Mother's Day In The United States

While the origin of Mother's Day dates back to ancient times, 2008 marks the 100th anniversary of the first Mother's day celebrated in the United States. Today Mother's Day is celebrated the second Sunday of May and is a day to honor mothers for their hard work, love and dedication to family. On this day, mothers are commonly showered with flowers and gifts as well as words of praise and appreciation from their families and loved ones. But the concept of Mother's Day in the U.S. began very differently.

In the United States, Mother's Day was loosely inspired by the British day and was imported by social activist Julia Ward Howe after the American Civil War. However, it was intended as a call to unite women against war. In 1870, she wrote the Mother's Day Proclamation as a call for peace and disarmament. Howe failed in her attempt to get formal recognition of a Mother's Day for Peace.

Howe's idea was influenced by Ann Jarvis, a young Appalachian homemaker who, starting in 1858, had attempted to improve sanitation through what she called Mothers' Work Days. She organized women throughout the Civil War to work for better sanitary conditions for both sides, and in 1868 she began work to reconcile Union and Confederate neighbors.

When Jarvis died in 1907, her daughter, named Anna Jarvis, started the crusade to found a memorial day for women. The first such Mother's Day was celebrated in Grafton, West Virginia, on 10 May 1908, in the church where the elder Ann Jarvis had taught Sunday School. Grafton is the home to the International Mother's Day Shrine. From there, the custom caught on — spreading eventually to 45 states. The holiday was declared officially by some states beginning in 1912. In 1914 President Woodrow Wilson declared the first national Mother's Day, as a day for American citizens to show the flag in honor of those mothers whose sons had died in war.

Since 1914, Mother's Day has evolved into a general celebration of motherhood among all women. Today Mother's Day is one of the most commercially successful U.S. occasions. According to the National Restaurant Association, Mother's Day is now the most popular day of the year to dine out at a restaurant in the United States.

For a fabulous selection of gemstone Mother's Jewelry, including mother's rings, mother's bracelets, mother's pendants and more visit: www.jewelryimpressions.com/mothersjewelry/index.html.

This information about Mother's Day in the US was largly acquired from www.wikipedia.com.

AN AIRPLANE FULL OF ROSES©

A young man boarded a plane for Dallas with a huge armful of beautiful red roses. He was on his way to ask the love of his life to marry him.

As he walked down the airplane aisle, he handed each passenger a rose and showed them a picture of his fiancé-to-be who would be meeting him at the gate.

At his request, as each passenger left the plane upon landing they walked up to the surprised and curious young woman and handed her a rose with a word or two of good wishes. When her arms were full of roses the passengers began laying the rest of them around her feet.

With his fellow passengers gathered in a semi-circle around her, all beaming with pleasure, the young man walked up to his love, knelt on one knee, presented her with a beautiful diamond ring, and asked her to be his wife.

If you're ready to pop the question, consider one of our many diamond bridal sets at http://www.jewelryimpressions.com/diamonds/whitebridalsets.html. Our staff Graduate Gemologist can help you select just the right diamond or other center stone.

April Birthstone: Diamond

Diamond is celebrated for the purity of its brilliance. Yet within the structure of diamond, we often find impurities, or inclusions, that deflect light, distracting our eye from the radiance we so value. Many of these tiny imperfections are removed when the diamond is shaped. Today, cutters also have the option of using an enhancement technique that focuses tiny beams of laser light at imperfections and vaporizes them. The minute passageways created by the laser may then be filled with clear resins or glass-hard substances, rendering them nearly invisible to the naked eye. This method can also be used to fill fissures that reach the stone's surface, rendering them less visible to the naked eye. This treatment is permanent: only extreme heat or specifically formulated chemicals will remove the filling from the laser passageways or fissures.

Diamonds may also be colored in a variety of hues. Extreme heat and irradiation permanently enhance certain innate color properties, allowing them to display their hues in more brilliant array. Black diamonds, for example, are usually enhanced in this way.

A new high-pressure high-temperature treatment, known as HPHT, can improve the color of certain types of diamonds. HPHT treatment can remove tints from some diamonds, making them more colorless, or intensify the pink, blue, green, and yellow colors in others. Because HPHT diamonds sell for less than naturally colored diamonds, industry rules require HPHT-treated stones to be identified with an inscription on the girdle of the diamond to prevent misrepresentation.

Whether color enhanced, lasered, or cut from the most perfect raw state, your jeweler will inform you of the magical journey your diamond has followed, from deep within the earth's mantle to the fine, finished gemstone you see before you. Your AGTA jeweler will tell you how to best care for your diamond.

For more interesting gemstone facts and fabulous jewelry specials, please visit: JewelryImpressions.com

All birthstone information is provided by the American Gem Trade Association. For more information about gemstones or the AGTA please visit www.agta.org
Copyright © 2003 AGTA

Romantic Story #2: ABRACADABRA©

Keith wasn't much for the big days like Valentine's Day, birthdays, and anniversaries, but Peggy loved special occasions and always managed to drop hints and reminders a week or two before so that Keith wouldn't forget.

At least Keith could always be counted on to make reservations at their favorite restaurant, and this year for their anniversary was no different. As they finished dressing for their evening out, Peggy handed Keith a box and said "Honey, I think I finally found you the perfect gift."

Keith sheepishly unwrapped the box and opened it to reveal the neatest multi-function watch he had ever seen. Not only did it tell the time but it also gave the temperature, altitude, barometric pressure, had a directional compass, and had an alarm that could be set for everything imaginable.

Putting the watch on, Keith looked at Peggy and stammered, "Peg, honey, I um . . . "

"I know honey" she said, "it's all right. I know you love me. Let's go to dinner."

After enjoying a superb meal, Keith ordered a bottle of champagne to celebrate their tenth anniversary. Just as they were being served the champagne, a wandering magician who had been working the tables throughout the restaurant appeared at their table and asked, "Would you like to see a great feat of magic?" to which they both answered "Yes".

With that, the magician picked up the champagne bottle and holding it three feet above the glasses proceeded to fill each glass without a single drop hitting the table. Then he said, "before you drink, might I borrow that ring you have on your finger sir?" gesturing to Keith's wedding band.

But when he tried to remove the ring, Keith found that it wouldn't budge. With a disappointed look on his face the magician turned to Peggy and said, "Ma'am, might I have that ring on your finger?" pointing to her diamond wedding ring.

Somewhat reluctantly Peggy took the ring off and handed it to him. Withdrawing a silk scarf from his pocket, the magician placed it over the ring in his hand and asked her if she would grab two ends of the scarf and gently pull it away from the ring.

Grabbing the scarf, Peggy did as she was instructed and was amazed to see that her ring had completely disappeared. In its place was a small black box. The magician said, "Ma'am, let me ask you a question . . . would you rather have the ring that was on your finger or take a chance on whatever's in this box?"

Peggy responded by saying, "Well, of course, I'd rather have my own ring back." To which the magician replied, "Certainly. I believe that's your ring in the bottom of your champagne glass." She looked and was shocked to see that it was.

"But" the magician said, "as a token of my appreciation for your time, I'd like you to have this box, too" and handed it to her as he backed away from the table to disappear into the next room.

Opening the box Peggy found an emerald cut diamond surrounded by several smaller diamonds. Keith took both of her hands and said "Peg, ten years ago when I asked you to marry me I could only afford a very, very small diamond. I promised you that someday I would get you 'your' diamond . . . happy anniversary darling."

She took the ring from the box, slid it on her finger, and with a brilliant smile thanked Keith for making this a magical anniversary memory that would last a lifetime.

Consider a brilliantly beautiful Diamond Eternity Ring for your next anniversary. Visit http://www.jewelryimpressions.com/diamonds/eternitybands.html for a selection of gorgeous diamond eternity bands.

March Birthstone: Aquamarine

I am Aquamarine, and I capture the beauty of the sea. Neptune, the King of the Sea, gave me as his gift to the mermaids, and from then on, I have brought love to all who have owned me.

Aquamarines are found in a range of blue shades, from the palest pastel to greenish-blue to a deep blue. While the choice of color is largely a matter of taste, the deeper blue gems are more rare. No matter what size, color or shape of Aquamarine you may desire, your jeweler will be able to help you obtain the perfect gem. Remember that Aquamarine is a pastel gemstone, and while color can be quite intense in larger gemstones, the smaller Aquamarines are often less vivid.

This elegant colored gemstone is the birthstone of March and is the symbol of youth, hope, health and fidelity.

Aquamarines are mined in a number of exotic places including Nigeria, Madagascar, Zambia, Pakistan and Mozambique, but most of the gemstones available today come from Brazil.

For a fabulous selection of designer aquamarine jewelry including aquamarine earrings, pendants and rings, please visit http://www.jewelryimpressions.com/exoticgems/aquamarine.html.

This information is provided by the American Gem Trade Association. For more information about gemstones or the AGTA please visit www.agta.org
Copyright © 2003 AGTA

A ROLL OF THE DICE©: Romantic Story #1

Birthdays at our house were always very special -- my father made sure of it. He always had some crazy game he had dreamed up for us to play as we "searched" for our gift.

To celebrate my mother's birthday one year my father assembled us all in the family room. He produced a one-foot square pillow (dice) and about twenty cards which he spread in a meandering line on the floor, each card about 18 inches from the next, similar to a pathway in which one might move their "piece" on a game board.

The object . . . roll the dice, pace off the appropriate number, reach down and pick up a card, read aloud what it said, and then follow the directions to the best of your ability. Mom rolled the dice for a four, paced off four cards on the floor, picked up the fourth card which read: "Tennis anyone? Receive one dollar for every time you are able to bounce a ball up in the air off a tennis racket . . . sitting down."

Ever tried to bounce a ball on a tennis racket while sitting down? Practically impossible but great fun to watch! Mom earned about three dollars on that one.

She continued to roll the dice, step off the cards, pick them up, read them and even made a few dollars. Some of the tasks were extremely inventive: "Call the dog. If she comes on the first call, win $10; the second call, win $5; the third call $.50. How many glasses is the dishwasher designed to accommodate?; how many steps on the stairway to the second floor?; how many shoe boxes in your closet?" Money was rewarded on a sliding scale based on how close Mom was to the correct number.

When Mom got to the last card it read: "Go to your room!" We all looked at each other and then raced up to the master bedroom. Upon entering we saw the glow of two candles, a beautiful red rose on my mother's pillow, and next to the rose a box containing a pair of beautiful emerald earrings.
My father took my mother's hand and said, "Honey, you are the greatest treasure in my life. I rolled the dice thirteen years ago and I've been a winner ever since. Happy Birthday."

Consider a lovely pair of Chatham emerald earrings for your next romantic story. Visit our exclusive line of Chatham-created gemstone jewelry at http://www.jewelryimpressions.com/chatham/jimpexclusive.html

Welcome Message From Michelle Rahm

Welcome to our jewelry blog from Michelle Rahm, President of JewelryImpressions.com. As a Graduate Gemologist, I am committed to offering you valuable content that will expand your knowledge about gemstones and jewelry. Please visit often for educational postings from jewelry industry leaders, comments regarding current events as well as weekly postings of true romantic stories for those of you hoping to melt someone's heart soon.

For a huge selection of jewelry and watches as well as additional information about gems and jewelry, please visit JewelryImpressions.com.