Birthday Flower Gifts for Each Month

Ever wondered which flowers are associated with each birth month.

 

JANUARY is symbolized by the carnation, which also symbolizes leadership, pride, admiration, gratitude and marriage proposals. Carnations also come in different fun carnations; thrill her and give her a striped one.

 

FEBURARY is symbolized by the iris whose three petals symbolize faith, peace of mine and charity. This splendid big purple bloom symbolizes the communion between the human spirit and higher powers.

 

MARCH is symbolized by the bright yellow daffodil. This gorgeous flower of spring symbolizes birth, rebirth and new beginnings. It is also representative of kept promises and loyalty.

 

APRIL is symbolized by the daisy, which is a charming, but unassuming wildflower that is symbolic of everything associated with children including joy, happiness, creativity and innocence.

.

MAY is symbolized by the Lily. The Lily belongs to the Greek Goddess Hera and also to the Virgin Mary.  This flower symbolizes growth, purity, duty, pride and devotion. It also symbolizes, sweetness and humility.

 

JUNE is symbolized by the ultimate flower of love and passion – the Rose. The bud belongs to the love goddess Venus and symbolizes beauty, passion and perfection.

 

JULY is symbolized by the Delphinium which has lush dolphin shaped blooms that symbolize beauty, flirtation and the joy of first attraction.  It also symbolizes the commitment of a first love.

 

AUGUST is symbolized by Gladiola which represents moral integrity and strength.  Gladiolas look great if you tie their thick stalks together with a single wide ribbon.

 

SEPTEMBER is symbolized by the little aster, which comes in a rainbow of rich hues. The flower is seen as a symbol of love and devotion.

.

OCTOBER is symbolized by the marigold, which is symbolic of the virtues of the Virgin Mary including strength, compassion and unconditional love.

.

NOVEMBER is symbolized by the chrysanthemum which symbolizes perfection, endurance, optimism, friendship and passion.

 

DECEMBER is symbolized by the Poinsettia which is the quintessential Christmas Flower. The legend is that they were weeds placed on the steps of a church, which then miraculously became joyous red flowers

 

 

A flower is a symbolic but inexpensive gift. How it will be received often has a lot to do with the presentation.  Large blooms single blooms look amazing when presented with a tall skinny vase.  Consider giving a bundle of blooms in a wide-mouth pitcher.  Make sure to include a card with a personal message on it.

 

Click here to visit a great flower store.

Gifts
, , , , , , , ,

Just What is Feng Shui Anyway?

Feng Shui is the ancient Chinese art of object placement to bring good fortune. Both the Japanese and Chinese practice it and the Balinese practice a form of it a well. The idea of the practice is to live with nature rather than in disharmony with it to create good energy in life.  This positive energy is also called “chi” in China and “ki” in Japan.  Feng Shui is so important in those cultures that it is considered to be an aspect of mental health.

 

The translation of the Chinese word Feng Shui (pronounced fung-shway) means wind and water.  The combination of these two weather elements in harmony creates good “chi.” In the Asian culture, gentle wind and smooth water have always been historically associated with a good harvest and good health, while harsh winds and stagnant water have been linked to famine and disease. Therefore, “good” feng-shui has come to mean a good livelihood and fortune, and “bad” feng-shui has come to mean hardship and bad luck.  The less clutter and mess you have in your house the healthier it will be because the energy will be much less stagnant.

 

Feng Shui is one of those alternative sciences that has been around for millions of years. It is a humanist science that acknowledges that we are very connected to our environment. If we surround ourselves with symbols of negativity and disappointment then we will attract misfortune.

 

Hard edges, uncomfortable furniture and clutter create what is called “sha” or “shar” which are the Chinese and Japanese words for “bad energy.”   However if we trade in noise, mess and filth for cleanliness and objects that are an expression of the finer things in life such as art, order, then we will attract good fortune.

 

Part of the beautification process is including objects that symbolize good energy like fountains, wind chimes, bamboo screens and statues of lucky animals.

 

The theory is that the kind of energy that we surround ourselves with creates more of the same energy.  The negative qualities in our home can create other problems in our life including relationship and money problems.  Your home becomes a metaphor for your spiritual life and determines what you will attract in the future.

 

The experts say that the fastest way to attract all of this is to clean your home. Get rid of all clutter and keep it immaculate. This will naturally attract other harmonic events and lucky coincidences into your life.

Gifts
, ,

Feng Shui Gifts

If you have a friend who into Feng Shui then here are some suggestions for gifts that might please them.  To refresh your memory, Feng Shui is the fine art of object placement in the home in order to create good luck and energy.

 

A great gift for a Feng Shui Fanatic is a Lucky Cat.  There are different kinds of cats and each brings you a special kind of lucky. The Golden Lucky Money Cats are white or gold ceramic statues. The Cat holds up his left paw to attract good fortune into your business or home. As this cat is also a piggy bank, you are supposed to feed him every day with a coin to keep prosperity circulating in your life.

 

The White Lucky Money Cat Bank of Wealth and Health holds up his right paw to attract good fortune. This is an ideal gift for someone who runs his or her own business.

 

The Black Cat of Protection is a cat with an expression of warning and holding a broom. The cat’s right paw is raised with the palm out to ward off evil energy. The broom symbolizes insight and wisdom and is believed to have the power to sweep away worry and trouble.  It’s a good gift for a friend who has had a rough year.

 

Lucky Fish also make great gift for Feng Shui  fanatics. These are statues or pictures that feature a single leaping carp. The animal is a symbol of wealth, success and staying power. A common statue features two carp leaping for joy. Usually this statue is gold, orange, green and pink in color. This joyous image is called Fu Gui You Yu” which means,  “brimming with wealth.”

 

One of the most coveted of Fish configurations is the Nine Lucky Goldfish. This image is usually found on a scroll or a poster that features eight goldfish swimming with one black gold fish. Hanging this poster on the right side of your entrance (as you look from the inside to the door) is said to bring prosperity to a home.

 

Dragon statues also make great gifts. The Dragon is a symbol of Strength, Goodness, Courage and Endurance. This fantastic is the emblem of vigilance and security, and a symbol of the spirit of positive change. The Dragon and Phoenix statue that features the two fantasy figures courting or embracing represents the ultimate balance of all things in your life and makes a great gift.

 

Another popular present for a Feng Shui fanatic is the Three Legged Money Toad or Money Frog. There are many versions of this toad or frog that is commonly found in various silver, gold, brass, glass, plastic and red lacquered incarnations. His purpose is to draw wealth into your life. To activate the toad or frog, place him within view of your front door. Every morning place the I Ching Coin in his mouth to signify that he will always deliver prosperity to you.

 

Gifts
, , , , , , ,

Wind Chime Gifts

Wind chimes look beautiful and sound beautiful. They are manufactured from every material imaginable now so there is a type of wind chime to suit every type of personality.

 

One thing that is even more important than how a wind chime looks is to consider how it sounds.  Like anything you buy there are both high quality and low quality wind chimes.   If amazing acoustic noise is important tan you might want to go for a high quality set of piano type wind chimes that are made of brass, nickel, aluminum or a metal alloy. These types of wind chimes hang in a lateral way and are constructed out of hollow tubes. Each tube has its own unique tone that harmonizes with the rest. You can get these in versions that are as large as organ pipes or as tiny as a kid’s piano. .

 

If the gift is for a child then you can buy all kinds of wind chimes that are made from many kinds of interesting materials including precious stones, metals and plastic. Many of the plastic versions feature translucent cartoon characters or happy motifs that are meant to knock together in the wind. You can even buy wind chimes that you can wind up or plug in so that they rotate over a baby’s cradle.

 

If you need a gift for a nature lover then get wind chimes made out of natural materials such as petrified wood, or sea shells. Wind chimes made out of agate slices have a particularly pleasant sound.

 

If the person you are buying the gift for is really into Feng Shui cures then you can’t go wrong getting them a set of wind chimes that are made from hollow flumes of bamboo. When they clank together these bamboo rods make a particularly pleasing sound. They are also an ages old cure for dispersing bad energy. Wherever they are hung in the home they are bound to improve the auspiciousness of the area that the area symbolizes. For instance, bamboo chimes hung in the center of the home can go a long way to dispersing stagnant chi (energy) to do with health as the center of the home symbolizes the health sector.

 

Gifts
, ,