Tenth Anniversary * Traditional themes are tin or aluminium * Diamond is the modern gift I saw that you were perfect, and so I loved you. Then I saw that you were not perfect and I loved you even more - Angelita Lim Tin is one of the 'seven metals of alchemy' (along with gold, silver, mercury, copper, lead and iron). It was first mined over five thousand years ago and, when melted with copper, forms bronze. Our ancestors associated metals with spiritual qualities: tin symbolises wisdom and knowledge. In the UK, tin mining began around 2000 BC and developed over time into a prominent industry, especially in Cornwall, but it was never as significant in the US. However, the US was a major supplier of bauxite, the ore from which aluminium is derived. By the early twentieth century it produced over half the world's supply, perhaps explaining why aluminium has become an additional anniversary theme in the US but not in the UK! The modern theme for the tenth anniversary is diamond, but there are clearly some less expensive gift options as long as you maintain that you're just being a staunch traditionalist. A tin of beans or a canned drink will do the trick.

At least you can fully justify being a cheapskate. The tenth anniversary flower is the daffodil. One of the first spring flowers to appear after winter, it symbolises rebirth and regeneration. It is a member of the amaryllis family with the scientific name of Narcissus, the vain Greek god who fell in love with his own reflection in a lake and drowned himself in despair. On reflection, not a good idea. The alternative tenth anniversary stone to diamond is black onyx. This is said to support mental and physical strength, to protect the wearer from harm and absorb negativity.