Ruby Wedding Anniversary Gifts: Personalised Ideas for 40 Years
Quick answer: The best personalised ruby wedding anniversary gift is a 40th anniversary word art print made with your own words: the couple’s names, their wedding date and the memories that sum up forty years. Prints start from £9.99 as an instant digital download, with framed A4 from £22.99 and framed A3 from £30.99.
Updated October 2026
Forty years is a long time to share a life, and most couples at this stage already own plenty of things. What they rarely have is something that tells their own story. That is where a personalised print comes in. You can browse the full anniversary and special occasions collection to see every design, or read on for ideas matched to different couples and budgets.
In this guide
- What a ruby anniversary means and what to give
- Gifts for the couple celebrating 40 years
- Gifts from children and grandchildren
- Ideas for the couple who have everything
- A comparison of anniversary prints
- What words to put on a ruby anniversary print
- How it works
- FAQ
What is the traditional gift for a ruby wedding anniversary?
Ruby is the gem for the 40th wedding anniversary, and it stands for a deep, lasting love. That is why red is the colour you will see on cards, flowers and wrapping at a 40th celebration. You do not need to buy actual rubies, of course. Many people mark the day with something red, something sentimental, or both.
A personalised print works well because it can be as traditional or as modern as you like. Choose a red or warm palette to nod to the ruby theme, then fill the design with the words that really matter to the couple. If you are comparing milestones, our guide to personalised anniversary gifts for every milestone shows how the ideas change from year to year.
What do you buy a couple celebrating 40 years together?
The most direct choice is the Personalised 40th anniversary gift (from £9.99). It is built around the idea of forty years, and you add the words that belong to the couple: their names, the date they married, the places they have lived, the family they raised and the jokes only they understand. It suits couples who like a gift they can hang in the hall or living room and see every day.
If you would like a different layout, the Personalised 40th Anniversary Word Art Print (from £9.99) gives you another style to choose from. Preview both with your own words and pick the one that looks most like the couple. Both are good for the day itself, a surprise party or a family lunch where everyone signs a card to go with it.
What can children and grandchildren give for a ruby anniversary?
A family gift often works best when everyone contributes to it. Rather than each person buying a separate small item, use the print as the shared present and let each family member add a word. Parents might add “Mum and Dad”, children’s names, and grandchildren’s names, so that the finished design is a family tree in words.
If you are shopping as a group, a framed A3 from £30.99 gives the design some presence on a wall and can be wrapped and handed over at the party. A framed A4 from £22.99 suits a smaller space like a hallway or bedroom. Our post on anniversary gifts for parents has more ideas for gifts that come from the whole family rather than one person.
What do you buy a couple who have everything?
When a couple have forty years of belongings, the answer is usually something that takes up no shelf space and means more than its price. A print made from their own words does exactly that. It is not another ornament; it is a record of their marriage.
If the couple prefer something that looks like a classic wedding keepsake, the Personalised wedding word art print (from £9.99) is a good fit. It suits a couple who want to revisit their wedding day: the names, the date, the venue, the song from the first dance, the vows they remember. It is a gentle way to bring the big day back into the room on their 40th.
For a couple who like to look ahead as well as back, you could also mention the next milestone in your card. The 50th Wedding Anniversary Word Art Print sits a decade further on, and our guide to golden wedding anniversary gifts shows how the gift ideas develop at that stage.
Ruby anniversary gift ideas compared
All the prints below start from £9.99. Choose the one that matches the couple and the occasion.
| Product | Best for | Example words to include | From price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Personalised 40th anniversary gift | The couple’s own ruby anniversary | Names, wedding date, “forty years”, places lived | £9.99 |
| Personalised 40th Anniversary Word Art Print | A different layout for the same milestone | Children’s names, family nicknames, favourite holidays | £9.99 |
| Personalised wedding word art print | Looking back at the wedding day | Venue, first dance song, vows, guests’ names | £9.99 |
| Personalised 30th anniversary gift | A couple a few years short of 40 who like to plan ahead | Names, pearl, thirty years, shared hobbies | £9.99 |
| Personalised 50th Anniversary Word Art Print | Marking the golden milestone later on | Names, “fifty years”, family, lifelong memories | £9.99 |
What words to put on a ruby anniversary print
The words are what turn a nice print into a gift people keep. Start with the essentials, then add the details only you would know. Here are three word lists to adapt.
For a traditional ruby anniversary
- Names of the couple, written as they are known day to day
- The wedding date and the year of the anniversary
- Forty years
- Ruby
- Together, devoted, loyal, steady
- The church, town or venue where they married
For a gift from the whole family
- Mum and Dad (or Nan and Grandad)
- Every child’s and grandchild’s name
- The family home, street or town
- Sunday lunch, Christmas at yours, summer holidays
- Thank you for forty years of love
- The phrase they always say, such as “Put the kettle on”
For a couple with a sense of humour
- Their names and the year they met
- Still talking after forty years
- Favourite shared meal, song or film
- Places they have been lost on holiday
- Who is always right (use with care)
- Their long-running in-jokes, in a word or two
Keep each word or short phrase easy to read and avoid cramming too much in. Fewer, well-chosen words usually look better than a long list. For more guidance on layout and wording, see our post on how to personalise an anniversary word art print and what words to use.
How it works
- Choose a print. Pick the 40th anniversary design that suits the couple, or another from the collection.
- Design it with your own words. Add names, dates, memories and places.
- Preview it free. See how your words look on the design before you decide.
- Get it your way. Take the instant digital download, or have a printed or framed print delivered.
Every print is made to order, so the finished design is based on exactly what you enter. Framed prints ship within 3-5 working days in the UK and 7-15 days internationally, so allow time if the anniversary date is close.
Frequently asked questions
What is the traditional gift for a ruby wedding anniversary?
Ruby is the traditional gem for the 40th wedding anniversary, so red and ruby-coloured gifts are the classic choice. Many people choose a personalised keepsake instead, such as a word art print, because it can hold the couple’s own names, dates and memories.
How many years is a ruby wedding anniversary?
A ruby wedding anniversary marks 40 years of marriage. It follows the 30th (pearl) and comes before the 50th, which is the golden wedding anniversary.
What can I give a couple who say they have everything?
Choose something that cannot be bought off the shelf, like a print built from their own words. A 40th anniversary word art print with their names, wedding date and favourite shared memories is personal without adding clutter, and a digital download means you can still have it ready at short notice.
Can I get a ruby anniversary gift in time if I have left it late?
Yes. A digital download is instant, so you can preview your design, download it straight away and print it yourself or send it to a local printer. If you want a framed print delivered, framed prints ship within 3-5 working days in the UK.
How much should I spend on a ruby wedding anniversary gift?
There is no set amount. Word Art Prints starts from £9.99 for a digital download or an unframed print, with framed A4 from £22.99 and framed A3 from £30.99. If the gift comes from the whole family, a framed print with a short message on the back can feel generous without being expensive.
About Word Art Prints
Word Art Prints is a UK shop making personalised word art prints since 2017. With over 470 designs to choose from, every print is made to order with the customer’s own words, so each gift is unique to the person receiving it.