Got a pre-teen or young lady in your life? Chances are you're buying
her lots of gifts, and running out of ideas with every holiday, first
communion, birthday, eighth grade graduation and bat mitzvah that
passes.
Want success every time? Choose jewelry.
When I was born my paternal grandmother had a beautiful ring made for
me with a large solitaire ruby, my birthstone. It was to be kept in my
mother's jewelry box until my 16th birthday, and oh, how I'd long for
that ring. As far back as I can remember, I'd steal into my parents'
bedroom, open the magical jewelry box and try on the forbidden ring.
It seemed as if my sixteenth birthday would never come. Now my
favorite piece of jewelry and one of my all-time favorite gifts, that
ring still makes me delirious. I vowed to repeat the tradition if I
ever had a daughter.
Alas I don't have a daughter, but I do have seven beautiful nieces,
and I spoil them with jewelry every chance I get. Nothing too
extravagant...but always high quality. (Beautiful, quality pieces can
be had for a few hundred dollars or much less. As a jewelry buyer, I
know this for a fact. Now, if Ben Affleck or JayZ wanted to buy me a
$15 million dollar canary diamond, I wouldn't refuse.)
Recently I sent my neice Caroline a sterling silver necklace with a
cluster of lavender seed pearls. The piece is beautiful and affordable
and best of all I know she'll be wearing it for years to come, and
might even pass it to her own daughter some day. Here's what her
message on my answering machine said: "Thank you Auntie Amy! I love my
pearl necklace. LOVE IT!" (I could hear her excitement and just see
her beautiful blue eyes bulge as she said it.) There's something about
jewelry that makes a little girl feel special. You don't even have to
have a special occasion to give it to her.
My friend Emily gave her friend's daughter a beautiful pearl necklace
to celebrate her first day of first grade. The little girl, terrified
to start "real" school, called Emily triumphant at the end of the day.
"I wore the pearl necklace you gave me, in case I got scared...then I
could just hold onto the pearls and rub them so I wouldn't be scared
anymore." Isn't that darling? It worked! Kaya had a great first day.
She'll probably wear the necklace on her first day of work fifteen
years from now.
So consider jewelry next time you need a gift for a little one. Not
just for grownups, affordable pearl and gemstone jewelry can delight
the little princess in your life, and will be remembered long after
other gifts are forgotten.
As for pre-teen boys? You're best bet is still an X-box game. What can
I say? Not too many little boys are going to jump up and down over gem-
studded cufflinks.
No comments:
Post a Comment