First Anniversary Traditions: The Meaning Behind The Paper Gift
The Traditional First Anniversary Gift: The traditional gift for a first wedding anniversary is paper. This custom dates back to lists created in the late 19th and early 20th centuries that assigned specific materials to each year of marriage. Paper represents the very beginning of a couple’s journey together. Paper may seem simple, but it carries strong meaning. It symbolizes a blank page and the start of a shared story. After one year of marriage, couples are still learning and building their life together. The paper gift reflects growth, flexibility, and new opportunities ahead. In modern gift lists, the first anniversary is sometimes linked to clocks. Clocks represent the passage of time and the value of moments spent together. However, paper remains the most widely recognized traditional gift.