Great Gift Ideas for Mother's Day

Mother's Day should be more than just a Sunday you'll forget until the last possible minute. This holiday has a long, storied tradition that dates all the way back to the early 1900s. Around that time, an American woman named Anna Jarvis campaigned to create a national holiday in honour of her deceased mother and mothers around the world. The Mother's Day Controversy The original commemoration envisaged by Jarvis was intended to be something different from typical holidays of the era. Her idea was that the celebration should free itself of cards and other generic gifts by focusing solely on personalised expressions of love and appreciation. While the founder eventually lost her battle with huge companies like Hallmark, the pure spirit of Mother's Day remains as strong as ever. Today, the holiday is observed internationally, and the most popular gifts are those that show gratitude in unique ways. Making This Mother's Day Special Mother's Day is a time to express how much your mum means to you, so your gift has to be one of a kind. Mothers and their children have unique relationships, and although there are common elements to any loving parental connection, it's nicest to give something that speaks to your mother on a personal level. Here are some great ideas on commemorating how you feel with Mother's Day Gifts that really get your emotions across.

Say What You Mean with Charms One great way to express your sentiment is to give your mother charms. If your favourite lady in the world is anything like most, she probably has her own preferences and tastes in jewellery. Instead of gifting her something that she'll feel obligated to wear, why not help her do more with what she already loves? Silver, glass, enamel, pavé and gold charm jewellery make the perfect additions to bracelets, necklaces and other accessories, and they're great ways to help your mum personalise her style. Keeping Things Unique Some Mother's Day celebrations are worthy of extra gravitas. Charms are nice because they can include special messages to your mum in addition to their already-fancy stylistic elements. These are especially awesome for commemorating grandmas and mothers who have survived dealing with you or your own kids for decades! One great way to create the perfect gift for mum on her special day is to combine charms. Pick symbolism, materials and elements that mean something significant instead of just going with what you think everyone else expects. Though the result may be unconventional, it will resonate more deeply with her because she'll know it actually came from your heart. Check out Pandora's Gift Finder to choose a Mother's Day gift that really means something special.

How Design your Own Pandora Jewellery

Designing personal Pandora jewellery is a wonderful way to display individual style and fashion sense. It is exciting to be out with friends while showing off customized jewellery creations. Besides the beauty of the metal and gems, you exhibit a piece of yourself. In many ways, you are able to turn your personality into a tangible work of art. To begin, it is important to learn how to design your own Pandora jewellery.

Since Pandora jewellery comes in attractive designs, shapes, and colors that can be mixed and matched, it is a popular choice for a person looking to achieve a one-of-a-kind effect. The Pandora website provides a special page where anyone can design a beautiful ring, bracelet, or other jewellery item. Viewing the various possibilities opens the door to infinite creativity. There are many reasons why you may want to design your own jewellery. It is a fun way to create the perfect wedding ring or match your individual style. Instead of the traditional diamond ring and band, the Pandora collection is filled with unique textures and stones. For a truly special combination, a woman may choose the "Silver Band with Cubic Zirconia Accents" and stack it with the "Midnight Blue Crystal Ring." The outcome is a modern twist on antique styling. Engraving adds an even more customised touch. To blend with this ring set, it is possible to design a bracelet that matches the overall style. Even without a ring set, you may wish to create a bracelet that reflects your personality.

When you design a bracelet, you begin with a metal or leather base. The fun starts as you add charms. By mixing and matching gems and chains, you are sure to create a special look that receives numerous compliments. Choose a bead that reflects a hobby, occupation, or family symbol or select a bauble that exudes pure glamour. Pandora makes it easy to design something that is unique to your personality. With little effort, you will be wearing a statement on your wrist or finger. Feel free to experiment so that you end up with pieces that truly reflect what you represent.

FIND THE PERFECT VALENTINE GIFT

As Valentine's Day approaches, the mood turns to romance and love. Traditionally, men give women flowers, candy, and sentimental pieces of jewelry to celebrate the day. Pandora offers numerous choices that are classic, beautiful, and appropriate for expressing love. Pandora makes it simple to select jewelry that celebrates special moments. I feel there are three top ways to honor your sweetheart and show eternal love with symbols of everlasting sentiments this Valentine's Day. Pandora's romantic pink charms, classic rings, and words of love charms are ideal. Pink is the shade of universal love, so it makes sense to select a Pandora charm in this color. The pave ball and pave heart charms add sparkle to the wrist with a feminine touch. It is also possible to spell out the word "love" on a hanging charm. These pieces are tangible reminders of infinite attachment.

Pandora's From the Heart collection is a smart way to show heartfelt devotion with sparkling symbols of love. You can select between heart shaped rings, love heart charms, heart pendants and necklaces, and gold heart charms. The "Heart to Heart" ring is a delicate reminder of how love makes two hearts become one. The matching earrings are a wonderful addition as well. Pandora specializes in customized gifts of love for women who collect charms. I have one Pandora sterling silver bracelet solely devoted to love heart charms. My favorite is named "Look of Love." The tiny heart lock is encrusted with pave CZ stones and comes with an attached key. The "Vintage Pearl Openwork Gold Heart" charm is also one of my dearest possessions. The intricate design of the heart is centered with a freshwater pearl and is the essence of class. To accessorize these charms, Pandora offers heart pendant and necklace combos as well.

Every couple has a unique love story. Pandora's Love Stories collection provides a way to wear words of love on jewelry. The "Signature of Love' necklace is a stunning piece. The word "love" is written in script as an outward sign of passionate emotion. Matching earrings, rings, and bracelets are available to create a romantic set. The "Hugs and Kisses" ring is another great Valentine's Day gift idea. The "XOXO" design is an iconic symbol of affection. I own this ring and wear it stacked with other bands from the collection. It receives numerous compliments for its delicate styling. Pandora jewelry pieces are perfect gifts from the heart, especially for Valentine's Day. The symbolism behind each ring, charm, necklace, and bracelet is eternal love. When you are looking for a unique way to celebrate your special moments, Pandora offers the perfect solution.

Valentine's Day Gifts

To me, Valentine’s Day has always seemed like a strange holiday: it can be the most romantic day of the year or completely forgettable. It all depends on how you choose to celebrate it, and above all what gift you give your partner.

Flowers and chocolates are two traditional Valentine’s gifts, but at this point they may have become a little too traditional. Yes, in movies, women always swoon for a dozen red roses, but think about it: chances are, you won’t be the first person to get her some flowers. Giving such a standard gift is like taping a sign to your forehead saying, “I didn't put much thought into this! I didn't take any time to consider you as an individual.” Jewelry is more complicated. Here, you can go very right or very, very wrong. Some types of jewellery are just as standard and dull as a box of store-bought chocolates (although typically much more expensive). A bracelet or a pair of earrings may be beautiful. But the real question is, do they express her unique personality in some way? Or are they just shiny objects, no different from all the other shiny objects she keeps unused in her jewellery box? Jewelry can be a great Valentine’s Day present, but you can’t just give her any old thing and expect her to be grateful. That’s why I really like the Pandora charms collection. Pandora offers over 600 unique charms, some gold, some silver, with many different precious stones and themes.

Charms make great personal gifts because a charm bracelet isn't just decoration—it tells a story. Each charm recalls the memory of a specific moment in her life, and she can carry those memories around with her wherever she goes. And no two charms are exactly alike. Pandora’s Pavé heart charms are elegant and glamorous, while the Love Bonds openwork charm is expressive and slightly unconventional. Think about how much better that is than some generic present. No one but you has ever given her a gift like this, so she’ll never forget where it came from. The enormity of the selection may seem daunting at first, but you can easily narrow your options down by thinking about what best suits her. Does she prefer gold or silver? Traditional or playful? If you don’t know—just ask! The Pandora line has something for every woman. By getting her a charm especially suited for her, you’re essentially telling her, “Nobody knows and understands you better than me.” And for most women, that sentiment is worth more than a truckload of boring old flowers.

How to Choose the Perfect Charm-Bracelet Gift to Make Her Wish Come True

When it comes to buying jewellery, how do you select a meaningful gift that she will really love to wear?

Whether she's your mother, beloved or best friend, the answer is simple, Personalize it! Nothing is more special than jewellery that you can design yourself and customize just for her. Creating a charm bracelet is easy enough for anyone to do, and many people recommend Pandora's extensive collection of high-quality charms because they have more choices for a well-customized bracelet with some real personality. All you need to do is check out these clever ideas from Pandora to get started:

First, choose her ideal bracelet type.

A charm bracelet can have any kind of band; leather and fabric-based bracelets are the most comfortable, and choosing a brightly coloured bracelet will help her show it off more. However, gold and silver bracelets are classics that never go out of style and suit even the fanciest occasions. Pandora's range of bracelets include sterling silver, 14-carat gold, two-toned silver and gold, leather and textile bracelets in colours like black, pink, purple, teal, lavender, dark blue and orange.

Pick the right charms for Mum.

Mothers love their children more than anything else in the world, so choose charms that remind her of you and the special bond that you share with her. Some great charm ideas for mothers include:

• silver-heart charm engraved with the word "Mum"
• "Letter To Santa" charm in the shape of an envelope that says "I've been good."
• "Family Bonds" charm that shows a silver-silhouetted image of a family with two small kids
• four sparkling number charms to spell out her child's birth year.
• silver locket-style charm that says "Sweet Mother" in silver and pink on the inside
• silver charms that represent the zodiac birth sign of each child
• silver-letter charms to spell out a short message like "Love you, Mom."

Select special charms for the one. Let her charm bracelet show how special she is to you by making it a symbol of your love. Some perfect gold and two-toned charms for the love of your life include:

• a charm with a silver cupid who's shooting a 14-carat-gold heart-shaped arrow
• "Solitaire Dangle" charm that features a silver bunch of hearts holding a miniature 14-carat gold ring with a real 0.02 carat diamond.
• Envelope charm that says "To My Love."
• charm engraved with the phrase "Together Forever."
• Number charms that spell out the date of your first night out together
• Silver "Key To My Heart" heart-shaped charm lock with a golden key

Find fun charms for a friend that show you care. Doesn't your best friend deserve the best charms? Get her cute talismans like these that will make her smile and think of the great times you've had together:

• silver charm engraved with "Best Friends"
• charms spelling out your favourite nickname for her or "BFF" for "best friends forever"
• silver and gold charms of her favourite animals
• stiletto-heels charm or designer-sunglasses charm if she's a fashionista
• royal-crown charms if she's a diva

Start your search by trying Pandora's free gift-finder application or browse for Pandora gifts by jewellery type, price range and colour.

A Special Gift For Every Occasion

Are you out of gift ideas for your special someone this Christmas? Whether you a buying for a partner, sister, mother or aunt, charm bracelets give you the opportunity to create a unique piece that fits the personality of the wearer. Here are some ways that charms are one of the best present ideas for Christmas, birthdays and any other special event.

Charms Are Easy To Hide For the Ultimate Surprise

Big-ticket presents can be hard to keep a secret, but charms are easy to store away before that special occasion. This is especially helpful when you are giving someone the gift of a charm bracelet unexpectedly. When you just want give gifts for your girlfriend without having to wait until a holiday or birthday, charm bracelets let you keep the surprise under wraps until the right moment during an evening out.

Take the Hassle Out of Gift Giving

How many hours have you wasted scouring the Internet to figure out what to get the women in your life? Gift giving is often a tedious process, and the joy of giving a present to the people who matter most to you can be overshadowed by the time you take trying to find that perfect gift. Charm bracelets are ideal because people with all different personalities and style choices love these jewelry pieces.

Personalise Your Present

Impersonal gifts make it seem like you don't really know anything about the recipient. She might feel like you don't care, so it's best to opt for a gift that reflects her unique personality. Charm bracelets do just that. You can choose charms according to hobbies, careers or interests.

The fact that you get to choose the charms for the bracelet means that you can customize it according to the occasion, too. Whether you are giving a gift for Christmas, a birthday or even a wedding, Pandora charms have you covered.

Pandora Goes Beyond Charms

If you've already fallen in love with the beauty of Pandora charms, you can give the gift of a winter ring from Pandora. These rings feature silver and blue accents that reflect the season for which they are made. While the designs and colour schemes are focused on winter, Pandora winter rings can be worn throughout the year.

When you need a special gift for every occasion, look no further than Pandora jewelry. Not only are their charm bracelets beautiful and versatile, but Pandora winter rings can add to the look with themed patterns and colours to match the season.

Pandora's Bracelet Designer

I am constantly amazed at how technology has changed the way we do almost everything. We have reached the stage where we can pre-plan our shopping trips using software applications to sample the choices and test-drive the merchandise, so to speak. Jewellery retailer Pandora has turned shopping into a virtual adventure with the use of its Bracelet Designer, an onboard app that lets customers design their own charm bracelet.

Working with the Bracelet Designer

Pandora’s Bracelet Designer can be accessed from a tab on its homepage. Intended as a tool for customers to try out various combinations of charms, I found this tool easy to use. The app is intuitive with no complicated set up or instructions to read. The only choice provided for the starter bracelet is the Essence Silver Bracelet with a bead clasp, which makes this part easy. I selected that by clicking the Add button. The price of each piece is given on the same view, a helpful feature to keep track of the costs of my charm bracelet.

Selecting the charms is the harder part, and it isn’t because the Bracelet Designer app makes users jump through technical hoops. It’s because there are so many charms to choose from with each one more tempting than the next. Click on the Add button to add charms to the bracelet or Remove to take off unwanted charms. A really nifty trick is to use the cursor to rearrange the charms on my bracelet.

Charm Selection

Thumbnails of the charms are arranged by theme. The first page presents character and virtue choices with the charms engraved with words such as dedication, dignity and spirituality. The next is a selection of charms representing astrological signs, and the third set consists of inspirational charms with words like faith, hope and happiness. A fourth set expands on the character and virtue selection presented in the first set with choices such as balance, prosperity and courage.

The charms are made of gold, silver or white gold with each one featuring intricate details along the sphere. The designs on the all-metal charms are particularly detailed. Other charms add colour by incorporating materials such as carnelian, synthetic ruby and lapis lazuli.

It was really hard to narrow down my favourites to a few. Clicking on the charms brought up a larger view with interesting details in full focus while clicking on the Info link brought up a description of material, colour and price.

The Bracelet on my Wish List

Using Pandora's Bracelet Designer was an interesting way to explore different ways to build a charm bracelet without spending a mint and with the option to change my mind as often as I want. I loved all the coloured charms, and I would choose all of them regardless of what they represented.

I don't think I would be able to stop at just one charm bracelet, so I'm off to post my wish list on my social media accounts to make friends and family aware of what I want this Christmas and many Christmases hence.