Anniversary gifts have been a ritual for many years. Since every anniversary signifies a certain sense of longevity it is sometimes compared with material worth rather rarity. From the list below, it is easy to see many common gift materials between different countries. It signifies an common understanding of worth. The differences in material choice as the years go on is interesting as it provides incite into what each country or culture values.

Comparing the country lists with a "Modern U.S." list brings forth modern society's sense of value. Certain items are made earlier, others delayed. And perhaps the gem societies list suggests commercialization? or corporate push into our value system?

Anniversary

Preferred Term

Traditional

(U.S.)

Traditional

(U.K.)

Modern (U.S.)

Gem Societies*

German

Dutch

Scandinavian

French

Spanish

Portuguese

Russian

1st

Annual

Paper

Cotton

Clocks

Gold

Jewelry

Cotton,

paper

cotton,

paper

Paper

Cotton

Paper

Calico

2nd

Biennial

Cotton

Paper

China

Garnet

Cotton,

plastic

Paper

/ cardboard, horse hair Paper

Cotton

Leather

Cotton

3rd

Triennial

Leather

Crystal,

glass

Pearl

Leather,

fruit, wheat, fir

Leather

Wheat

Leather

Wheat,

leather

4th

Quadrennial

Linen

(Silk)

Fruit

& Flowers

Appliances

Blue

Topaz

Silk,

amber, linen, wax, wine

Silk

Flower,

Hyacinth, Linen

Wax

Silk,

fruit, flower

Flower,

fruit, wax

5th

Quinquennial

Wood

Silverware

Sapphire

Wood,

rubber

Wood,

plastic

Wood

/ tree

Wood

Wood,

iron

Wood

6th

Sexennial

Iron,

steel

Sugar

Wood

objects

Amethyst

Tin,

sugar

Iron,

tin, fruit

Sugar

Chypre

Iron,

sugar

Perfume,

sugar

7th

Septennial

Wool,

Copper

Woolen

Desk

sets

Onyx

Copper,

brass, wool

Wool;

down

Wool

Wool,

copper

Brass,

wool

Copper

8th

Octennial

Bronze

Salt

Linens,

lace

Tourmaline

Tin,

bronze, salt, poppy, nickel, earthenware / stone

Bronze;

poppy

Bronze

Poppy

Bronze,

Pottery

Poppy,

clay / loam

9th

Novennial

Pottery,

China, Willow

Copper

Leather

goods

Lapis

Lazuli

Ceramics,

porcelain, faience, glass / crystal, water, pasture, steers, pottery

Earthenware;

Plate-work

Pasture

straw, ceramics

Faience

Pottery,

willow

Pottery,

willow / wicker

10th

Decennial

Tin,

White Steel, Aluminum

Tin,

Aluminum

Diamond

Roses,

oxen, wood, glass, bronze, tin

Tin

/ aluminum

Tin,

zinc

Roses

11th

Undecennial

Steel

Fashion

Jewelry

Turquoise

Steel,

coral, carnival

Steel

Steel;

Bernstein

Coral,

zinc

Steel

12th

Duodecennial

Silk

and fine linen

Pearls,

colored gems

Jade

Nickel,

earth, silk, linen

Linen

Silk

Silk,

linen

Silk,

Onyx

13th

Tredecennial

Lace

Textiles,

furs

Citrine

Crystal,

lily of the valley, salt, tip

Lily

Lace

Lily

of the valley

Lace

Linen,

lace

14th

Quatturodecennial

Ivory

Gold

jewelry

Opal

Ivory,

agate

Ivory;

lead

Ivory

Lead

Ivory

15th

Quindecennial

Crystal

Watches

Ruby

Violet,

crystal / glass / bottles

Crystal

Glass

16th

Silver

hollowware

Peridot

Sapphire

Moon

Sapphire

Obsidian

Tourmaline

17th

Furniture

Watch

Orchid,

Rose

Amethyst

Rose

Quartz

Rose

18th

Porcelain

Cat's-Eye

Chrysoberyl

Turquoise

Daisy

Turquoise

Aquamarine

Turquoise

19th

Bronze

Aquamarine

Cretonne,

mother of pearl

Linen,

cretonne

Garnet

Cretonne

Amethyst

Cretonne,

Aquamarine

20th

Vigintennial

/ Vicennial

China,

Porcelain

China,

Porcelain

Platinum

Emerald

China,

tang, Chrysanthemum

China

21st

Brass,

nickel

Iolite

Opal,

beech

Opal

Turquoise

Opal

Zircon

22nd

Copper

Spinel

Bronze,

Tourmaline

Bronze

Alliance

Bronze

Feldspar

23rd

Silver

plate

Imperial

Topaz

Beryl,

Titanium

Beryl

Tulip

Beryl

Straw

24th

Musical

Instruments

Tanzanite

Satin

Karat

Satin

Opal

25th

Quadranscentennial

Silver

Sterling

Silver

26th

Original

pictures

Jade,

Oak

Jade

Sandalwood

Alexandrite

27th

Sculpture

Mahogany,

jute

Mahogany

Chrome

Chrysoprase

28th

Orchids

Carnation,

nickel

Nickel

Fruits

Hematite

29th

New

furniture

Velvet,

ebony

Velvet

Tin

Herbs

/ Leaves

30th

Pearl

Diamond

Pearl

31st

Timepieces

Linde,

Soil

Nacre

32nd

Conveyances

(automobiles)

Soap,

lapis lazuli, copper

Copper

Pine

33rd

Amethyst

Tin,

porphyry

Porphyry

Crizo

34th

Opal

Amber,

Emerald

Amber

Olive

35th

Coral,

Jade

Coral

Jade

Emerald

Canvas

/ linen, coral, jade, ruby

Coral,

Ruby

Coral

Ruby

Coral;

Yade

Coral

Linen

36th

Bone

china

Emerald,

Moon, muslin

Muslin,

Emerald

Muslin

Cedar

37th

Alabaster

Malachite

, paper

Paper

Aventurine

38th

Beryl,

tourmaline

Fire,

mercury

Mercury

Oak

39th

Lace

Sun,

crepe

Crepe

Marble

40th

Ruby

Ruby,

garnet

Ruby

Emerald

Ruby

Ruby,

Emerald

Ruby

41st

Land

Birch,

iron

Iron

Silk

42nd

Improved

real estate

Garnet,

pearl

Nacre

White

Gold

43rd

Travel

Lead,

flannel

Flannel

Azeriche

44th

Groceries

Stern,

Topaz

Carbonate

45th

Sapphire

Brass,

platinum, tourmaline, vermeil, precious white sapphire

Sapphire,

platinum, vermeil

Sapphire

Vermeil

Sapphire

Platinum,

sapphire

46th

Original

poetry tribute

Lavender

Marble

Lavender

Alabaster

47th

Books

Kashmir,

Sapphire

Kashmir

Jasper

48th

Optical

goods (e.g. telescope, microscope)

Diadem,

Amethyst

Granite

49th

Luxuries,

any kind

Cedar

Heliotrope

50th

Semicentennial

/ Quinquagenary

Gold

51st

Pasture

Camellia

Bronze

52nd

Topaz

Tourmaline

Clay

53rd

Uranium

Cherry

Antimony

54th

Zeus

Wood

Sable

Nickel

55th

Emerald

Platinum,

gem, emerald, turquoise, Venus, sapphire

Emerald,white

gold, orchid, camellia

Emerald

Orchid

Emerald

Amethyst

56th

Lapis

Lazuli

Lapis

Lazuli

Malachite

57th

Azalea

Lapis

Lazuli

58th

Maple

Glass

59th

Mink

Cherry

60th

Diamond

Alexandrite

Diamond,

iron

Diamond

Diamond,

Jade

61st

Elm

Plane

Copper

62nd

Aquamarine

Ivory

Telurita

63rd

Mercury

Violet

Lilac

Sandalwood,

lilac

64th

Sky

Chan

Astra

Chan

Fabulita

65th

Blue

Sapphire

Blue

Spinel

Star

Sapphire

Iron

Brilliant,

Rosewood

Krondiamant

(Crown Diamond)

Rosewood

Iron

66th

Chives

Jasmin

Ebony

67th

Stone

Chinchilla

Snow

68th

Granite

Lead

69th

Larch

Mercury

70th

Platinum

Grace,

platinum, copper, iron, stone

Platinum,

diamond

Iron

Platinum

Wine

71st

Zinc

72nd

Oats

73rd

Marjoram

74th

Apple

75th

Dodranscentennial

Diamond,

gold

Diamond,

gold

Diamond

Crown

jewel, diamond

Alabaster,

rhodium

Atom;

steel crown jewel (Denmark)

Alabaster

Platinum

Brilliant,

Alabaster

Brilliant

76th

Cypress

77th

Lavender

78th

Benjoim

79th

Coffee

80th

Oak

Diamond,

pearl

Oak,

Brass

Oak;

plutonium

Oak

Walnut,

oak

81st

Cocoa

82nd

Carnation

83rd

Begonia

84th

Chrysanthemum

85th

Wine

Diamond,

sapphire

Angel

Uranium

Marble

Sunflower

86th

Hydrangea

87th

Walnut

88th

Pear

89th

Fig

90th

Stone

(granite)

Diamond,

emerald

Granite

Poplar

91st

Kiefer

92nd

Pasture

93rd

Imbuia

94th

Palm

95th

Diamond,

Ruby

Iridium

Onyx

Sandalwood

96th

Olive

97th

Fir

98th

Kiefer

99th

Pasture

100th

Centennial

10-carat

Diamond

Sky

Water

Jequitiba

Sources: Chicago Public Library, Pears Cyclopaedia via anniversarygifts.co.uk, Bartleby, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anniversary, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wedding_anniversary

I apologize for the lack of clarity in the table above. Here is the PDF version: anniversaryMaterialsByCountry.pdf

One note about Ivory: Ivory trade has been made illegal many countries so other organic substitutes have been used. This would definitely have an effect on the overall perception of its use.