An anniversary is a day that commemorates or celebrates a past event that occurred on the same date. If it is a planned event the initial occurrence is often called the inaugural of the event. One year later the first anniversary of that event is celebrated. The word was first used for Catholic feasts to commemorate saints.
A jubilee is a specially celebrated anniversary. In the Hebrew Scriptures, a jubilee was a year of rest to be observed by the Israelites every 50th year, during which slaves were set free. During the jubilee year the lands were left untilled. Today we have many anniversaries and jubilees with special names corresponding to each year.
Wedding Anniversaries and Gift Ideas
Wedding anniversaries are also often celebrated on the same day of the year as the wedding occurred. There are also traditional wedding anniversary gift ideas and suggestions for 1, 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 50, and 75 years. Thus we have paper wedding, silver wedding, golden wedding, and platinum wedding, among others. Gift ideas and suggestions for other years were added later. Generally speaking, the durability and value of the gift increases with years. These wedding anniversary symbols vary according to national traditions and are overlapping and sometimes contradictory. There is also a list of wedding stones associated with each wedding anniversary.
Birthdays and Birthday Gifts
Birthdays are the most common type of anniversary, where the birth date of a person is celebrated annually. The list of birthday stones and zodiac stones have remained fixed. These suggestions are based on the day of the week, month, or astrological sign corresponding to the birthday.
National and Institutional Anniversaries
The anniversary of the founding of an institution is also celebrated as a jubilee. Most countries celebrate national anniversaries of the birth of the nation. The anniversary of a monarch’s ascent to power is also celebrated as a jubilee.
Names of Anniversaries and Jubilees with Their Corresponding Years and Gift Ideas
| Years | Name of Anniversary | Trditional Gift / Jubilee Celebrated | Suggested Gifts, Flowers & Gemstones |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Annual | Paper | Clock, Carnation, Mother of Pearl |
| 2 | Biennial | Cotton | China, Lily of the Valley, Garnet |
| 3 | Triennial | Leather | Crystal, glass, Sunflower, Moonstone |
| 4 | Quadrennial | Linen / Silk / Fruit and Flowers | Appliances (electrical), Hydrangea, Blue Topaz |
| 5 | Quinquennial | Wood | Silverware, Daisy, Rose Quartz |
| 6 | Sexennial | Iron / Sugar | Wood objects, Calla, Amethyst |
| 7 | Septennial | Wool / Copper | Desk sets / Pen and Pencil sets, Freesia, Onyx |
| 8 | Octennial | Bronze | Linens, lace, Lilac, Tourmaline |
| 9 | Novennial | Copper | Leather goods, Bird of paradise, Lapis Lazuli |
| 10 | Decennial | Tin / Aluminium | Diamond jewelry, Daffodil, Crystal or green Tourmaline |
| 11 | Undecennial | Steel | Fashion jewelry, accessories, Tulip, Turquoise |
| 12 | Duodecennial | Silk | Pearls, colored gems, Peony, Jade |
| 13 | Tredecennial | Lace | Textiles, furs, Chrysanthemum, Citrine |
| 14 | Quattuordecennial | Ivory | Gold jewelry, Dahlia, Opal |
| 15 | Quindecennial | Crystal | Watches, Rose, Rhodolite |
| 20 | Vigintennial, Vicennial | China / Porcelain | Platinum, Aster, Emerald |
| 25 | Quadranscentennial | Silver Jubilee | Iris, Tsavorite |
| 50 | Semicentennial, Quinquagenary | Golden Jubilee | Yellow rose, violet, Gold |
| 60 | Sexagennial, Sexagenary | Diamond (of monarchs) | Diamond |
| 70 | Septuagennial | Platinum (of monarchs) | |
| 75 | Dodranscentennial, Dodracentennial, Dequascentennial, Semisesquicentennial | Diamond | |
| 100 | Centennial, Centenary | Platinum | |
| 125 | Quasquicentennial | ||
| 150 | Sesquicentennial | ||
| 175 | Dodransbicentennial, Dodrabicentennial, Dequasbicentennial, Dosquicentennial, Demisemiseptcentennial, Quartoseptcentennial, Terquasquicentennial, Septaquintaquinquecentennial | ||
| 200 | Bicentennial, Bicentenary | ||
| 250 | Sestercentennial, Semiquincentennial, Bicenquinquagenary, Quarter-millennial | ||
| 300 | Tercentenary, Tricentenary, Tercentennial, Tricentennial | ||
| 350 | Sesquarcentennial, Semiseptcentennial | ||
| 400 | Quadricentennial, Quadricentenary, Quatercentenary | ||
| 500 | Quincentenary, Quincentennial | ||
| 600 | Sexcentenary, Sexcentennial, Sexacentennial | ||
| 700 | Septcentennial, Septuacentennial | ||
| 800 | Octocentenary, Octocentennial | ||
| 900 | Nonacentennial | ||
| 1000 | Millennial | ||
| 1500 | Sesquimillenial | ||
| 2000 | Bimillennial | ||
| ½ | Semiannual |