Wedding anniversaries are generally a time for celebrating the date you were married. Your wedding day was the day the two of you celebrated with family and friends the beginning of your marriage. Your anniversary celebrations celebrate the continuation of your love for one another throughout the years. Each and every wedding anniversary deserves to be celebrated in a memorable way. When you celebrate your wedding anniversary each year it is an annual renewal of your commitment to one another.

■Anniversary Names and Presents

There are traditional anniversary names that have been passed down through the ages and also modern names that have a more contemporary feel to them. Many of these names are then associated with gifts given on the appropriate anniversary that corresponds to the name. For instance, diamond jewelry is often the present given for the tenth wedding anniversary.

A time-honored way of showing affection, esteem or gratitude, the giving and receiving of presents is one of life’s greatest pleasures. Anniversary presents, therefore, should always be given with the sole intention of delighting the recipient. A thoughtful present should be appreciated regardless of cost. The time you have taken to select it will be apparent in your choice.

Generally speaking, the present should be appropriate to the anniversary. For example, landmark anniversaries (decades, silver, ruby etc.) should receive special attention. It is wonderful to use your imagination to create the perfect anniversary gift for your spouse. For instance, if you chose a traditional gift for your first anniversary (paper), the gift could be a stock certificate, a magazine subscription, personalized stationery or the map of a city you will go to as a vacation/anniversary gift (along with airplane tickets which are also paper). If you are lacking funds, a card or letter telling how much your spouse means to you and listing all the wonderful reasons you love him/her would be as much appreciated as the most expensive gift.

Remember what you have given in the past when selecting anniversary presents. A repeat present suggests that you take the whole business lightly, so keep a list if your memory is poor.

Try not to agonize over choice and never try to match the anticipated value of a reciprocal present. Giving and receiving are entirely separate activities, and this is not the time to weigh up the quid pro quo.

To ensure that giving is truly better than being on the receiving end, take the time to plan. A last-minute trip to the shops will leave you frazzled and spoil the experience. A present is worse than useless if it is given grudgingly.

To receive a present graciously, always show enthusiasm and never show distaste or disappointment...

The following is a table of both the traditional and the modern names generally given to wedding anniversaries.

■Celebrations

As the years roll by and silver, ruby and gold milestones are reached, wedding anniversaries become public property—something to be celebrated by the extended family and wider circle of friends.

These larger parties are often organized by the children of the couple—a tribute to the impressive longevity of their parents’ marriage.

There is no formula for such occasions. The only inevitability is that the happy couple will be formally toasted and there may be some sort of speech, often by the eldest child. This speech should be short and celebratory—dwelling on the highlights and happiest moments of the parents’ marriage (no mention of low points whatsoever!), and congratulating them on depth of their commitment to each other.

Under no circumstances should families coerce parents into these celebrations. While long-lived marriages are impressive achievements, they are—as they always have been—primarily the concern of the two people involved, and if they want to celebrate with a quiet dinner a deux, then that is their prerogative.

■Other Anniversaries

Some people celebrate a variety of anniversaries besides weddings. Domestic partners may celebrate the date they met or moved in together or had a commitment ceremony. People may celebrate number of years on a job they like or the anniversary of stopping drinking or smoking. Although these names above are linked with weddings, you may want to piggy-back other occasions to give gifts and even make up your own list of appropriate names which could be more fun than using either the traditional or modern names.