We don’t mean to make blanket statements, but the reality of the matter is that most of you reading this probably have a special couple in your life from which you draw inspiration. It could be your own parents, it could be your grandparents. It could be a special aunt and uncle to whom you’ve always felt a considerably strong bond. It might be the parents of a friend, or your friends themselves. Maybe you even draw inspiration and strength from the duration and integrity of your own bonds of holy matrimony.

Whatever the case, there is no time like an anniversary to do some justice and pay some special honor to the important couple in your life, whoever it happens to be. Luckily, you happen to be in just the right place to find a gift that you can really be proud of.

What an Anniversary Signifies

The reason we give important gifts, by the way, is because of what an anniversary signifies to the couple, to the people in their lives, and to everyone around them. Each and every anniversary is a momentous occasion and a time to take a step back and reflect on the commitment, the dedication, the compromise, and the general goodness and love that made the marriage work.

Every year is a triumph over adversity, over selfishness, and over immediate gratification and self-indulgence. A marriage requires a union of the minds - of true minds, as Shakespeare has said, to which no impediments could be admitted.

That type of union requires hard work and the ability to lay aside the self in order to secure the happiness of another, and by extension for both. These are some of the reasons that anniversaries are so highly exalted in our culture. They’re also why there are so many unique gifts that are designed specifically to be given for the celebration of an anniversary.

In this article, we’re going to take a look at the traditional and modern approaches to giving wedding anniversary gifts for couples, with a special emphasis on two specific years - the third and fifteenth years. All anniversaries are momentous, but here at J Devlin Glass Art, we produce gifts that are uniquely suitable for these.

Traditional vs Modern Approach

If you take to the wilds of the internet in search of appropriate anniversary gifts, or you turn to an old-timer, you’re going to quickly come to the realization that there are some themes to be uncovered in the gift-giving traditions associated with anniversaries. That is to say, every anniversary has specific gifts that are intended to be given to celebrate the occasion.

On top of the fact that there are some guidelines associated with gift-giving at anniversaries, there are two approaches to each, being a traditional approach and a more modern one. Each anniversary has a theme associated with it, depending on whether you want to take the traditional or modern approach.

For example, it is customary to give a gift of paper for the 1st anniversary that a couple is celebrating, because of the paper's unique attributes. Beautiful gifts and art can be made of paper, but at the same time, paper is still amazingly fragile and susceptible to damage from a variety of influences. Still, despite its delicacy, with the proper care and attention, paper will last for many years - a lifetime, even - just like a marriage.

That, however, is the traditional gift approach. If you were to look at the modern approach to 1st-anniversary gifts, you wouldn’t be coming across paper anniversary gift ideas. Instead, you’d see that the modern approach is to give clocks or a timepiece of some sort for the first year of marriage. Clocks represent the idea that there is still a lot of time to pass, and with it will come the challenges, trials, and travails of life. Still, there is symbolism rooted in hope.

This is just a short snapshot of some of the gifts that are customarily given for the first year anniversary, but in this article, we’re actually going to focus on some very traditional and modern takes on two other years.

Highlighting Some Special Years

Because of the nature of the gifts that we produce here at J Devlin Glass Art, we’re going to focus on the third and fifteenth years of anniversary in this article.

What is it about these years that makes them more important than the other years? Nothing - all anniversary celebrations deserve their own commendation and recognition. It’s simply the nature of the gifts that people typically give on these occasions that makes them noteworthy.

The Third Year Anniversary

The third year of marriage is the first one we’ll investigate in this article, along with the gifts that are traditionally given on the occasion. First, to understand it better, you need to step back and reflect on the significance of the third year anniversary gift.

By the third year of marriage, the honeymoon phase is past. The couple may only have been married for a short period of time, objectively, but the marriage is by no means new any longer. By the third year, challenges will start to have presented themselves, and the couple will have recognized that it takes work to get through the difficulties. Life is not all about sunshine and rainbows. There is difficulty, there are challenges, and there are hardships, even in paradise.

For this reason, it is customary for the traditionalist following a classic gift guide to give a gift of leather as a gift for a third-year anniversary celebration. Leather, which on its own is plain and even coarse, is a remarkably durable material. It must be treated carefully and with respect because it is still suspect to damage. However, when it has been cared for with attention and love, it will last for many years. It is also extremely tough and resilient when it is cared for properly. You will also note that though the nature of unfinished leather is coarse and even rude, leather can be crafted into beautifully finished works of art. Again, there is a corollary here for marriage.

In the eyes of the traditionalist, something of that nature would constitute the perfect gift for the big day in question. However, there is a new train of thought that has taken a more contemporary approach to how to view and celebrate the third year wedding anniversary. It still hinges on the fragility and beauty, but it uses another material.

Taking a contemporary viewpoint, the perfect wedding day anniversary gift for the third year is a gift of glass or crystal. Crystal, like leather, is beautiful, but it doesn’t require as much work to become so. Crystal and glass are outright beautiful, but unlike leather, they are not tough. This is a symbol for the way the third year of marriage appears, both without and within. To observers, the union may be beautiful and perfect, but a closer inspection will reveal that there are still years ahead, which may break without careful handling - just like glass.

We here at J Devlin Glass Art really do believe it’s the thought that counts, which means we encourage you to get the gift for that special couple that you think is most fitting - be it glass, crystal, or leather. Our aim is simply to provide you with the right avenue to present the perfect wedding anniversary gift for couples, which we do - as detailed below.

The Fifteenth Anniversary

By the fifteenth anniversary of the wedding, everyone, including the couple in question, is viewing the marriage through a new lens. Great challenges have no doubt already been overcome, and many personal obstacles overcome and others put aside. By the fifteenth year, the marriage is no longer a young one. It has a history that should be celebrated and honored.

By the fifteenth year, the perspective on the gifting has been switched. It is not the modern view that suggests giving gifts of glass or crystal. By the time fifteen years have elapsed - that’s a decade and a half, for a fresh view on the matter - it is the traditionalist who would suggest giving a gift of glass or crystal.

The take is similar but not entirely the same by this point, as well. Whereas previously, the symbolism might be construed as “a beautiful thing that yet remains fragile,” by the fifteenth year, it might be taken that the marriage was fragile previously, but careful handling has enabled it to blossom into a beautiful, rich item that is lustrous and worthy of praise.

One might also make the observation that crystal and glass (crystal, specifically) is transparent, which connotes the fact that the only way to build up such a longstanding union is with transparency, openness, and communication. That can be argued, but it bears noting.

Whatever the case, by the fifteenth year of marriage, the foundation which has been built is sturdy and strong, though not unshakable. Those symbolic attributes that define crystal and glass must still be protected in order to safeguard the future of the marriage, which is something on which both traditionalists and contemporary observers would be likely to agree.

Perfect Anniversary Gifts for Couples - For Any Year!

Still, whether for a wedding anniversary gift for couples for the third, fifteenth year, or otherwise, here at J Devlin Glass Art we create unique gifts that are perfect for any celebration. Read on below to see what we offer and why it matters - because of our unique selling points, you can get better-suited gifts for any occasion - whether for an anniversary, as a wedding gift or a birthday gift, or just as a token of appreciation.

What We Provide

Here’s some quick insight into what we offer at J Devlin Glass Art and why it matters - as well as why our gifts are so uniquely situated to be appropriate for such a wide range of celebrations. From a wedding anniversary gift for parents to something as simple as wall art, there’s something in our collection for every occasion.

●Real Tiffany method stained glass - each and every one of our creations are made from real. Tiffany method stained glass that will never fade, no matter how many years go by. It’s also remarkable for its unique interplay with natural and artificial light - something that must be experienced to be understood.

●Lead-free solder scrollwork and ornamentations - Many of our gifts, particularly our photo frames and glass jewelry boxes, are accented with unique, lead-free solder scrollwork.

●Unique, handcrafted designs - Everything on our site - every one of our glass gifts - is uniquely handcrafted specifically for us. These are not shelf items and you will find them nowhere else. They are made just for J Devlin Glass Art by skilled craftsmen and artisans.

●Waxed to preserve luster - Our glass gifts are also waxed to preserve luster so that even when they are handled, they will not lose their shine.

●Gifts selected by theme - You can come up with an idea for what you want and then shop, or you can shop through our collection by theme, whichever is easier for you.

●The ability to personalize - You can also check out our collection of items that can be personalized to lend an even more special touch to an already wonderful and exquisite gift.

●Thoughtful, protective packaging - Each and every item here at J Devlin Glass Art is carefully packaged before shipping in order to protect it during transit. These are fragile glass items, after all!

●Free shipping - Finally, as an added bonus for our customers, all orders from J Devlin Glass Art ship for free!

Call Us Up

Give us a call at 844-772-2145 if you ever have any questions about what we do or how we do it. Give us a call even if you just want some suggestions on what to pick up for a friend or family member. There’s something in our collection of picture frames, jewelry boxes, ornaments, valet trays, and other personalized items for everyone. We’re proud not just of our unique items; we’re also proud of our customer service, so call us up today.