Forty years of marriage is a ruby wedding anniversary, and ruby red is one of the happiest themes to work with. By forty years most couples have children, often grandchildren, and four decades of shared stories. The best ruby anniversary gifts bring those stories together.
Here are ruby wedding anniversary gift ideas, honestly assessed, from a family celebration to something for their wall.
What makes a ruby anniversary gift right
It celebrates the couple and the family they made
At forty years, the family itself is often part of the achievement. A gift that includes children and grandchildren usually lands best.
Red is the theme
Red roses, red wine, a red card, red ribbon. The colour is an easy, joyful way to mark the occasion without buying rubies.
It is something they will enjoy every day
Choose something for their home or their time together rather than something that sits in a box.
Ruby wedding anniversary gift ideas, honestly assessed
1. Forty years of photos in one piece
A photo collage of their life together: the wedding, the homes, the children growing up, the grandchildren now. A word art collage puts the words of their story around the photos: their names, the wedding date, the places they have lived, the things they always say. A Word Heart Collage, with the photos arranged in a heart, is another natural fit for an anniversary.
2. Forty red roses
Simple, generous and exactly on theme. Arrange delivery for the morning of the anniversary.
3. A family meal
Book a table for the whole family, or host one at home. At forty years, having everyone around the same table is often the gift they want most.
4. Recreate a favourite holiday
The place they went every summer, the honeymoon destination, the weekend away they still talk about. A return trip brings the memories back.
5. A bottle of red from their wedding year
A wine or port from the year they married is a thoughtful gift for a couple who enjoy a glass together.
6. Letters from the family
Ask each child and grandchild to write a short memory or what the couple has taught them. Forty letters for forty years is a lovely target.
Finding forty years of photos
Ask every branch of the family
Children and grandchildren each hold photos the others have never seen. A shared album with a date to send by keeps it simple.
Photograph the old prints
Lay prints flat near a window, with the flash off, and photograph them straight on. Photos can be cropped in the designer, so borders do not matter.
Choose by the story
You do not need a photo from every year. Choose the photos that tell their story best, with plenty of the two of them together.
What size and format
For forty years of photos, an A1 or A0 framed print gives room for plenty of photos without anything being too small. An A2 print holds up to 35 photos, an A1 up to 60 and an A0 up to 100. A poster hanger is lighter and simpler to hang. Not every size is available in every country; our guide to photo collage prints compares the formats.
What to write in a ruby anniversary card
Something personal: a memory of the two of them, what their marriage has meant to the family, or simple thanks for forty years of example. "Forty years, and still the best team we know" says plenty.
Frequently asked questions
What is the traditional gift for a 40th wedding anniversary?
Ruby. Most people use the red colour as a theme, such as red roses, a red card or red wrapping, rather than buying rubies.
What do you buy a couple for their ruby anniversary?
Something about their forty years: a collage of their life together, a family meal, or a trip back to a place they love.
Can the collage include their names and wedding date?
Yes. You choose every word yourself, so names, the date and the place they married can all go around the photos.
Can old black and white photos go next to new ones?
Yes. They sit well together, and the whole collage can also be shown in black and white.
Where to start
Ask the family for their favourite photos of the couple, then start creating the collage here. Designing costs nothing and you only pay if you decide to print it. For other milestones, see our silver wedding anniversary gifts and golden wedding anniversary gifts.