JnK Davis

  • Home
    • Sharing
  • Topics
    • Do It Together
    • Creative Togetherness
    • Celebration for Two
    • A Repurpose Driven Life
  • About JnK
  • Genealogy
  • Contact
  • April 16, 2021

Symbols of Celebration

November 3, 2018 · by: JnK Davis

Some holidays, such as X-mas and Valentines Day, are external. Anniversaries, by comparison, are internal. By internal, we mean that Anniversaries happen because throughout the year, two people were committed to building a relationship. Other holidays come and go whether or not anybody expends any effort — they’re on the calendar no matter what.

In other words, an Anniversary is the result of two people’s continued determination and commitment to each other. It is a celebration of personal and shared accomplishment, and, in our opinion, that celebration should elicit the most attention from couples, family, and Amazing Year by Year Anniversary Symbols (Gift) List. The complete list through the 90th Anniversary. friends. Partnership, marriage, life commitment, hand-fasting, or however else one might refer to mutual commitment, should be on the top of the celebration list. For us, it is.

During the year, we spend time developing elaborate celebration plans for when our Anniversary month rolls around. We decorate our home, plan special parties, and commemorate each Anniversary as a milestone in our journey toward a long, joyful, shared life. Pictured is our Anniversary ornament tree (we know it looks like a X-mas tree, but really, it’s not).

From our very first Anniversary, we searched for ways to make our yearly celebration meaningful and memorable. To us, our first marked a full cycle of living — a completion of four seasons, involving, in each season, daily communication, compromise, and harmonic friendship. We felt we deserved more than the common dinner and a movie. We wanted our celebration to represent and reward our shared effort. For guidance, we pulled out our 1975 Hallmark Datebook that listed all the Anniversary symbols, year-by- year. It was a wonderful tool. The first year was paper, carnations, and peridot.

From those three elements we devised a texture and a color with which to plan our special day. We chose pink carnations, which combined well with the brilliant green of peridot. It was a lovely palette for creating memories.

As years went by, however, we began to realize that our precious littleAmazing Year by Year Anniversary Symbols (Gift) List. The complete list through the 90th Anniversary. Hallmark Anniversary list had some disappointing limits. It listed gifts and symbols for years 1-15, but then skipped to 20, and then skipped again to every 5 to 10 years after that — as if years 16 through 19 or, for example, years 51 or 68, were not as important. Certainly somewhere out there was the complete list, right? So, we began searching for Anniversary gift lists, and the searching turned into collecting. We snipped them from books, magazines, the Internet — any little reference that could possibly serve as an idea for future celebrations. We discovered that there were dozens of Anniversary symbol/gift lists, but none was consistent with any other. And even more frustrating, many of these lists used the same elements (lots of diamonds) for several different years. Laziness? Greed, perhaps?

Amazing Year by Year Anniversary Symbols (Gift) List. The complete list through the 90th Anniversary.

Pictured: On our 13th Anniversary — the Lace, Hollyhock, and Citrine Anniversary.

Our frustration was soothed a bit because we found that no list claimed to be the final authority on the matter. In fact, many sources indicated that their list was only to be used as a guide, a “suggestion” of “gifts to buy” for each Anniversary (the majority of the lists available were created by merchants to generate sales). Florists, jewelers, stationary stores, and others all recognized the profit to be made in encouraging couples to exchange gifts as a part of the Anniversary celebration. Since we had (and still have) no intention to exchange gifts as part of our tradition, we felt completely justified in mixing, matching and otherwise adopting cultural celebration ideas to create our own full list.

Because we wanted each Anniversary to be special, unique, and memorable, we felt the elements also needed to be special, unique, and memorable. And since there were so many lists, we began going through them, one-by-one, and eventually compiled one master reference list that had unique elements for each year.

Pictured is our 12th Anniversary; Linen, Peony, and Hawk’s Eye.

Amazing Year by Year Anniversary Symbols (Gift) List. The complete list through the 90th Anniversary.

In the event that we live to be 127 years old (it could happen), we planned the list to continue to the 90th Anniversary. And while the idea of us celebrating our 90th may be a long shot, on December 15, 2013, one couple, Karam and Kartari Chand, celebrated their 88th Anniversary—their Cloth, Borage, and Ametrine year. And, in two more years, they will celebrate something no other couple on record has ever celebrated: the Jadeite Jubilee. We are looking forward to our milestone Jubilee Celebrations. Starting with the Silver Jubilee on the 25th Anniversary, Jubilees occur every 5 years thereafter.

Below we’ve posted our complete Anniversary Year-by-Year list. We intend it to be an inspiration and resource for couples planning Anniversary celebrations, as well as for family and friends who’d like to join in celebrating and honoring their loved ones’ commitments.

This list is also a wonderful guide if your tradition involves exchanging gifts. With the exception of bloodstone and Hawk’s eye, the first 15 symbols, flowers, and stones are taken directly from the “traditional lists.” The remainder of the list is a combination of traditional, modern, and various international lists. Also, when possible, we chose symbols that were non-exploitative. For example, the 12th could have been silk or linen, and we chose linen. That said, on the 14th, we kept ivory, the traditional symbol. Since we mainly use the elements as symbols and as guidelines for color, we would only use ivory as our color element.

Note: The “origin” columns contain notes to elements for which we could verify one or more origins (key below).

 

Anniversary Year-by-Year List

Year Symbol Origin Flower Origin Stone Origin
1 Paper ~ Carnations ~ Peridot ~
2 Cotton ~ ^ Lily of the Valley ~ Garnet ~
3 Glass ~ ^ Sunflower ~ Bloodstone
4 Flax > Hydrangea ~ Blue Topaz ~
5 Wood + ~ ^ # Daisy ~ Pink Tourmaline ~
6 Iron ~ Calla Lily ~ Amethyst ~
7 Wool ~ ^ # Freesia ~ Onyx ~
8 Bronze ~ ^ Clematis ~ Purple Tourmaline ~
9 Pottery ~ ^ Bird of Paradise ~ Lapis Lazuli ~
10 Tin ~ ^ # Yellow Daffodil ~ Blue Sapphire ~
11 Steel ~ ^ Tulip ~ Turquoise ~
12 Linen ~ ^ Peony ~ Hawk’s Eye
13 Lace ~ ^ Hollyhock ~ Citrine ~
14 Ivory ~ ^ Dahlia ~ Coral Agate ~
15 Crystal ~ ^ # Rose ~ Rhodolite Garnet ~
16 Brass ~ Violets ~ Red Spinel ~
17 Mahogany ~ Red Carnation ~ Carnelian ~
18 Porcelain ~ Chrysanthemum Chrysoberyl ~
19 Chintz # Blue Delphinium Aquamarine ~
20 China ~ # Aster ~ Green Diamond ~
21 Nickel ~ African Violet Iolite ~
22 Copper ~ Dianthus Pink Spinel ~
23 Wine/Grapes Tiger Lily Imperial Topaz ~
24 Music ~ Hyacinth Tanzanite ~
25 Silver ^ ~ Iris ~ Silver Jubilee ^ ~
26 Pictures ~ Zinnia Picture Jasper
27 Sculpture ~ Geranium Charoite
28 Gardens Orchid ~ Aventurine
29 Velvet ^ # Gazania Patuxent River Stone
30 Pearl ^ # Sweet Pea ~ Pearl Jubilee ^ ~
31 Timepieces ~ Pansy Amazonite
32 Transport/Vehicles ~ Marigold Coral
33 Porphyry Stone ^ # Petunia Blue Lace Agate
34 Amber ^ # Nasturtium ~ Opal ~
35 Jade Jubilee* ^ Poppy ~ Jade Jubilee * ^
36 Chiffon # Tea Roses Unakite
37 Fruit ~ Ranunculus Alabaster ~
38 Water ~ Fuchsia Beryl ~
39 Crepe # Anemone Sunstone
40 Ruby ^ ~ Gladiolas ~ ~ Ruby Jubilee ^ ~
41 Nature ~ Agastache Flourite
42 Teak Coreopsis Watermelon Tourmaline
43 Travel ~ Day Lilies Tiger’s Eye
44 Gourmet ~ Viola Azurite
45 Sapphire ^ ~ Blue Sapphire Primula Sapphire Jubilee ^ ~
46 Poetry ~ Lavender ^ # Kunzite
47 Books ~ Salvia Fire Agate
48 Art ~ Phlox Malachite
49 Cedar ^ # Amaranth Green Calcite
50 Gold ^ ~ Yellow Rose ~ Golden Jubilee ^~
51 Willow ^ Camellia # Rhodochrosite
52 Beads Amaryllis Green Tourmaline #
53 Cherry # Cherry Blossom Sardonyx
54 Bamboo Cosmos Sodalite
55 Emerald ~ White Orchid # /Jasmine ~ See Item Emerald Jubilee ~
56 Oak Crocus Larimar
57 Terra Cotta Azalea # Pink Apatite
58 Maple # Paper Whites Dravite Tourmaline
59 Marble Gardenia Snowflake Obsidian
60 Diamond ^ # ~ White Rose ~ Diamond Jubilee ^ # ~
61 Elm ^ Coxcomb Cacoxenite
62 Brocade Larkspur Fuchsite
63 Candles Lilac # Pink Sapphire
64 Crafts Forget-me-nots Angelite
65 Blue Spinel ~ Rosewood # Blue Spinel Jubilee ~
66 Collectibles Bells of Ireland Chrysocolla
67 Quilts Gerbera Daisy Lodolite
68 Granite # Dogwood Blossoms Idocrase
69 Pewter Conifer Tree # Baryte
70 Platinum ^ # ~ Wisteria Platinum Jubilee ^ # ~
71 Flannel Lisianthus Stromatolite
72 Embroidery Queen Anne’s Lace Black Opal
73 Figurines Snap Dragon Quartz
74 Birch Wax Flower Vesuvianite
75 Yellow Diamond ~ Datura Moon Flower Yellow Diamond Jubilee ~
76 Ebony Stephanotis Serpentine
78 Tapestry Virginia Bluebells Amblygonite
79 Ceramic Foxglove Dioptase
80 Alexandrite ~ Spoon Daisy Alexandrite Jubilee ~
81 Satin # Viburnum Kyanite
82 Ribbon Hibiscus Green Prehnite
83 Hickory Baby’s Breath Hematite
84 Cards Heather Sphene
85 Benitoite Solidaster Benitoite Jubilee
86 Plants Monte Cassino Aster Andesine
87 Walnut Plumeria Poudretteite (Discovered 1987)
88 Cloth Borage Ametrine
89 Autographs Bouganvilla Chalcedony
90 Jadite Dishware Passion Flower Jadite Jubilee

* Jade Jubilee in the US and Germany; Coral Jubilee in the UK.
Key to origin of symbols: ~ UK/US; + Wales; ^ Germany; # France; > Russia; Non-Marked symbols signify mixed or unverifiable origins.

Looking for Inspiration?

Significant Anniversaries

Helene Faasen and Anne-Marie: “World’s first legally wed lesbian couple celebrates their 10th wedding anniversary.” Read the article.

Karam and Kartari Chand: “A party celebrating the 88th wedding anniversary of a Bradford couple has raised £204 for the Clutha Appeal Fund helping victims and family members of the Glasgow helicopter crash.” Read the article. On December 11th, 2015, the couple celebrated their Jadeite (90th) Anniversary. Read the article.

Herbert and Zelmyra Fisher: “Herbert and Zelmyra Fisher, of New Bern, North Carolina, have been married 84 years as of May 13, 2009. Zelmyra is 101 years old and Herbert turned 105 on June 10th of 2013 year. They have shared the same home in the Brownsville community of New Bern for 50 years.” Read the article.

John and Ann Betar: “America’s ‘longest-married couple’ celebrates 81st wedding anniversary. The happily married pair tied the knot on Nov. 25, 1932. John and Ann Betar, 102 and 98, of Bridgeport, Conn. raised five kids together and have 14 grandchildren and 16 great-grandchildren.” Read the article.

Anna and Walter Patrick: “TROY — Nonagenarians Anna and Walter Patrick will reach a milestone on May 1 realized by few married couples — they will celebrate their 75th wedding anniversary.” Read the Article.

Donald and Irene Whatmough: “Donald and Irene Whatmough celebrated their platinum wedding anniversary on New Year’s Day 2014.” Read the article.

Marie and Paul Derthick of Ohio: “Paul Derthick, surprised his wife of 50 years, by carving 17 acres of their Ohio farm into a giant corn maze that looks, from above, just like the couple’s wedding photo.” Read the Article.

Babes and Babot Oreta: “Lots of couples try to come up with unique and memorable ways, especially when milestone years are involved. Well, the bar has just been set pretty high by Babes and Babot Oreta, who decided to celebrate their 40th anniversary by sponsoring a mass wedding for 31 other deserving couples.” Read the Article.

Looking for Gift and Celebration Ideas?

We’ve been busy ‘Pinning’ many wonderful gift and celebration ideas on Pinterest. Visit our boards at: http://www.pinterest.com/jnkdavis/, then scroll to the boards labeled “Celebrating Our First,” “Celebrating Our Second,” etc.

Looking for Ideas, Quotes, and Messages for Anniversary Cards?

20 Wonderful Anniversary Quotes
Quotes and Poems for Wishing Parents a Happy Anniversary
Anniversary Messages and Quotes

We hope the year-by-year Anniversary list and resources inspire you to find new and meaningful ways to celebrate each other. While there is always a place for gift giving, we encourage you to use the Anniversary elements and symbols to make your celebrations more memorable and meaningful.

Go on, celebrate your accomplishment. You deserve it!

Here’s a “Pinnable” chart. When you click on it as a pin, it expands large enough to be used as a quick reference.

Amazing Year by Year Anniversary Symbols (Gift) List. The complete list through the 90th Anniversary.

Save

Save

Save

Save

Save

Save

Share This Page

  • Email
  • MeWe
  • Pinterest
  • Facebook
  • Tumblr
  • Twitter
  • Print
  • More
  • LinkedIn
  • Pocket
  • WhatsApp
  • Reddit

Related

Category: Celebration for Two

  • Celebration for Two
  • Do It Together
  • Creative Togetherness
  • A Repurpose Driven Life

Copyright © 2021 James and Kara Davis

loading Cancel
Post was not sent - check your email addresses!
Email check failed, please try again
Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email.