Gifts for the 50th wedding anniversary celebrations are supposed to be gold - one of the most precious metals on the planet. Spending fifty years as husband and wife is no easy task. Many couples barely make it beyond one decade let alone five. Of course, gold gifts can be a little expensive so here are a few ideas that might better fit your budget while still allowing you to keep the theme for this very special, once-in-a-lifetime anniversary.

Jewelry

While you can spend a fortune on gold jewelry if you have the funds, you don't have to. You could do something as simple as having your existing wedding bands polished and maybe engraved. That's a nice gift for the two of you, plus it adds to the sentimental value of the rings. Many jewelry pieces are also fairly affordable even if they are gold: cuff links, earrings, maybe a locket or gold watch. These are all ideas you might want to consider. And remember to shop around. You can often find good deals on jewelry online.

Picture Frames

Many beautiful picture frames come with gold borders, but an empty frame may not seem like much of a gift. Instead, go through your collection of photos, find a good number of them that represent special moments of your family's life, have copies made, and create a collage within the picture frame.

Another idea is to shop around rummage sales and thrift shops in search of a beautiful, old picture frame that has some character to it. Even if the frame itself isn't gold, you can purchase golf leaf at a craft store and create an inexpensive frame that looks amazing.

Keepsake Items

Some of the best gift ideas are ones that could double as keepsakes for your family to treasure, too. Gold anniversary clocks are a lovely tradition and usually can be engraved with a personal message, your names, the date of your wedding, or any other information you want to include. While the clocks you can engrave, you'll find a wide range of other items in gold. Golden goblets, for example, are a nice gift, especially when paired with a bottle of champagne or your favorite wine.

Other Ideas for Gold Gifts

While picture frames can be turned fabulous with some gold leaf, so can chocolate. You can purchase chocolates that have been decorated with edible gold leaf. A couple of these delectable treats are perfect as gifts for 50th wedding anniversary celebrations, plus they can be paired up with other non-gold gift ideas, such as a magical dinner at a great restaurant or a return trip to your honeymoon destination.

You can also turn almost any gift you give into something appropriate for the theme by wrapping it in gold paper or tying a gold ribbon around it. If you think gold would be hard to find, don't worry. Your local craft store is sure to have what you need. Wrap up a CD of songs played at your wedding or that you danced to while you were dating. Purchase tickets to a movie or theater performance your spouse wants to see. Or wrap the ribbon around a bouquet of dark yellow roses - they may not be made of gold but they do look gold.