Copper: the Traditional Seventh Anniversary Gift
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Wedding anniversaries are important milestones in a marriage. Who doesn’t love to celebrate how long the couple has been together and their commitment to one another? To mark this important annual occasion, many couples consult the traditional anniversary gift list, first developed in the United Kingdom during the 1800s. These gifting guidelines made their way across the pond where the U.S. embraced them in the early 1900s. Whether it’s your spouse you’ll bestow with a token of your affection or another loved one, the list of traditional anniversary gifts serves as a helpful (and endearingly old-timey) cheat sheet, taking some of the guesswork out of gifting and ensuring that the gift carries special meaning. |
Seven Years of Marriage: The Traditional Gift
For the seventh year of marriage, a gift made from copper is conventionally given, at least if you’re an American (differences have emerged in the U.S. from the U.K. list since it was originally created). In the U.K., it is actually the traditional ninth wedding anniversary gift.
One of the oldest metals, copper is associated with romance because it is an accessory in the tale of Venus—the Greek goddess of love and beauty. (Venus is the one in Botticelli’s famous painting: voluptuous and standing on an upturned seashell, ropey blond hair in the breeze, a petulant look on her face that says, Yeah, I’m beautiful. Tell me something I don’t already know.) The Romans believed that Venus emerged from the waters of Cyprus with a copper mirror in hand. In antiquity, mirrors frequently used polished copper or bronze. Today, mythology holds that copper attracts love and protects against evil. What better gift could be given to a married couple than one with attributes like those?
Seven Gift Ideas for the Seventh Anniversary
Forget the seven-year itch; sweeten a seventh wedding anniversary with copper. Here are seven of our favorite seventh wedding anniversary gift ideas:
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1. Heart Box: Handcrafted jewelry keepsake boxes are made from recycled copper—as are all of our copper products—and hammered into shape by coppersmiths. |
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2. Picture Frame: Ideal for displaying a wedding photo or other favorite snapshot of a couple, or a favorite memory.
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3. Lazy Susan: So gorgeous that you can get away with giving your spouse such a practical anniversary gift. And because they’re hand hammered and forged from quality recycled copper, this is a gift that will truly last a lifetime. |
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4. Mirrors: Make the most of the myth of the goddess Venus. She embodied femininity and beauty and celebrated her reflection in a copper mirror. Our hand-forged copper mirrors double as works of art.
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5. Santa Cruz Vase: Fill this heirloom-quality vase with a bouquet of flowers for the perfect seventh anniversary gift. |
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6. Heart Ornament: Slip this sweet heart ornament (available in a 2” or 4” size) around the neck of a bottle of wine or bubble bath to give a subtle nod to the traditional seventh anniversary.
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7. Los Olivos Pitcher: Beautiful on its own, this home decor piece can be filled with flowers or used to hold utensils in the kitchen. |
For more inspiration, follow our Pinterest Seventh Anniversary Gift Ideas board.