“Why the heck did they give us this!?” That’s definitely not the response you want to your anniversary gift for your sister and brother-in-law.
Buying gifts for other couples can be tough though. Use this thoughtful list of anniversary gift ideas for your sister and brother-in-law to make sure your gift doesn’t end up in the re-gift pile. And yes, family members do that too.
Thoughtful Anniversary Gift Ideas for Your Sister and Brother-in-Law
Anniversaries are huge milestones, even when they’re not yours. My husband and I are almost 5 years into marriage. Every year counts and every year is a special occasion! I like to look at longer couples’ anniversaries as inspiration. But what is the best anniversary gift for another couple?
I’m sharing some great anniversary gift ideas for your sister and her husband by category. You’re sure to find something they’ll both gush over. Read through them all and jot down your favorites, or scan right to the type of gift you think they’ll like and check those out first.
Personalized Anniversary Gift Ideas
Some of the best anniversary gifts are personalized. Personalization makes ordinary gifts special and intimate.
You can personalize them by adding their last name or first names, initials, wedding date, bible verse, or another significant word or phrase they share.
There are a ton of things you can personalize but here are some of my favorites.
Personalized Drinkware Anniversary Gift Ideas
1. Water Bottles
2. Coffee Mugs
3. Wine Glasses
4. Tote Bags
Water bottles, coffee mugs, wine glasses, or tote bags are all good personalization items. Most people are bound to use one or more of these every day.
These gift ideas are also well-suited for his and hers sets. Stainless steel bottles and mugs are more durable and they can be personalized too.
Personalized Photo and Memory Anniversary Gift Ideas
5. Picture Frame
6. Photo Album
A nice picture frame can be a lovely gift in itself, especially, if you frame a picture from their special day. However, engraved photo frames enhance the memory of the pictures they hold. Similarly, a personalized photo album can be a unique storytelling prop.
Pro tip: include some old photos of them they don’t even know you have. If you don’t have any old photos of them, ask them for some of theirs. Just tell them you plan to do something special with them for their anniversary.
Personalized Practical Anniversary Gift Ideas
7. Monogrammed Towels
8. Leather Wallet
9. Stationery Set
Practical gifts are a good idea for the special couple who likes personal gifts but don’t have a lot of space for things they don’t use often. Good examples of practical things that can be personalized are monogrammed towels or a leather wallet.
A personalized stationery set is another good idea if they do a lot of note-writing or list-making, which is the case for my sister. She’s a writer and a soon-to-be professor. 😊 In fact, I’ve given her a personalized stationery set before that included a notebook, a digital paper template (so she can print as much as she wants), and a pen.
Experience Anniversary Gift Ideas
10. Cooking Class
11. Wine Tasting
12. Horseback Riding
13. Craft Starter Kit: Knitting, Woodworking
14. Hobby Class: Gardening, Dancing
15. Couples Massage
16. Romantic “Out-of-the-Box” Dinner
Are your sister and brother-in-law the types who like to get out and try new things? An experience gift is perfect for them. Plus, learning new things together is a great way for couples to bond and strengthen their relationship.
Experience gift ideas include a cooking class, wine tasting, or horseback riding. Learning a new craft or starting a new hobby is another fun experience idea such as knitting, woodworking, or gardening.
Your gift would be an introductory class or starter kit, the rest would be something they can share for years to come.
If you want to give them something a bit more romantic, try a couples massage or a romantic dinner in an out-of-the-box location such as on the beach, or in a museum.
Home Decor Anniversary Gift Ideas
17. Bedding Set
18. Wall Art
19. Coffee Table
20. Wooden Stand
Home decor gifts are especially good first wedding anniversary gifts for newer married couples. They are just starting their married life, and home, together.
Good options for home decor gifts are a new bedding set, wall art, a functional coffee table, or a wooden stand they can use for multiple purposes.
A couple’s first home together is a special place they will remember for a long time. Home decor is the perfect present to show them your love and support.
Pro tip: people have different style preferences so be sure to include a gift receipt. This way it’s easy for them to exchange it for something else.
Technology Anniversary Gift Ideas
21. Smart Home Device
22. Wireless Headphones or Earbuds
23. Robot Sweeper
These gift ideas are for the techies we know and love. Warning: this gift may come with the added, eh hmm … bonus, of listening to them explain how it works and all the features the next time you visit. 😒
Consider these anniversary gift ideas centered around technology: a smart home device, wireless headphones or earbuds, or a robot sweeper.
Unique Anniversary Gift Ideas
24. Local Gift Basket
25. Favorite Things Box
26. Original Poem
Unique anniversary gifts are wonderful gift ideas for your sister and brother-in-law because they feel very personal and demonstrate the thought and effort you put into choosing their gift.
A unique gift idea for a wedding anniversary is a gift basket of various marinades and other local spices, sauces, or flavors. It can be a roundup of local items from the place where they live or a place they’ve always wanted to go.
Other unique gift ideas include a box, or basket, of their favorite things. Pro tip: theme the box or basket around the number anniversary they are celebrating.
For example, a second-year anniversary gift basket could include two tickets to either a movie, their favorite band, or their favorite sports event. Then include two of all their favorite snacks to enjoy while attending the event.
For 25th wedding anniversary gifts, you could include $25 gift cards for some of their favorite things.
One more unique idea … if you have a writing talent, try your hand at writing a poem for them. This is the most unique idea since it will be one-of-a-kind. Up the presentation by typing it on glossy, decorative paper and framing it.
Budget-Friendly Anniversary Gift Ideas
27. Flower Bouquet
28. Gift Cards
29. Subscription Services
30. Personal Coupon Book
Thoughtful gifts don’t have to be very expensive. Often, the most thoughtful gifts only cost you time and energy. Try out some of these great ideas for your sister and brother-in-law that won’t break your budget.
Flower Bouquet
A beautiful flower arrangement is joyful to see, smells good, and serves as a pleasant reminder that you remembered their anniversary.
Gift Card
Restaurant gift cards to restaurants where they like to eat or store gift cards to places where they like to shop are your best bet. Gift cards may seem impersonal but they are truly the right gifts for some people.
My best friend is a prime example of someone who appreciates a gift card. She and her husband can be pretty particular, and they are not afraid to say so, lol.
Pro tip: if they are new homeowners, a Home Depot or Lowe’s gift card is a perfect gift. They may not realize they need it yet but, they will! Oh, the joys of home ownership. 😂
Subscription Anniversary Gift Ideas
Subscription services can work very well as an anniversary gift. Just be sure it’s something they really love. A subscription for something you love is a great addition to your life. A subscription for something you don’t love can quickly become an annoyance.
Try one of these if you’re interested in giving your sister and brother-in-law a subscription gift for their wedding anniversary. Consider a monthly snack or meal box, streaming service of movies and shows, or wine of the month.
One more subscription service anniversary gift idea … a fragrance subscription like Scent Box. I‘ve gotten my husband one of these subscriptions before and he loved it.
Personal Coupon Book
A personal coupon book is a special gift idea because it combines DIY and budget-friendly. Get crafty by making a cool coupon book then fill it with things you’re willing to do for them to make life a little easier. Examples include cooking dinner, cleaning the house, or babysitting for a date night.
DIY Anniversary Gift Ideas
31. Homemade Candle
32. Bath Scrub or Bath Bomb
33. Christmas Ornaments
34. Hand-drawn or Painted Portrait
35. Advice
DIY anniversary gifts are personal, thoughtful, and fun to make. Plus, you can find tutorials for most of them on YouTube. An ornament can double as a Christmas gift if their anniversary is near the holidays.
Ornaments can also kick off a tradition of collecting them to mark the years of their marriage. We have Christmas ornaments that are treasured momentos we use every year.
If you have a talent for drawing or painting, try creating a handmade portrait based on one of their pictures.
My last DIY anniversary gift idea for your sister and brother-in-law is the gift of advice. This gift works best coming from more seasoned married couples to newer married couples. There is something to be said for standing the test of time, and married couples who have can share a lot of lessons learned to help those starting out.
One word of caution is to make sure your advice will be welcomed by the happy couple and not offensive. That said, I’ve never met a newer married couple who would turn down sound advice.
Pro tip: package your advice in a presentable way such as a journal, decorative note cards, or small notes in a DIY decorated jar.
Sister and Brother-in-Law Anniversary Gift Ideas
Unique gifts, tech gifts, DIY, and home decor … this epic list of anniversary gift ideas for your sister and brother-in-law is all you need for their next anniversary. Keep this list handy and you’ll always be ready with a thoughtful gift for your sister and her husband.
The only downside – practicing how to pantomime dropping the mic when you give them their gift. 😏
Common Anniversary Gift Questions
What are the Best Anniversary Gifts for Couples?
The best anniversary gifts for couples are those that are meaningful. Some of the best gifts are things that remind them why they got married and celebrate the accomplishment of staying together.
Many of the gifts in this article will do just that.
What are Meaningful Anniversary Gifts?
Meaningful anniversary gifts are gifts that will last over time. Meaningful gifts are things that the couple can use or will enjoy doing for years to come. They also include things that have great sentimental value and demonstrate how well you know the couple.
Do Couples Give Each Other Anniversary Gifts?
Traditionally, couples get each other anniversary gifts. The television and film industry has created several comedic bits about spouses who forgot to get an anniversary gift.
However, more and more, couples are exploring different ways of gifting on their anniversary. My hubby and I prefer to spoil each other on each of our birthdays and keep it simple on our anniversary.
Except for every five years when we will do something a little bit bigger. This year will be the first time we do this since we are about to hit our first five years. 😊
