The 3rd anniversary is a time of learning about partners, adapting to their habits, identifying their quirks, and reflecting on the challenges of marriage. It is said to be a time of durability, as couples have overcome many things to reach that milestone. The 3-year anniversary gift should reflect that challenge, representing the relationship’s durability, which is why leather is the traditional gift.
A 3-year anniversary gift is traditionally a leather-based present given to a spouse after three years of marriage. Leather material is strong and may represent durability in the relationship and an awareness of the challenges that come ahead and the couple’s strength to overcome them.
Leather is a gift that represents durability, flexibility, and strength — perfect after 3-years of marriage. Let’s explore some common characteristics, costs, and benefits of 3-year anniversary gifts.
What Is a 3-year Anniversary Gift?
A 3-year anniversary gift is a present given to a spouse after three years of marriage. The traditional gift is leather, denoting the durability and flexibility of marriage. This can vary from a leather keychain to leather furniture and more. There are traditional gifts for every year of marriage, and the 3-year anniversary gift of leather offers almost limitless choices
What We’ll Explore
- Clearing up Myths & Misconceptions
- The History of 3-year Anniversary Gifts
- Why You Might Like a 3-year Anniversary Gift
- 3-year Anniversary Gift Overview Table
- Popular Types and Styles of 3-year Anniversary Gifts
- Common 3-year Anniversary Gift Characteristics
- 3-year Anniversary Gift Costs
- Pros of a 3-year Anniversary Gift
- Cons of a 3-year Anniversary Gift
- 3-year Anniversary Gift Manufacturing Process – How They’re Made
- Experienced Tips for Choosing a 3-year Anniversary Gift
- My Personal Research with 3-year Anniversary Gifts
- 3-year Anniversary Gift Care and Maintenance
- Helpful Insights on 3-year Anniversary Gifts
- Key Takeaways
Clearing Up Myths & Misconceptions
One myth around 3-year anniversary gifts (or any anniversary, for that matter) is that monogramming shouldn’t be done anymore because it’s considered old school. However, monogramming will always be a classic to personalize anniversary gifts for loved ones.
A common misconception around anniversary gifts is they must be chosen from traditional, modern, or both. Instead, you should choose an anniversary gift because it symbolizes a loving and lasting relationship, something special to the marriage, or something needed or wanted.
The History of 3-year Anniversary Gifts
The history of anniversary gifts themed by year dates back to some time in the Middle Ages. Gifts during this period were thought to be for luck and good fortune, marriage strength, and investment in the relationship.
The gifts by year of marriage were popular in Victorian times, although historians are unsure how traditional gifts came about. Research by Russell W. Belk from The Association of Consumer Research confirms that one thing is sure — there is a great deal of effort involved in choosing a 3-year anniversary gift versus a birthday present for a neighbor.
Why You Might Like a 3-year Anniversary Gift
Leather for a 3-year anniversary is an excellent gift for many reasons. It is a luxurious, soft, durable material, perfect for nice shoes or a jacket. Leather can be tanned to many different colors or the natural hide color, plus it can be engraved with monograms or whatever the heart desires. Most importantly, a 3-year anniversary gift is highly desirable because it is made to last many years.
3-year Anniversary Gift Overview Table
| 3-year Anniversary Gift Characteristic | Details |
| Item | 3-year Anniversary Gift |
| Uses | Decorative, practical, experience |
| Common Materials | Leather |
| Popular Colors | Shades of brown, black, red, green, white |
| Sizes | From small to large, a leather ring to a leather couch |
| Popular Styles | Decorative, functional, practical, symbolic |
| Cost Range ($) | $10–$579+ |
| How Long it Lasts (on average) | 10–20+ years |
Popular Types and Styles of 3-year Anniversary Gifts
Because there are both traditional and modern choices for anniversary gifts, many popular types and styles of 3-year anniversary gifts are available. Let’s take a look at a few options.
- Leather jewelry
- Leather purse
- Leather journal
- Leather jacket
- Leather furniture
- Personalized leather accessories
A 3-year anniversary gift can also be selected according to budget, with plenty of options for every price range.
Common 3-year Anniversary Gift Characteristics
Materials
The traditional 3-year anniversary gift is made of leather. Depending on the gift chosen, it can be entirely of this material or a combination of items, including paper, metal, wood, and more.
Sizes
The sizes for 3-year anniversary gifts vary widely. They can include anything from leather luggage tags to a leather couch or more unique presents, like a personally designed leather bag or a drive in a fancy car with leather seats. There’s even leather furniture!
Variations
From everyday use to the once-in-a-lifetime experience, 3-year anniversary gifts vary widely. A common-use item could be a leather keychain, an engraved leather notebook, or a jacket. A fancier variation could be framed leather sheet music for a favorite song or wedding dance or a ride in a Bugatti sports car with a leather interior.
Leather products are known to last anywhere from 10–20 years and sometimes even longer.
Key Uses
There are many uses for leather 3-year anniversary gifts. Some 3-year anniversary gifts are practical and used for things like carrying keys or jotting down notes. Other uses include daily wear like leather shoes and jackets. Some may be used less, like a one-hour driving experience in a leather interior sports car or engraved leather framed art.
3-year Anniversary Gift Costs
Depending on the size and product, 3-year anniversary gift costs vary widely. An internet search showed prices range from $10–$565, which can leave a great deal up to the imagination! Here are some examples of 3-year anniversary gift costs:
- A brass and leather keychain from IRONandGRAINusa can be purchased on Etsy for as low as $9.71 with options for personalized engraving included on one side or $11.96 for both sides.
- An engraved leather tray from Kate Post can be purchased from Amazon for $15.49.
- Abel Rios sells a beautifully engraved leather and wood coffee table for $579.99.
- A one-hour driving experience in a McLaren goes for $494.
Pros of a 3-year Anniversary Gift
Anything made from leather is not just luxurious but also durable. Leather products are known to last anywhere from 10–20 years and sometimes even longer. With so many available options, choosing the right gift can be easy.
Cons of a 3-year Anniversary Gift
Depending on what is chosen, 3-year anniversary gifts can be a bit pricey. Also, leather is generally only able to be washed by hand, with specific instructions for keeping it clean and maintaining the material. However, cleaning leather doesn’t have to be done too frequently.
3-year Anniversary Gift Manufacturing Process – How They’re Made
A leather 3-year anniversary gift is made from animal hide tanned with chrome salts or vegetable tanning products. This process removes the hair, makes the material durable, and helps stiffen the leather for some applications.
The leather may be dyed through this process, or the original color may be maintained. Shapes are cut out for specific leather products, then sewn together by hand or machine. The leather is then sent to manufacturing plants and stores to create many different leather products.
Experienced Tips for Choosing a 3-year Anniversary Gift
Frequency of Use
Choosing a 3-year anniversary gift should be based on the frequency of use and the intended recipient’s personality. High quality generally means a product will last longer, even with repeated use, making it worth the price. It should also be a meaningful gift, perhaps not “used” but placed as decoration.
Environment/Conditions
The conditions of where a 3-year anniversary gift will be used also needs some consideration. If it is intended for use outdoors, choose a tanned leather that is more resistant to moisture. It should be stitched well and comfortable to hold or wear for frequent use and handling.
Cost
Cost can be a prohibitive factor for some, but there are many affordable options for 3-year anniversary gifts. Several types of leather, from top grain (highest quality) to PU leather (faux leather), are great for the wallet and the animal lover. The higher the quality, the higher the cost, but leather is a gift that will last decades!
Trends
Trends can be quite influential in purchasing presents, even with 3-year anniversary gifts. One can follow trends for that calendar year or the traditional path for the 3rd marriage anniversary gift. It should all go back to meeting the personal preference of the intended recipient.
Personal Preference
What is the recipient’s preference for 3-year anniversary gifts? Find out what they like, don’t like, need, and want, and one can learn an appropriate yet traditional 3-year anniversary gift. If they are a minimalist, consider an experience over a collectible. If they’re an enthusiast, consider a unique gift to fit their interests.
Need more inspiration? Check out this leather anniversary gifts video by Craftive Leather.
My Personal Research with 3-year Anniversary Gifts
To learn more about popular 3-year anniversary gifts, I asked couples what type of leather gift they would like to receive the most to represent this milestone. Here is a table representing the percentages of their responses and what I learned from the poll about popular 3-year anniversary gifts.
| Leather Gift | Times Selected |
| Picture Frame | 28% |
| Watch bands | 16% |
| Rings | 6% |
| Serving tray | 22% |
| Journal | 16% |
| Gloves | 11% |
3-year Anniversary Gift Care and Maintenance
How to Clean a 3-year Anniversary Gift
A soft brush or microfiber cloth can be used to spot clean leather 3-year anniversary gifts. Commercial leather cleaners may also be used on certain types of leather, just follow the manufacturer’s instructions, and test any new products in an inconspicuous spot for colorfastness. Allow the leather to air dry, then condition it with a proper leather conditioner.
How to Maintain a 3-year Anniversary Gift
A leather 3-year anniversary gift should not be submerged in water. Some finished leather products, like jackets, are more resistant to moisture but still need regular maintenance to keep the leather supple. Clean regularly and condition the leather periodically to prevent cracking.
How to Store a 3-year Anniversary Gift
Leather 3-year anniversary gifts should be stored in a dry, temperature-controlled area, protected from direct sunlight and dust. Remove the 3-year anniversary gift from storage to clean and condition it regularly and prevent any moisture.
Helpful Insights on 3-year Anniversary Gifts
What is the traditional 3-year anniversary gift?
The traditional 3-year anniversary gift is made from leather. Some common traditional 3-year anniversary gifts are leather picture frames, leather trays, and leather keychains.
What do you do for a 3-year anniversary?
A 3-year anniversary can be celebrated with traditional leather gifts such as leather picture frames, keychains, serving trays, or watch bands. A 3-year anniversary gift could also be time spent together, dinner and a movie, or even just a special experience.
What do I get my wife for our third anniversary?
For the third anniversary, the gift of leather engraved with the sheet music for the first dance would bring a tear to almost any wife’s eye. A leather ring, a picture frame with a special photo, or a leather purse are other gift ideas for wives.
What is the symbol for 3-years of marriage?
The symbol for 3-years of marriage is leather, crystal, or glass. Gemstones like pearls or jades and flowers like sunflowers or Fushia are also sometimes symbolic of 3-years of marriage.
What is the 3-year anniversary theme?
The traditional theme for the 3-year anniversary is leather. Crystal and glass are also common themes for the 3-year anniversary gift.
What do I get my husband for our third wedding anniversary?
For the third anniversary, the gift of a leather wallet, an engraved leather tray, or the experience of driving an exotic car for an hour would make almost any husband happy.
What is the flower for the third wedding anniversary?
The sunflower is the official flower for the third wedding anniversary. Fushia may also commonly represents the third wedding anniversary.
Key Takeaways
- A meaningful 3-year anniversary gift doesn’t have to cost an arm and a leg.
- Leather 3-year anniversary gifts are beautiful and durable.
- There’s a 3-year anniversary gift for every taste and every budget.
In Closing
The 3-year anniversary is a time of love, celebration, and reflection. They are plentiful, practical, experiential, durable, and meaningful. Leather is a beautiful product that is durable, just like a marriage after 3-years together, and can create a remarkable memory of that union. Which 3-year anniversary gift will you choose?