A first anniversary is a very special time. Although the couple is no longer considered to be newlywed, the afterglow of the wedding is still quite real. Many parents want to give gifts to reflect the achievement of the first year of marriage. The traditional one-year anniversary gift is paper. A more modern take on the first anniversary gift is plastic or clocks. Pansies also represent the first year of marriage.

Although the art of writing letters is fast becoming a lost art, new stationery can still be a nice gift for a new couple. Parents can pick a traditional stationery, possibly one that matches the colors of the wedding and emboss it with the couple’s new name. The new couple can use the stationery to write thank-you notes or as gift cards for future events that they may hold.

After the wedding, the newly married couple settles back into their routine and unpacks their wedding gifts. But couples do not always receive what they register for or they might find that their actual needs have varied. Parents of either the bride or groom can contribute to the household by purchasing new art or furniture, something of value that the couple might not be able to afford on their own.

Create a DVD or CD for the newly wedded couple. If you are handy with a video camera or Flip camera, and involved in your children’s lives, you can create a short video of their first year of marriage together. As the couple ages, they will have fun looking back and remembering this special year. Conversely, less technical parents can still create a CD full of music representing the couple’s first year together. The CDs can be created easily as most modern laptops come equipped with DVD/CD burners.

Purchase an artisan, heirloom clock for the couple. The clocks come in many shapes and sizes for the wall or mantle. Parents can choose from clocks made of glass or wood. Many companies also offer engraving services to personalize the clocks.

Parents can buy pansies for the new couple. Pansies come in a number of bright colors, including but not limited to reds, whites and purples. The plants are biennials and can be planted indoors or outdoors with minimal care. Each time the flowers bloom, the couple will remember the gift and the giver of the gift.