Why You Can Trust CNET The Best Anniversary Gifts to Celebrate True Love
Anniversary gifts don't have to be cheesy or boring.
Anniversary gifts are tricky. Whether it's your first or 25th wedding anniversary, or you're celebrating your first date, you want to give your special someone something that's thoughtful, but isn't too cliche or cheesy. And it would be nice if the present doesn't cost an arm and a leg either. The sweet spot? Something that's sentimental, affordable and won't make them cringe.
The following 10 gifts check all of those boxes. There's bound to be something on this list that will make your loved one smile, like customizable photo art, gigantic decadent cookies or a book filled with exciting date ideas. You can even enjoy many of these gifts together for years to come, making them even more special.
Here are our picks for the best anniversary gifts that are sure to make the love of your life swoon.
Chances are Levain Bakery cookies are even more delicious than the cake you smashed onto your spouse's face on your wedding day. The cookies from the famed New York City bakery are that delicious, especially when you heat them up in the oven so they're warm and gooey. The Signature Cookie Assortment comes with chocolate chip walnut, dark chocolate chocolate chip, oatmeal raisin and dark chocolate peanut butter chip. Levain offers four-packs, but you'll likely want to go for the 12-pack (which also includes free shipping) because even though these cookies are gigantic, it's unlikely that you'll want to share -- even on your anniversary.
You can't go wrong with a luxe photo book filled with cherished memories of you and your spouse's greatest adventures -- especially if you've never gotten around to putting together a wedding photo album. Whether they're casual images or carefully edited professional photos, they all look amazing when they're printed out and sitting on your coffee table (instead of socked away on your phone). All of the Artifact Uprising photo books are easy to customize and have a modern, clean aesthetic.
Options include softcover photo books (starting at $19) and hardcover photo books (starting at $49).
The Memoire rings from GLDN are a great combination of understated, elegant and sentimental. They are versatile enough to be worn on a daily basis and can be customized with names, dates, Roman numerals etc. (choose around 10 characters for the top and bottom) to commemorate your relationship or special day. Each personalization is done by hand with traditional metal punches.
Choose between 14k gold fill ($74), rose gold fill ($74), sterling silver ($70) or go all-out with the 14k solid gold option ($242).
Every time you hear the first dance song from your wedding you're probably instantly transported back to that magical moment. Thanks to Lime & Lou, you can keep your special song at the forefront of your mind by gifting your spouse their Custom 3D Acrylic Song Lyrics Plaque. The freestanding acrylic block makes a great keepsake and unique decoration too. It can be customized with song lyrics, the occasion as well as your names and anniversary date. You can also choose the color of the center circle and opt for a 4x4-inch ($75) or 6x6-inch ($95) block.
Sure, you could simply frame a cute picture of you and your spouse for an anniversary gift, but why not make it into a sweet, stylish piece of art instead? The Signature Couples Print from Still Novel can be customized to include details about your love story, like your favorite activities, nicknames, how you met and even the moon phase on your anniversary date. You can easily create this gift in 5 minutes or less (even from your smartphone!) and it typically arrives in under 10 days, which is perfect for any last-minute gift needs.
A charcuterie board always seems like a great idea, then you try to assemble one yourself and it never turns out quite right. Luckily, Boarderie has figured out how to ship you one that's already fully arranged and beautiful. The Anniversary Initials Cheese & Charcuterie Boards comes with plenty of delicious bites and even edible initials! There are three sizes available, small (feeds 2-3), medium (feeds 4-5) and large (feeds 9-10), which means you may be inclined to share and make a party of it if you go with a larger option. Just be sure to snap plenty of photos before everyone digs in.
If your spouse is the sentimental type, this anniversary journal from Duncan & Stone Paper Co. is just the thing to get those happy tears flowing. This 189-page book is filled with guided prompts and space for photos so you can document your love story, from your engagement to your wedding day and all the anniversaries after it (up to year 70!). This book will become a cherished keepsake that you can create together and enjoy forever.
Looking to add some spontaneity into your relationship? Try "The Adventure Challenge Couples Edition," a book filled with 50 challenges designed to create new experiences and connection with your partner. All you have to do is decide on a category and scratch off a challenge -- then do it! These challenges can include everything from recreating your grandparents' very first date to baking an apple pie blindfolded, to finding a new town to explore. They generally cost around $50, though they can always be modified to fit your budget.
If you and your partner are into pickleball (or have been wanting to jump on the trend), these Recess paddle sets will give you the stylish edge, if not the competitive edge too. The composite paddles are aesthetically pleasing, and they have a durable fiberglass surface, honeycomb interior and a sanded finish that'll serve you well on the court. Choose between 20-plus different designs, and each paddle also comes with an embroidered canvas case.
Have you ever been curious about what happened in the rest of the world on the day you said "I do"? Wonder no more thanks to The New York Times Anniversary Book. Select your anniversary date and then receive an 80-page personalized hardbound book filled with the front page of the paper from your wedding day and every anniversary after it. Note that if you select a more recent anniversary, your book will likely be supplemented at the end with noteworthy events from other dates.