Anniversary gift ideas
11 November 2026
A good anniversary gift marks the years you have shared rather than adding one more thing to the house: something with both your names on it, a date that matters, and a meaning that lasts. This page covers ideas for each milestone year, for husbands, wives and parents, and a real star named for the two of you, from a UK company that can have it with you in minutes or in the post within 24 hours.
What makes a good anniversary present?
After a few anniversaries, the obvious presents run out. Flowers fade within the week, dinner is over by the morning and most couples already own the candles and the photo frames. The anniversary gifts that get kept tend to share three things: they are about the two of you, they carry a date that matters, and they still mean something years later.
Something personalised with your names and your date usually ticks all three, whether it is a framed print, an engraved piece, a letter you have written, or a star named for you both.
A star named for the two of you
You choose the name, which can be both of yours, and you can add your wedding date or the day you met. A real, catalogued star is then recorded under that name in a register, and you receive the documents to prove it and to find it. We run two star naming brands, each with its own register, documents and website.
The Star Naming Co.
The Star Naming Co. dedicates a real, catalogued star in its own register, and has a page on naming a star for your anniversary with ideas for each milestone.
- One star for both of you. Put both names on the star and your wedding date in the certificate message, which can run to 120 characters. Choose a constellation that means something, such as the one overhead the night you met, or leave the choice to The Star Naming Co.
- A star each. The Lovers Edition names two neighbouring stars in the same constellation, one for each of you, together on a single landscape certificate with gold hearts. Its seven documents are printed on special edition pink stock and posted free in the UK in one pack.
- Printed or digital. The Physical Gift Pack is five documents on fine cream stock, posted free within 24 hours. The Digital Gift Pack arrives by email within minutes, at any hour, with an e-gift reveal you can send to their phone.
For something aimed at one of you, there are also pages on naming a star for your husband and naming a star for your wife.
Intergalactic Star Database
Intergalactic Star Database registers a star from the Hipparcos catalogue under the name you give it, and its guide to a star for a wedding or anniversary runs through the traditional years one by one. The name can be up to 60 characters, plenty for two names and a date, and is printed exactly as typed. The posted gift pack holds a Certificate of Registry, a Star Area Co-ordinates Sheet, a welcome letter and a fold-out star chart in a full-colour gift envelope; the print-at-home version is ready as soon as you have paid. Couples who would like one star each can order them together, registered side by side in the same small patch of sky.
What should we call our anniversary star?
- Both first names, such as "Anna & Mark".
- Names with the wedding date: "Anna & Mark, 12 May 2001".
- A milestone: "Thirty Years and Counting".
- A pet name or private joke that only makes sense to you both.
Check spellings and capitals before you order, as names are printed just as you type them.
Anniversary gift ideas by year
The traditional anniversary themes give you a peg to hang a present on. Here is how a star fits some of the best-known milestones.
| Anniversary | Traditional theme | How a star fits |
|---|---|---|
| 1st | Paper | A star certificate is paper, so it is a perfect first-anniversary present. |
| 10th | Tin | Put the certificate in a tin frame, with a name that sums up the decade. |
| 25th | Silver | Frame the certificate in silver, with your wedding date in the dedication. |
| 40th | Ruby | A popular one for grown-up children to club together on, named for Mum and Dad. |
| 50th and 60th | Golden and diamond | Both full names and the wedding date, often given by the children and grandchildren. |
For a big family anniversary, see our ideas for gifts for grandparents, and if the couple are only just married, our wedding gift ideas.
Anniversary gift ideas for him and for her
- For your husband. If he likes a present with detail in it, a star has plenty. The documents carry its real co-ordinates, which can be typed into a stargazing app or a telescope, so finding it becomes a project.
- For your wife. A name only the two of you understand, a line from your vows in the message and the certificate framed beside a wedding photograph.
- For the two of you. One star with both names, or a star each side by side, to look for together on each anniversary.
- From the children. A ruby, golden or diamond anniversary present named for Mum and Dad, with the date they married.
- A surprise on the day. A digital star can be ordered at the table and revealed on their phone before the pudding.
How quickly can I get an anniversary star?
| Gift | How it arrives |
|---|---|
| The Star Naming Co. Digital Gift Pack | By email within minutes, any hour of any day |
| The Star Naming Co. Physical Gift Pack or Lovers Edition | Printed and posted free in the UK within 24 hours |
| Intergalactic Star Database print-at-home star | Ready as soon as you have paid |
| Intergalactic Star Database gift pack | Usually on its way by Royal Mail within 24 hours, UK delivery included |
Frequently asked questions
What is a good personal anniversary gift?
One that is about the two of you rather than the house: something with both your names and a date that matters, such as your wedding day or the day you met. A framed certificate, a letter you have written yourself or a star named for you both all fit, and the traditional theme for the year can help you choose.
What are the traditional anniversary themes?
The best known are paper for the first anniversary, tin for the tenth, silver for the 25th, ruby for the 40th, golden for the 50th and diamond for the 60th. A paper certificate suits the first, and a frame in the right material suits the later milestones.
Can we name one star after both of us, or have a star each?
Both. The star's name is your choice, so it can carry both names and a date. For one star each, The Star Naming Co. Lovers Edition names two neighbouring stars on one landscape certificate, and Intergalactic Star Database can register two stars in one order, side by side, each with its own certificate.
Will we be able to see our star?
Not with the naked eye. The constellation is easy to find, but most Intergalactic Star Database stars need binoculars, and most Star Naming Co. stars need a telescope. The co-ordinates on the documents work in stargazing apps, so you can always see exactly where it is.
Is a named star official?
No. Star naming is a symbolic gift. The star is real and catalogued, and your names are recorded in the company's own register, but only the International Astronomical Union gives stars official names, and it does not recognise names from commercial registers.