Thoughtful Anniversary Ideas That Will Impress Your Partner

You should never take anniversaries for granted, as not everyone gets to celebrate them. A committed relationship takes hard work, communication, patience—and the occasional gift helps, too. Show them that you have every intention of making it to next year with these thoughtful anniversary ideas that will impress your partner.

Photo Album

When’s the last time anyone in the family actually printed a photo? Choose a few of your loved one’s favorite shots and pop them in a leather album for the coffee table. Online services make it easy to design custom photo books with themes and captions. If you’re not confident in your abilities, just push a button and fill from a template. You get bonus points if you don’t include any unflattering pictures of your partner.

A Map

There’s no map to the human heart, but you can highlight some of the locations that are meaningful to you as a couple. You could give an antique or vintage print of their ancestors’ homeland, or an elegantly framed rail line map of the subway on which you met. There are lots of world maps you can buy—stick pins in all the spots you’ve traveled together. Use different colored pins to mark the places you still want to go.

Sweet Treats

It’s an old-school way to express the way you feel: a box of their favorite chocolates or other sweet treats. You can put together your own wedding anniversary gift box with just about anything. Gourmet popcorn for movie nights together? A coffee selection for trading sections of the Sunday paper? There’s no wrong answer here. Everyone’s love language includes a little sugar.

Jewelry

If this doesn’t feel like an original anniversary idea that will impress your partner, customize it so that it is. If you don’t want to blow your budget, support an independent artist who designs bracelets or rings. Include your loved one’s birthstone or a crystal associated with romance. You can inscribe something with the names of your children—or pets. And if you do want to splurge on a more expensive watch or bauble? It might end up being a family heirloom that gets passed down through the generations. And that’s a beautiful thought.