55 years of marriage is certainly a milestone worth celebrating.
In this article we are going to be telling you all about the traditional gifts given in different places around the world for this particular anniversary, as well as letting you know the gemstone and flower associations, and if they have changed in the modern era.
We will also be giving you some of our top picks for 55th wedding anniversary gifts, giving you all the inspiration you need whether you are buying for your husband, wife, or to give to a special couple in your life.
About 55th Wedding Anniversaries
Celebrating your 55th wedding anniversary signifies that you and your partner have lived a long life together, sharing many experiences along the way.
The devotion you must feel to each other to stick together for that amount of time is phenomenal. It is for this reason that an emerald is so often associated with 55 years.
An emerald is a symbol of love, eternity, devotion, and loyalty, all of the aspects of a long-lasting marriage. It is also thought to embody unity and patience. Green, the color of emerald, is often associated with abundance as well as balance and harmony.
With this in mind, it is clear that the emerald is the perfect gemstone to symbolize 55 years of marriage between two people. It is a hardy stone that, given the right care, can last a lifetime - much like a successful marriage!
5 Unique Ways to Celebrate Your 55th Wedding Anniversary
- You could write a list of 55 things you love about your partner to present to them on the day of your anniversary.
- You could book them a surprise trip to Ireland which is also known as the ‘Emerald Isle’.
- You could bake them a cake with green icing and decorations.
- If you plan in advance, you could get green-fingered and grow some gorgeous green plants ready to present to them when the day arrives.
- Emerald is also the gemstone of rebirth, creativity, and new ventures. With this in mind, you could organize to go to a class together to learn a new skill such as salsa dancing, cooking, or even sky-diving!
5 Best 55th Wedding Anniversary Gifts for Him
OUR TOP PICK
Sundials are symbolic of the passing of time, and this gorgeous 55th Emerald Anniversary engraved sundial will surely show him how much you’ve loved spending all this time with him.
EDITORS CHOICE
This gorgeous green tie and pocket square set will be perfect for a fancy anniversary dinner!
BEST VALUE
Cufflinks are a great gift for your husband of 55 years. These ones are green to symbolise the emerald anniversary!
RUNNER UP
This watch is a piece he will treasure forever. The emerald green face is a gorgeous contrast against the leather strap. Smart and sentimental all at the same time!
RUNNER UP
This whiskey glass set can be engraved with whatever you choose. Write your personal message or simply put in your wedding date.
You could even go the extra mile by giving him a bottle of whiskey made in the year you got married, all those 55 years ago!
5 Best 55th Wedding Anniversary Gifts for Her
OUR TOP PICK
Emerald is the stone of choice for 55 years, and this emerald necklace is perfect for your jewelry-loving wife. You could even make it a set and get the other two p;ieces of emerald jewelry on the list.
EDITORS CHOICE
These gorgeous emerald earrings will look perfect on your wife when you take her on a date to celebrate 55 wonderful years!
BEST VALUE
Calla lilies are the flowers that symbolize 55 years, and this adorable figurine is holding them.
Show her you care by giving her something with a lovely, sentimental meaning. Even after 55 years you are sure to give her butterflies with this gift!
RUNNER UP
Nothing says love like a solid gold ring, and this one is especially perfect for your 55th wedding anniversary as there is a gorgeous emerald gemstone in the center!
RUNNER UP
What could be more romantic than an everlasting flower? This rose has been dipped in gold and then decorated in green, making it a perfect gift for your emerald wedding anniversary!
5 Best 55th Anniversary Gift for the Couple
OUR TOP PICK
This humorous gift of matching mugs will be perfect for that couple in your life that has lasted 55 wonderful years because the husband has always accepted that his wife is always right.
Happy wife, happy life, right?
EDITORS CHOICE
Nothing says love like snuggling up under a blanket together! Personalize the green blanket with the happy couples’ names and the date they got married.
Even after 55 years they are sure to love being snuggled up close.
BEST VALUE
Show the couple what the sky looked like on the day they married. All you need is the date and the location of their wedding (if they can remember 55 years ago!) and you can find out exactly what the stars looked like above them that day.
RUNNER UP
This beautiful marriage prayer is inspirational and heartfelt. This plaque will remind them of all the reasons these last 55 years have been worth it.
RUNNER UP
A love that lasts that long is timeless….but we still need to know the time! Give them a personalized clock with their names and date of their wedding as a symbol of their timeless love.
Traditional, Modern, and Symbolic Anniversary Gifts
For the 55th wedding anniversary, you will likely find that the traditions do not change much in different countries.
We explore some of the traditional anniversary gifts in many countries in the list below.
Traditional Gift in the UK | Traditionally, in the UK, the 55th Wedding Anniversary is known as the Emerald Anniversary. For this reason, it is customary for the husband to give his wife an emerald ring or other piece of emerald jewelry. It is not always jewelry, though. Sometimes couples may receive ornaments or plaques with an emerald on them. |
Traditional Gift in the US | Similar to the UK, those couples in the US who are celebrating the 55th wedding anniversary also have a tradition of buying emerald jewelry (or an ornament with an emerald on it) to mark the occasion. |
Traditional Gift in Spain | In Spain, the 55th year of marriage is also marked by an emerald, and it is traditional for the wife to receive an emerald ring or other jewelry with an emerald on there. They may even get a different gift that has an emerald incorporated. |
Traditional Gift in Germany | There are varied answers, depending on the source, when considering the traditional German gift for the 55th wedding anniversary. Germany has a colorful history in terms of anniversary gifting, as it is thought most modern traditions can be traced back to 18th-century Germany. That being said, it is hard to pinpoint exactly whether the associate emerald with the 55th or platinum, as some sources suggest. |
Traditional Gift in Russia | In Russia, an emerald is often given as a gift. However, you may be more likely to find the gemstone Alexandrite being given here, too. Alexandrite is yet another gemstone associated with the 55th wedding anniversary. The significance here is that it was first discovered in Russia and named after Czar Alexander II. It is green-red in color and often called “emerald by day, ruby by night”. |
Traditional Gift in France | You may find that in France, the tradition of giving an emerald related gift has also been adopted. In France, family life is seen as very important, and 55 years is certainly a milestone that they are likely to commemorate. |
Traditional Gift in Italy | Surprise, surprise, it’s emerald again! Italy is yet another country that celebrates the grand old anniversary of 55 years with an emerald gift. Traditionally this has been jewelry, as in the other countries discussed. |
Flower Gift | A flower gift offers a great alternative for those who cannot afford a pricy emerald or alexandrite gift. It is thought that the traditional flower for the 55th anniversary is the Calla Lily which represents love, purity, chastity, and faith. It is thought to symbolize fidelity too. As well as this, it is also common to give a gift of green flowers, green plants, and other green foliage. |
Gemstone Gift | Do we really have to remind you about this one? Of course, the traditional gemstone gift for the celebration of 55 years of marriage is the emerald. The alexandrite is also a popular gemstone to receive, especially as it is easier to purchase in this modern age. |
Modern Gift | In modern times, many of the more traditional gift associations have been taken over with modern associations. However, in the case of the 55th wedding anniversary, the emerald and all of its green associations still reign supreme. Of course, nowadays you can get a whole host of emerald-related presents, such as trips to the ‘Emerald Isle’ (Ireland), cakes decorated with green icing, green handbags, and shoes, green watches, or other keepsakes with emeralds encrusted on them, and much more. Nevertheless, emerald still remains the main association with this particular anniversary. |
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