Give a Glittery Gift of Jewelry

One of the best gifts to give during the holiday season has always been jewelry. Some people are very difficult to shop for, but when you plan to give jewelry, a whole new window of gift possibilities opens.

A gift of a pendant or other necklace is always nice for people such as female school teachers or church teachers. Tie tacks or cufflinks work well for male teachers. If you are looking for less expensive gifts, the price of silver has dropped into an affordable range since the 1980s, so a gift of jewelry really does not need to break your bank account or make your wallet groan.

There's just something about those small packages! One of the "safest" gifts to give to a female has always been a necklace. Unless she simply wears no jewelry at all, it should be a hit. There are many possibilities from which to choose but again, with the affordable price of sterling silver now, there's no need to look for junky jewelry. The only thing to really be sure of is the size of the chain. If the gift recipient is a heavier lady, some of the shorter chains may not fit her neck and would not be a good choice for a gift.

Types of necklaces include plain gold or silver chains, chains with pendants on them, and lockets. A locket makes an exquisite gift if you had already put tiny pictures into it. If it is for a mother with two children, a double locket works great. If it is a gift for a wife or girlfriend, put a picture of the two of you into a heart shaped locket.

Bracelets are a little more difficult because they are sold in a few different sizes. I have picked up a bracelet a few times thinking that all bracelets fit all sizes and it just isn't true. If they are 8 inches, for instance, they will be too large for most people. By the same token, a 7 inch bracelet may be too small for some people. When you are shopping for a gift of a bracelet, looking for a 7 1/2 inch length is usually the best choice.

When you are choosing a type of bracelet, your choices will include a plain gold or silver bracelet, one that holds gemstones of some kind (or many kinds!), and charm bracelets. If someone already owns a charm bracelet, a gift of a charm is always an appreciated gesture, especially if the charm means something special to the person receiving the gift.

Unlike bracelets and necklaces, rings have specific sizes and unless you know someone's precise ring size, giving a ring isn't always the best choice. You may want to consider giving a gift certificate to a jewelry store if this is the case. You can tell the person you are gifting that you'd like for them to choose a special ring because you didn't know the correct size. If you do indeed have access to a ring size, a birthstone ring is usually a good choice for a jewelry gift.

Personally I think mother's rings are very special. Get together with siblings and have a mother's ring made for your mom. The more siblings there are, the prettier the ring becomes with a birthstone in it for each child. Some manufacturers also have grandmother rings available. Unless there are many grandchildren making this a quite costly gift, it is also a lovely idea for a unique jewelry present for grandma.

Earrings are always another appreciated gift. There are also many choices in styles here, but the main thing to know when shopping for a jewelry gift of earrings is whether or not the person you're giving the gift to has pierced ears. As someone who doesn't have pierced ears, I can confirm the fact that it is very difficult to even find earrings that aren't pierced these days. Most places just don't carry clip earrings any longer but once in a while I come across a store or online merchant with gorgeous clips and it's like a goldmine to me.

Pins and brooches used to be a good gift in past eras, but they really aren't worn so much any longer. If you know that someone wears a lot of pins, it's fine to consider it, but for the most part, it's probably better to look into other jewelry possibilities.

Most of this talk of jewelry concerned gifts for females. Males are much harder to choose jewelry for when gift shopping. A lot of men wear only their wedding band and a watch for jewelry, so before you waste your money buying someone a neck chain or tie tack, find out if he actually wears chains or ties.

Still in the same category, don't forget that people on you gift list will need a place to put their jewelry. There are all sizes of jewelry boxes and they make a lovely gift. For women, they range from rather small boxes to elaborate jewelry armoires. Men often appreciate a jewelry valet where they can keep a watch, tie accessories, rings, and even loose change.