When celebrating a wedding anniversary, a gift basket is a unique present with a personal touch. As each anniversary is symbolized by a traditional gift, a modern gift, particular colors, and specific flowers, it will help you to know the different items that are associated with each anniversary to help you to create the perfect gift basket.

The traditional gift for the first anniversary is paper that is used to symbolize strength due to the interlaced connection of its fibers. The modern symbol for this anniversary is a clock, symbolizing the eternity of love. The colors are gold or yellow while the flower is the orange blossom or pansy. The pansy is associated with thought or remembrance, while the orange blossom represents purity and eternal love as well as fruitfulness and fertility.

To create an anniversary gift basket, you can incorporate all these elements. For a traditional gift basket for the first anniversary, you can choose gold or yellow trimmings and include items such as stationery, postcards, books, or a calendar. You can also add a subscription to a magazine, a gift certificate, a jigsaw puzzle, or a paperweight. For a contemporary gift basket you could include a clock, a watch, a sundial, or a kitchen timer. You could also create a basket that combines the traditional with the contemporary. As a finishing touch, you can include an orange blossom or a pansy.

To celebrate the second anniversary, cotton is the traditional symbol used to represent the versatility, durability, and prosperity of the union while the contemporary symbol is china that is elegant and beautiful like love. The second anniversary color is red, although linen white is also associated with this anniversary. The traditional flower is the cosmos, which symbolizes modesty. The daisy is also associated with this anniversary, which symbolizes innocence.

For the traditional gift basket, you can trim it in red and white and place a single cosmos bloom in the middle of a bow. You could also scatter daisies throughout the inside of the basket. As most cotton items are white, these colors will blend beautifully. You can include cotton items such as towels, linens, table cloths or more personal items, such as clothing. For the contemporary basket, china plates or figurines would be a nice addition.

The third anniversary traditional symbol is leather while the modern one is crystal. Leather is durable, warm, strong, and flexible and has a sense of resiliency. These are also qualities of a successful union. Crystal is symbolizes the beauty of the marriage and the way the light dances off the surface and emits a glow serves as a reminder as to how the couple can touch and enhance the lives of others. The color is white or jade green, although fawn is also acceptable. The third anniversary flower is fuchsia which symbolizes taste. The carnation is also associated with this anniversary, which symbolizes pure love and innocence.

For a traditional gift basket, clothing made out leather (imitation leather is acceptable in today's society) could be included as well as leather-bound books or leather carrying accessories, such as a purse or briefcase. For a contemporary gift basket, a commemorative crystal plate engraved with the couples name and anniversary date would be a personal gift that you could include. A crystal vase, wine glasses, or figurines are also gifts that would fit in nicely. You may consider trimming your gift basket in both white and jade green and scatter fuchsia blooms or carnations throughout the basket for a colorful background.

These are just a few of the many kinds of anniversary gift baskets that you can create. You can combine the traditional as well as the contemporary. You can also combine the colors and flowers or omit one or the other. By knowing the colors, flowers, and gifts associated with each of these anniversaries, you can have some fun and experiment to create the ideal anniversary gift basket.