ^ Pears Cyclopaedia, 1978–79 edition, "Wedding Anniversaries". L128.
- ^ "Wedding Anniversary Gift List". Anniversary Gifts. Retrieved 8 April 2020.
- ^ "Wedding Anniversary Gift Ideas by Year". hitched.co.uk. Retrieved 8 April 2020.
- ^ "The platinum wedding anniversary of Jim and Gladys Till". Lancaster Guardian, 8 January 2008.
- ^ "Tenor and wife toast 70 years of marriage". North West Evening Mail, 15 August 2008.
- ^ "They've been around the world in 70 years". Portsmouth News, 29 July 2008.
- ^ Miller, Vikki (24 May 2008). "Britain's longest married couple celebrate a quiet 80th anniversary". The Telegraph. Archived from the original on 28 May 2008.
- ^ Facts and figures The British Monarchy
External links
Media related to Wedding anniversaries at Wikimedia Commons
The dictionary definition of golden wedding at Wiktionary
