Bronze Anniversaries - A brief History
The history of wedding anniversaries is thought to go back to Germanic territories in the middle ages when a 25th or 50th anniversary was celebrated by the husband gifting his wife a silver or gold wreath. From this custom came the tradition of silver and gold wedding anniversaries. In times when life expectancy was shorter these must have been great milestones to celebrate in a couples' life.
It's not clear exactly when when other anniversaries started to become traditionally celebrated, it was probably a slow evolution and the growth of commercialism is likely to have contributed to the assignment of different gifts of different materials to the different anniversary years. By 1937 anniversaries for years 1,5,10,15,25,50 and 75 had related gifts. Then in 1937 the American National Retailer Jeweler Association added gift associations for other years, which is when we see the first entry for the 8th year with the related gift of bronze. More recently, in 2000 the Chicago Public Library published a list of these traditional associations together with some modern updates which included bronze for the 19th anniversary.
Bronze is a beautiful, durable, corrosion resistant metal, that is used for a wide range of applications, from tools to jewellery. Many people think of bronze as an antique looking metal, as oxidisation darkens the colour and appearance to give an aged look. However, when polished it has a wonderful golden colour which matches that of gold. The qualities of the bronze make it an ideal material for gifts for either an 8th (traditional) or 19th(modern) anniversary gift. It's solid, long lasting and beautiful - a great representation for this marriage milestone in today's world where divorce rates are high!
Bonschelle Gift Guide
There are a few gift ideas that you just can't go wrong with:
Firstly, chocolate! Yes, good old chocolate. Not many people don't like it, and for special occasions you can get some beautifully boxed specialty ones. But...chocolate alone just won't cut it for special occasions (but they are always welcome!).
Sadly I don't sell chocolate here at Bonschelle...sorry to disappoint! But I do have lots of choices for the for the second gift idea, jewellery. No surprise there! Jewellery makes a great gift for special occasions because jewellery is a lasting gift, and if you know the recipient well you can really get something you know they will value and appreciate.
If you are looking for a unique women's gift you'll find a range of beautifully crafted bronze earrings, necklaces, and accessories at Bonschelle which are perfect for gifting for a bronze anniversary. You can view selected items in the Bronze Anniversary Gift Ideas collection.
All my bronze items are individually hand crafted so you are giving a gift made especially for the recipient with love and care. I polish my bronze to a luxurious golden tone rather than the antique aged look, and professionally finish them to resist tarnishing and preserve that beautiful colour. I think this makes the items look extra special, and perfect for thoughtful gifts, and all jewellery comes with a stylish jewellery box too.
My third gift idea is a personalised gift. For a special occasion like a bronze anniversary you may want to express something more personal or sentimental, and also a bit different from other gifts. That is why I have created my personalized custom keyrings on which you can have your own choice of words added. It's a great way to capture and express special meaning for the one you love, which they can carry with them every day. These are available in either a heart or round shape and are a popular choice for this special occasion. As with my jewellery items each one is handcrafted and professionally finished to retain the lovely polished colour.
If you need further information or help choosing a gift feel free to contact me.
All images ©Bonschelle