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Trends in Gift Giving – Jewelry a Timeless Favorite
By: M J Plaster
In times of rapid change, constants lend comfort to our lives. Since ancient times, jewelry has been one of the most popular gifts to give and to receive, and it still ranks among the top gifts as a universal, particularly pearls and birthstones. Jewelry ranks just beneath flowers as the gift that says "I love you," and it ranks just above flowers as a gift to convey that the recipient is someone special. A gift of jewelry delights the recipient and evokes a genuine smile. It's the Style… It's not the price; it's the style that determines whether your gift of jewelry is received in the same spirit in which it is given. To give jewelry that delights, match the gift to the recipient's style. Jewelry is one area where you cannot give a gift that you would love to own. Your idea of a fashionable bauble may be another's idea of junk. Is the intended's style casual or more formal, traditional or contemporary? You wouldn't give a Swatch watch to your great-grandmother any more than you would give a diamond tennis bracelet to your Goth niece. Select a compatible style and your gift will stand out among the recipient's favorites and ensure that the gift never finds its way to the regifting closet. The Many Faces of Pearls Any woman over the age of 30 appreciates a fine strand of pearls. They're elegant, timeless, and suitable for most occasions. Think back to your favorite old movies; most leading ladies wore pearls at some point during the movie. Pearls are the only gemstone created within another living organism. Natural pearls are grown without any human intervention when a speck of sand or other irritant lodges itself inside an oyster. Deteriorating environmental conditions have rendered natural pearls all but obsolete. Cultured pearls have quickly filled the void. The only difference between a natural pearl and a cultured pearl is that human intervention is required to place the irritant inside the oyster shell. By controlling the size and shape of the irritant as well as the environmental factors, cultured pearls guarantee greater quality control. You’ll find pearls in many hues ranging from white South Sea pearls to black Tahitian pearls, and covering a lot of territory in between: pink, green, blue and ivory. Freshwater pearls sport a combination of interesting shapes and hues not usually found in saltwater varieties. Freshwater pearls come from Chinese rivers and lakes where the Hyriopsis cumingi mussels can produce 50 pearls at once. They are usually less expensive than saltwater pearls, but no less elegant than their saltwater counterpart. Birthstones Precious and semi-precious gems linked to birthdays date as far back as the 15th century. Unlike today, early birthstones were linked to the signs of the Zodiac instead of to calendar months. Almost everyone appreciates a birthstone, and it shows that you actually put some thought into the gift. Many people believe that wearing their birthstone protects them and brings them good luck. When giving a birthstone as a gift, think beyond rings to bracelets, pendants, earrings, pins and chokers. The chart below contains the official modern birthstones, as established in 1912 by the National Association of Jewelers. Some birthstones have many legends associated with them; you'll find a brief summary below. This official list applies only to the United States. Several other birthstone lists exist, such as the mystical birthstones, which originated in Tibet and the Ayurvedic birthstones, which originated in India. Month Birthstone January Garnet -Associated with blood, garnet provides victory, protection from injury and health and brings constancy February Amethyst -Said to have been worn by St. Valentine, amethyst signifies spirituality and sincerity March Aquamarine -The stone of serenity and courage, also associated with water April Diamond -Banishes evil, promotes goodness, improves financial situations - the world's favorite precious gem also signifies pure and eternal love, innocence May Emerald -Brings harmony, the stone of life and renewal, love and success June Pearl -Purity, chastity and modesty, health and longevity July Ruby -Devotion, integrity and success - contentment August Peridot -Dignity, success and fame – married happiness September Sapphire -Clears the mind and brings prosperity and clear thinking October Opal -Happiness, beauty, love, magic - hope November Topaz -Brings wisdom and strength of mind, fidelity December Turquoise -Good fortune and prosperity Enclose a card with the gift explaining the meaning of the birthstone. While most people know their birthstone, few know the significance attached to it. If you want to give jewelry as a gift, but you’re at a loss for what to give, pearls and birthstones provide two safe options that are sure to please and make a lasting impression. M J Plaster is a successful author who provides information on shopping online for jewelry and jewelry gifts. M J Plaster has been a commercial freelance writer for almost two decades, most recently specializing in home and garden, the low-carb lifestyle, investing, and anything that defines la dolce vita. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/
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How to Benefit from the Mind-Body Connection
(excerpt)
You are about to gain insight into the
mind-body connection. The number of
people who truly understand these principles on our
planet are relatively few.
There is an undeniable connection between our minds and
bodies, you can learn
to use this fact to your benefit.
Dr. Bernie Siegel, author of "Love, Medicine and
Miracles" was once a
distraught cancer surgeon until he
began to understand the greater principles
of the mind-
body connection. He felt dragged down by the artificial
barriers
that existed between patient and doctor, and the
helplessness he often felt as
a result of his inability
to effectively serve those patients. Eventually, those
barriers
were disintegrated by Dr. Siegel's recognition
and growing understanding of the
mind-body connection and
how it could serve his patients and himself.
Dr. Siegel, or Bernie as he began to have his patients
refer to him, had some
startling realizations as a cancer surgeon. He found that
there were actually
quite a few people in the world that successfully beat
the statistics on cancer
survival. He began to recognize that a patient's ability
to defeat something as
serious as cancer had to do with the patient's mind and
attitude about their
disease.
If you would like to see the rest of
this article, please go here:
http://www.tobeinformed.com/repository/mind-body.html
copyright 2004 - David Snape
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