5th Anniversary Gift
On the traditional list the 5th anniversary gift is wood, and the modern list gives silverware. Before dipping that silverware, check the handles and blades: the Canadian Conservation Institute says silver dips contain acids that damage wood and stainless steel knife blades.
5th Anniversary Gift at a glance
| Traditional gift | Wood |
|---|---|
| Modern gift | Silverware |
| Gemstone (GIA list) | Sapphire (September birthstone) |
| Flower (Emily Post Institute) | Daisy (April birth flower) |
| Also called | Wooden wedding (Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, 1913) |
| Married couples who had reached it, 2009 | 82.5% (Census Bureau) |
| Length of marriage | 1,826 or 1,827 days (1 or 2 February 29s) |
GIA calls sapphire, rated 9 on the Mohs scale, one of the most durable gems: a fitting symbol for a marriage meant to last.
Why wood for the fifth anniversary?
Wood is mostly cellulose and hemicellulose, held together by lignin, according to the USDA Forest Products Laboratory's Wood Handbook. Those cell walls attract water, so wood keeps taking up and giving off moisture long after it is cut. It shrinks in dry air and swells in damp air. The handbook says it moves about twice as much in the direction of the growth rings as across them. That is why wooden gifts do best away from heat vents and damp rooms.
Jewelers noticed the wooden wedding too. At a 1922 meeting of the National Retail Jewelers Association, one member complained that "wooden and tin anniversaries came far ahead of golden anniversaries," Time reports. The Jewelers' Circular recorded the remark.
Hardwood, softwood and cutting board care
- "Hardwood" and "softwood" are botanical groups, not hardness ratings, says the Wood Handbook. Douglas-fir, a softwood, is typically harder than basswood or aspen, both hardwoods.
- Never soak a wooden cutting board, and keep glued or inlaid boards out of the dishwasher, where UMaine Extension says they tend to crack. Oil it about monthly with food-safe mineral oil or beeswax.
5th anniversary gift ideas
- A wooden keepsake box, cutting board or picture frame, engraved
- A tree to plant together
- A wooden puzzle or board game for nights in
- Silverware: a full set, or one engraved serving piece (modern)
When is your 5 year wedding anniversary?
More date tools: Anniversary Calculator, Birthday Calendar, What Day Was I Born.
Anniversary gifts for other years
5th Anniversary Gift questions
What is the 5 year anniversary gift?
Wood, unless you go by the modern list's silverware. In 1899, Maud C. Cooke pictured wooden wedding gifts ranging from carved furniture and oak mantels down to a rolling pin and a potato masher.
Is silver-plated flatware as good as sterling for a 5th anniversary?
Not quite. On plated pieces the silver is only a surface coating. Each polish removes some silver, the Canadian Conservation Institute warns, which matters more on plate.
Published October 9, 2026. Last updated October 29, 2026.