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Anniversary gifts for her

Updated

A good anniversary gift for your wife or girlfriend shows that you remember. It ties back to a date, a place or a habit that belongs to the two of you.

Below are ideas that work for a first anniversary or a twentieth. None of them need a big budget. Each one notes who it suits.

At a glance

Gift ideas, who each one suits, and typical cost
GiftBest forTypical cost
A star map of the night you married or metA wife who loves keepsakesFrom £40 per print
A trip back to where it startedA partner who values time togetherOver £150
Engraved jewelleryA partner who wears jewellery daily£75–£150
A photo book of your years togetherA partner who misses printed photos£25–£75
A recreated first dateA partner with a sharp memory£75–£150
A class you take togetherA partner keen to try something£75–£150
A spa day or a massageA partner who rarely restsOver £150
Video messages from friends and familyA milestone anniversaryFree
A plant or tree that grows with youA partner who likes gardening£25–£75
A long handwritten letterEvery partner, with any giftFree
Her favourite thing, upgradedA practical partner£75–£150

  1. A star map of the night you married or met

    A personalised star map from Star Crossed Skies shows the stars above the place you married or met, at that exact minute. You add a title and a message, and choose a print in one of four sizes, from 12 × 16 in (about 30 × 40 cm) to 18 × 24 in (about 46 × 61 cm), framed in black, white or natural, or as a print only.

    Bought this for my girlfriend as an anniversary gift, and she loved it! The quality is great and looks beautiful up on our bedroom wall.
    Gabe, Trustpilot review
    Make your star mapRead more: An anniversary star map

  2. A trip back to where it started

    Book a night or a weekend in the town where you met, married or spent your honeymoon. Plan one thing you did then and one thing that is new. It suits a partner who values time together over things.

  3. Engraved jewellery

    A bracelet, ring or necklace engraved on the inside with your date, initials or a short word. Keep the engraving small and private. Check the size she wears and the metal she likes before you order.

  4. A photo book of your years together

    Choose one photo from each month or each year of your relationship and print them as a book with short captions. It takes an evening or two to make. It suits a partner who says she never sees the photos on your phone.

  5. A recreated first date

    Go back to the same restaurant or pub, order the same food, and sit at the same table if you can. If the place has closed, recreate it at home. It suits a partner with a strong memory for the details.

  6. A class you take together

    Book a cooking, pottery, dance or wine class for two. Pick something she has mentioned wanting to try. It gives you a new memory instead of a new object.

  7. A spa day or a massage

    Book a massage or a spa day and handle everything around it: the time off, the childcare and the drive. The planning is part of the gift. It suits a partner who rarely takes time for herself.

  8. Video messages from friends and family

    Ask the people she loves to record a short message, then join them into one video. Give clear guidance, such as one memory and one wish, and a deadline. It works especially well for a milestone anniversary.

  9. A plant or tree that grows with you

    Give a potted plant or a young tree for the garden, chosen to suit your climate and how much care she wants to give it. Add a tag with your anniversary date. It suits a partner who likes living things more than cut flowers.

  10. A long handwritten letter

    Write about what changed this year, what you admire in her, and what you look forward to. Be specific: name the day, the moment and the words. Put it with any other gift, or give it alone.

  11. Her favourite thing, upgraded

    Find a thing she uses every day and buy the better version: headphones, a pan, a pen, a bag. Notice what she complains about. A gift that fixes a daily annoyance is used every day.

Start with what she talks about

Listen for the things she mentions more than once: a place she misses, a class she wants to try, a photo she loves. The best anniversary gifts usually come from a sentence she said months ago.

Then decide between an object and an experience. Objects stay in the home. Experiences make a new memory. A star map or a photo book is an object that keeps a memory on the wall.

Match the gift to the year

A first anniversary suits paper, a trip back, or a recreated first date. A tenth or twentieth anniversary suits something that looks back over the years, such as a photo book or video messages.

For a milestone such as the 25th or 50th, a gift from the whole family, such as a star map of the wedding night, lets the children take part.

Order early

Engraved, printed and framed gifts are made to order. Order a few weeks before the date, and plan a card or a letter for the day itself.

Questions

A star map for this occasion

More gift ideas

Start with the night you want to keep.

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