Discover the meanings of the birthstones and flowers that represent each month of the year.Discuss birthstones and birth flowers on our forums, right now! Or, post a comment below.Birthstones are precious gems that individually symbolise each month throughout the year. Each stone has a special meaning associated with it and is said to ward off bad luck and misfortune and bring luck to the wearer. It is thought that the concept of birthstones originated from biblical times with the 12 precious stones assigned to each of the new testament Apostles and the 12 gems that adorned the breastplate of high priest Aaron (brother of Moses: Exodus 28) said to represent the 12 tribes of Israel. While the origin of birthstones may lay in the bible, their use and meaning has changed greatly over time and has been interpreted differently in different cultures. Many of which associated precious birthstones with the signs of the zodiac rather than a specific month of the Gregorian calendar. For this reason many of the gems that we accept as birthstones have been chosen not only for their qualities, but also because of the symbolism between their colour and the sign of the zodiac that each month primarily represents. To standardise the use of birthstones the American National Association of Jewelers agreed an official list in 1912, these are the birthstones we recognise today. However, alternative options are also still widely available. Gifts adorned with birthstones are perfect for commemorating the birth of a new baby. A piece of jewellery set with the birth stone of a new child makes a really thoughtful congratulations surprise for a new mother, while a whole array of commemorative gifts featuring birthstones are available as infant tokens and make a birth or christening gift to treasure forever. Each birth month is also represented florally. Although it is an age old tradition to celebrate new life with flowers it was the Victorians' love for floral symbolism that really defined the association between birthdays and specific flowers. Again birth flowers of the appropriate month can be a really thoughtful gift for a new mother; it can be nice to preserve these (in a flower press or heavy book) and keep them with other tokens of your new baby's infancy. For beautiful arrangements featuring your baby's birth flowers, visit www.compareflorists.co.uk; a florist comparison site that puts you in touch with the highest quality, fairest price, florists and floral designers in the UK and abroad. Find out the meaning of your own and your baby-on-the-way's birthstones and birth flowers below..... | Month | Birthstone | Meaning | Birth flower | | January | Garnet | Constancy | Carnation | | February | Amethyst | Sincerety | Violet | | March | Aquamarine | Courage | Daffodil | | April | Diamond | Innocence and purity | Dahlia and sweet pea | | May | Emerald | Love and success | Lily of the valley and sunflower | | June | Pearl | Health and prosperity | Honeysuckle and rose | | July | Ruby | Love and contentment | Larkspur | | August | Peridot | Family happiness | Lily and gladiolus | | September | Sapphire | Love and clear thinking | Forget me not and aster | | October | Opal | Hope | Calendula, rose, camellia | | November | Topaz | Friendship and fidelity | Chrysanthemum | | December | Turquoise | Prosperity and contentment | Holy and narcissus |
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