Anniversay Gift Ideas That Show Thought and Love

There are people who celebrate 3, 6 and 9 month anniversary but for me, the one year mark is the relationship milestone. It takes 6 months to really get to know someone but by 12 months you would have seen the other person for who they are, flaws and all – and still love them.

It’s why anniversary gifts are such a headache, you only get to give and get them once a year. There’s always the pressure of finding the perfect gift. Even if you know the person inside out, it can be difficult to figure out something ‘perfect’, so if you are stuck for ideas, read on for some gift ideas that show thoughtfulness and love. And, if none of these ideas scream out at you, organise a nice meal. 

1. Personalised Items

You can’t really go wrong with something that’s personalised. It can turn the most ordinary gift (i.e. a plain zippered clutch) into someone that’s understated, tasteful and thoughtful. Think of something your other half would typically use and then start there. You can personalise everything from stationary, wine glasses to pillows and vinyl records. If you are craft, you can do this yourself for an extra special touch, but if you don’t trust yourself to execute your idea perfectly, specialists such as Personalised Favours can help you produce the perfect anniversary gift.

2. Portable Photo Printer

I know, it sounds so unromantic right? Hear me out. I have 1000s of pictures in my camera roll, but none that I can actually put on a wall, on my desk or in my wallet (no one does this any more but I’d still like the option). My iPhone’s camera has 12 megapixels now so I can forgo a traditional camera. What I would want though is a portable printer – because finding someone to develop your pictures these days is hard and my parents and grandparents would still like me to mail them photos of my life in Australia. If anniversaries are a celebration of memories, this printer is comes in pretty darn handy for capturing them. A geeky but thoughtful gift idea nonetheless. 

3. Book a Getaway

I’ve got my eye on a getaway at Whitsundays at the moment even though my next anniversary is still a few months away. I love the idea of surprising someone with a holiday because it’s indulgent and so much more special than any material gift you can give. If you don’t have the money to shell out for the whole trip, consider a gift voucher that covers a part i.e. flights, accommodation of the trip. If you can, chat to your gf/bf’s boss about getting the time off to go.  You’ll get extra brownie points for the thoughtfulness and in booking the leave in advance, you both will have a date to look forward to. 

STILL STUCK ON GIFT IDEAS? WE’LL HELP YOU OUT. SHOOT US AN EMAIL – 30everafter (at) gmail.com 

4. Experiences

My boyfriend recently had a birthday and I racked my brain (and those of my colleagues) for hours trying to come up with the perfect gift. In the end, both gifts were an experience. We ended up at the cat cafe in Sydney and I gave him a voucher for quad biking. He loved it. The experiences don’t come cheap so expect to spend at least $100 for one. 

These are only a few gift ideas but if you browse through Pinterest, you’ll find loads more. If you’re still stressing over it, remember that the best gift is one that comes from the heart and given with thought. Anything can be an anniversary present – it just has to mean something to both you and the person to whom you are gifting it. These are just four simple gift ideas that everyone will love, but if you feel like they don’t really suit the occasion or the person, do some more research or ask their friends for extra insight.

What kind of gifts have you received for your anniversary? Which gifts have you loved and which ones have you not really been a fan of? Leave your experiences in the comments section below.

Image Request: Daria Sukhorukova