Anniversaries are celebrations of love, countless memories, relationship triumphs, and shared laughter. There’s probably nothing more endearing for children than seeing their parents happily in love no matter how many years have passed.
With every celebration comes gifting. If your parents have celebrated so many anniversaries together, you’ve probably run out of ideas on what to give them on their anniversary this year.
If you still don’t have anything prepared, here are some of the best and most memorable gifts you can give your parents on their anniversary, whatever your budget may be.
Budget-Friendly
Video Montage
If you have a knack for video editing and are looking for an affordable anniversary gift for your parents, a video montage is your best choice.
Compile videos of their most cherished memories, such as their wedding, family vacations, celebrations, and candid videos of their everyday life. You can also include video messages from the closest people in their lives to make the gift more heartfelt.
Layer the videos with a song that’s special to your parents, like their wedding song. It’s also a great idea to play the video during a romantic dinner between the two of them or a family dinner so it can be the center of the celebration.
Photo Album
Curate a collection of significant photos from various stages of their relationship and walk your parents on memory lane on their anniversary. You can include wedding pictures, photos from family vacations, and candid moments in the photo album.
Arrange the photos chronologically to create a timeline of their life together. The photo album can serve as a visual reminder of everything they’ve been through together and what obstacles their love managed to overcome.
This relatively cheap anniversary gift can make your parents smile on their special day. Consider including handwritten captions or messages on each page to make the photo album priceless.
Hand-Knitted Scarves
Hand-knitted scarves will take quite a lot of time and effort to make, but they’re one of the most thoughtful and heartfelt gifts you can give your parents, especially if you don’t have much money to spare.
The time and effort you invested in making good scarves for your parents symbolize your love and care for them. Each time the scarves keep them warm during winter, they’ll be reminded that it’s a gift made by their child.
It’s ideal to use their favorite color when making the scarves, but they probably won’t mind whatever color or style you use. These are one-of-a-kind scarves that you made just for your mom and dad, so there’s no way they won’t appreciate them.
Wine and Food Gift Basket
Food can be symbolic of love when words are inadequate, so what better way to celebrate your parents’ love than gifting them food? Prepare a gift basket filled with their favorite food, snacks, and wines to celebrate their years of love.
Shops also have premade baskets that tend to be more budget-friendly than personalized ones. They also often pair up wines that would blend well with the food, so you don’t have to worry if you’re not entirely familiar with wines.
Gift basket shops are also quite accessible and can usually be delivered wherever your parents are. This can be perfect if you live far from your parents and can’t personally give them your gift.
Mid-Range
Tickets to a Show
Have your parents ever talked about a particular artist, theater show, or movie? If yes, a ticket to that show can be the best gift you can give them.
Attending a live show, whether it’s a concert, a theater performance, a movie, or a comedy show, creates lasting memories they can talk about for years to come. Who knows, they might even make it a tradition for their following anniversaries.
Moreover, the show can be the perfect excuse for them to step away from daily routines and have a special date night. They can have coffee or food before or after the show, which can make the whole night more memorable.
Romantic Dinner
Bring your parents back to their dating years by preparing a romantic dinner at their favorite restaurant or at home. The intimate atmosphere dinner dates provide is the perfect time for them to reminisce and just enjoy each other’s company.
You can reserve a table at a restaurant that holds sentimental value for them, like the place they used to frequent before they got married. Talk to the manager and request them to play your parents’ theme song to make the day extra special.
Another great idea is hiring a private chef who can prepare all their favorite meals in the comfort of their home. This is a much more expensive option, but it can give your parents a more unique experience since the dinner is more intimate and exclusive.
Subscription Service
Parents, especially older and retired ones, might get bored at home, so a subscription service can keep them entertained for a long time. This is the type of gift that just keeps on giving.
If you’re not sure what subscription service to get for them, here are some ideas:
- Cooking or Baking Kit Subscription: If your parents are into cooking or baking, you can subscribe to a cooking or baking kit subscription box. They can bond while making new dishes or trying each other’s baked goods.
These subscription boxes usually include a monthly supply of pre-measured ingredients, recipe cards, video tutorials, and tools. Depending on your budget, you can opt for a three-, six-, or even 12-month subscription.
- Book Subscription: Reading a book can be a great way to pass the time. Your parents will also have new stories to discuss during meals or tea time.
Most book clubs would send a recently released book, which the subscriber often picked out of the presented choices. They also usually come with a website or an app that helps subscribers keep track of their books.
- Gardening Subscription: There’s just something about living around plants that makes you feel so comfortable and relaxed. If your parents think the same, a gardening subscription would be an awesome gift to receive on their anniversary.
Through these subscriptions, you can send your parents a monthly supply of seeds or plants, gardening tools, and care instructions. Their new plants can be their new pastime, allowing them to spend each day happily.
- Tea Subscription: For health-conscious parents, a tea box subscription is one of the best and most thoughtful gifts you can give. Not only are you giving them a gift, but you’re also showing that you care about their health and well-being.
This subscription would make shopping for teas easier for them as they’ll have a monthly delivery of different teas, including organic, Japanese, herbal, and more.
Expensive
Couple Jewelry
Present your parents with a tangible symbol of their long-lasting marriage and love. This can be quite a pricey gift, as you’ll be buying jewelry for two, but it’s nothing compared to the love they’ve shown you over the years.
Here are some jewelry ideas for your parents’ anniversary:
- Rings: Rings have always been considered the most romantic jewelry, so they’re ideal gifts when celebrating anniversaries. They can be worn constantly without meddling with your parents’ daily life.
Have the ring engraved with their initials or anniversary date to make it more personal to them. You can choose a simple band design or go with those interlocking pairs that symbolize eternal love.
- Watches: Watches are functional accessories that almost everyone uses, making them a practical and stylish anniversary gift for your parents. They can also symbolize the time they spent and will spend together.
Several jewelry stores offer matching watches, which you can engrave with special quotes, names, and dates. This customization adds a personal touch, making the watch a unique and sentimental keepsake.
- Bracelets: Another piece of jewelry that can be worn daily, bracelets also make great anniversary gifts for your parents. Since they can be worn regularly, they can be an everyday reminder of their love for each other.
Some jewelry stores offer permanent bracelets. If you think their aesthetic would match your parents’ preferences, they can be the perfect bracelets to celebrate their anniversary.
- Necklaces: These are another great piece of jewelry you can gift to your parents on their anniversary.
You can choose pendants or charms that hold specific meanings, like your parents’ birthstones or the gemstone for the anniversary they’re celebrating. You can also have interlocking or engraved pendants.
Surprise Vow Renewal Ceremony
A vow renewal ceremony is perfect for anniversary milestones, like 25th or 50th anniversaries. These are significant moments in a couple’s life, so renewing their vows can be a beautiful way to celebrate the longevity of their marriage and love.
The beauty of having a vow renewal ceremony is you get to have all the uncles, aunties, cousins, and close friends your parents would want to celebrate their special day with, making the day more memorable and fun.
This can be quite expensive because you have to prepare a venue and food for the guests, so it’s best if you have siblings to share the cost with. If you’re alone, you can cut down on the expenses by having a small ceremony with only a few people at home.
Weekend Getaway
Chances are your parents haven’t gone on a vacation for the past years since they have to take care of the family and work. Their anniversary is the perfect time for you to give back and organize a weekend getaway for them to relax and have fun together.
Here are some fun weekend getaway ideas that you can prepare for your parents:
- Adventure Retreat: For parents who enjoy seeking thrills and experiencing adrenaline rush, a weekend full of adventures might just make this year’s anniversary the most unforgettable one.
Try organizing an adventure retreat that includes zip-lining, guided hikes, riding a hot air balloon, and a helicopter tour if you’re feeling fancy. A safari adventure can also be an incredible experience if your parents love wildlife and nature.
- Food and Wine Tour: If a food and wine basket isn’t just cutting it for you, then be a bit extra and prepare a food and wine tasting tour for your parents’ anniversary week.
They can spend a day touring and exploring various dishes and tastes, giving them time to enjoy each other’s company and bond. The next day, you can have them visit a good winery and let them taste various wines.
- Beach Resort Escape: Book a relaxing weekend at a stunning beach resort for your parents to give them a chance to spend quality time together in a beautiful place.
Beach resorts typically have fine dining restaurants and spas where they can bond and rejuvenate. If they’re into water activities, you can also book some snorkeling and kayaking activities for them.
- Cruise Weekend: After sailing through life together for years, have your parents sail the sea together, too. Book them a cruise weekend on their anniversary week and let them enjoy a day or two of luxury and relaxation.
Cruise trips typically have entertainment and various activities, so your parents can have fun while also relaxing. Plus, the serene waters can be the perfect backdrop for a good conversation between the two.
- Foreign Country Tour: If there’s a country that your parents have been wanting to go to for so long, do the honors and organize everything for their visit there. Anniversary is the perfect time of the year to go to a foreign country and explore.
You can sign them up for a guided tour or just hand them some pocket money, book a hotel and flight, and let them explore the country however they want. This can be a liberating and exciting experience for them.
