55th wedding anniversary gifts
Emerald is the traditional and the modern gift for a 55th wedding anniversary, and its green sets the theme for everything else. Real emerald is a jeweller's purchase, so this guide pairs it with green, garden and family ideas at AUD prices from named Australian sellers, and notes the official letters some states send for a 55th.
What this anniversary symbolises
Fifty-five years married is the emerald anniversary. It sits between the gold of the 50th and the diamond of the 60th, which leaves room for a quieter, family-sized celebration at 55 if the couple would prefer one. Emerald's deep green is the colour of things that keep growing, and that suits a couple who, after more than half a century, still have a garden to tend and plans of their own.
Emerald is also the gemstone that Shiels and Eternity Rose give the 20th anniversary, so a green stone may already be in the family jewellery box from thirty-five years ago. A 55th gift can sit beside it: earrings to match an old emerald ring, or a new setting for a stone that has spent years in a drawer. Pairing them joins two milestones in one set that can be handed down.
Let the budget decide the format. Real emerald jewellery belongs at the top, bought from a jeweller who will put the stone's origin and any treatment in writing. Below that, think green: a tree planted in the garden, a picnic in the Blue Mountains or a botanic garden, or a family tree made by the grandchildren. For parents, adult children often find that a shared day out means more at 55 years than another thing for the shelf.
Traditional gift: Emerald
Emerald is the gift, so the headline idea is a green stone in a ring, a pendant or a pair of earrings. Ask the jeweller to name the stone's origin and any treatment, and keep that note with the box. If the couple already own an emerald from their 20th anniversary, a matching piece links the two milestones and gives the family a set to pass on later.
Modern gift: Emerald
The modern list keeps emerald, so the 55th has one colour to work with. Where a stone is out of reach, carry the green another way: an English oak or a fruit tree for the garden, a picnic among the trees in the Blue Mountains, or green glass and linen for the table. The colour does the work, and the gift still reads clearly as the 55th.
- Traditional
- Emerald
- Modern
- Emerald
- Name
- Emerald anniversary
In Australia: Some state offices send letters for the 55th: the NSW Governor writes for the 50th, then the 55th and every fifth year, and Tasmania's Governor and Premier send messages for the 50th, the 55th and every year from the 60th.
Gift ideas by budget
Under $50 (AUD)
English oak for the garden
Daleys Fruit Tree Nursery sells English oak grown from seedling for about $19.75 to $29, plus about $20.52 shipping, for a couple with room for a big tree.
Front page from the wedding day
Etsy AU sellers print a newspaper from the date of the wedding for about $29, a fine prompt for stories over lunch.
Green-covered memory book
An Officeworks soft cover photo book starts at about $9.95, enough for the grandchildren to fill with drawings, photos and a note each.
Fifty-five lines from the family
Ask fifty-five relatives and friends for one line each about her, and bind them into a small book or a card she can reread.
$50 to $200 (AUD)
Megalong Valley wine and cheese
RedBalloon lists a Megalong Valley wine and cheese experience for two at about $80, a green valley setting for a relaxed anniversary afternoon.
Royal Botanic Gardens picnic
RedBalloon's Royal Botanic Gardens picnic for two is about $142, an easy outing among the trees that adult children can book for their parents.
Mystery picnic for two
A NSW mystery picnic starts at about $170 through RedBalloon, and the surprise is part of the gift.
Plywood and hardwood family tree
The Humble Gift Co makes a plywood and hardwood family tree at about $99.95, with space for every name added in fifty-five years.
Afternoon tea at the Hotel Windsor
A weekday afternoon tea for two at Melbourne's Hotel Windsor is about $178 through RedBalloon, unhurried and close to the city.
$200 and up (AUD)
Emerald ring, pendant or earrings
A genuine emerald from a jeweller who documents its origin and treatment is the headline 55th gift; ask for quotes from two or three jewellers before you choose.
Emerald cufflinks or a tie bar
A small emerald set in a tie bar or a pair of cufflinks gives him the stone of the year in something he will wear to the party.
Luxury Blue Mountains picnic
RedBalloon's luxury Blue Mountains picnic is about $440, a long green afternoon for a couple who love the mountains.
Advanced English oak
Urban Tree Growers sells an advanced English oak for about $260 to $330, a family planting on a property with plenty of space.
Two nights in the Hunter Valley
RedBalloon lists a two-night Hunter Valley stay with dining from about $835, a gift adult children can pool towards through a registry.
Quick picks by recipient
For her
- Fifty-five lines from the family
- Afternoon tea at the Hotel Windsor
- Emerald ring, pendant or earrings
For him
- Front page from the wedding day
- Emerald cufflinks or a tie bar
For the couple
- English oak for the garden
- Front page from the wedding day
- Megalong Valley wine and cheese
For parents
- Green-covered memory book
- Royal Botanic Gardens picnic
- Plywood and hardwood family tree
What to write in the card
- Fifty-five years, and I would still pick you out of any crowd. Happy emerald anniversary, my love.
- To two people who have kept a marriage green and growing for fifty-five years: happy anniversary from all of us.
- Happy 55th. Five years past gold and still shining, which is more than the rest of us can say.
- To our grandparents: fifty-five years of Sunday lunches, school pick-ups and advice we should have taken sooner. We love you both.
- Here is to the 55th, and to planting something new together this year.
More wording by recipient and milestone is in our anniversary messages and wishes.
What to avoid
- Green glass sold as emerald; ask for the stone's name, origin and any treatment in writing before you pay.
- Planting an English oak in a small courtyard; it can grow to about 20 metres tall and up to 20 metres broad.
- A long, tiring surprise trip without checking comfort and access with the operator first.
- A big party for a couple who have asked for a quiet year; ask them, or ask someone who knows them well.
Ways to celebrate
- Plant a tree together on the day and take a photo of the two of them beside it every anniversary after.
- Hold a picnic in a botanic garden or the Blue Mountains, with green on the rug and the cake.
- Gather the family for lunch and read out any official letters that have arrived for the 55th.
- Ask the grandchildren to make a "55 things we love about you" book for the table.
- Revisit the place they marked their 20th, the year emerald was the gemstone, and toast both milestones.
Official congratulations for the 55th
From the 50th anniversary, the Prime Minister and the Governor-General send a free message of congratulations. A message from the King starts at the 60th anniversary.
One request covers every message. Lodge it with the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet (PM&C) through the online form, by email or by post, or ask the office of any federal MP or senator to lodge it for you.
The online form takes requests up to 3 months before the date, and it is best lodged at least 2 months ahead. You will need a copy of the marriage certificate or a statutory declaration. Belated requests are accepted up to 6 months after the anniversary.
Official sources differ on permanent residents and on some state rules for late requests, so check with PM&C if either applies. State Premiers, Governors and MPs send messages too: ask the office of your state MP how to request one.
55th anniversary questions
Emerald. When Freddie Met Lilly, Eternity Rose, Bridebook UK and Wikipedia's US list all give emerald for the 55th.
Emerald again. The modern list matches the traditional one, so green is the single theme for the year.
The emerald anniversary. The Australian gemstone lists from Shiels and Eternity Rose do not agree on a separate 55th gemstone, though both give emerald to the 20th, and the Australian florist guide we checked names no 55th flower.
Often, yes. PM&C says the Governor-General and the Prime Minister send messages for the "50th wedding anniversary or any year thereafter", though the Governor-General's own page lists the 50th, then the 60th, 65th, 70th and each year after, so check with PM&C for a 55th when you apply. The King's message starts at the 60th.
Several states and territories add their own for the 55th: the NSW Premier writes for the 50th and every year after, the NSW Governor for the 55th, Tasmania's Governor and Premier for the 55th, and the ACT Chief Minister for the 50th and each year after. Lodge the PM&C request 2 to 3 months before the date; for NSW state messages, go through the couple's state MP, who can lodge from 6 weeks before.
Daleys Fruit Tree Nursery in NSW sells English oak from about $19.75, Online Plants ships a 33cm potted English oak for about $169.95 to several capital cities, and Urban Tree Growers sells advanced trees from about $260.
Prefer cash toward something bigger?
Set up a free anniversary registry and let friends and family chip in toward a trip, an experience, or one special gift.