Symbolic Gift Guide: Choosing a Charm or Totem

Charms are all the rage again, and while the European style bracelets are all incredibly popular, you can also get your charms made up as necklaces and earrings... the trick is to find the most meaningful charms for your personality. Choosing a charm is like choosing a personal totem. I thought I'd run through the magic of some charms you might choose and what they say about you.



TEAPOTS my top image is pair of teapot earrings from my madeit store, the teapot is the source point for inspiration and wisdom. Through the ages many great ideas have had their origin or their salvation from a quiet moment's retreat from the pressures of the day. The great zen minds have all had their say on the value of serenity and ritual attached to drinking tea.



PARASOLS the parasol is a protective and loving symbol, traditionally the guardian of a woman's beauty and virtue.



CAROUSEL a symbol of the circle of life, this is a youthful, inspirational and uplifting choice of charm, good for healing your inner child.



FERRIS WHEEL another symbol of the circle of life, but the view from the top of the wheel reminds us of the value of perspective and wisdom gained from our life journey. A good choice for someone who has a positive attitude to ageing and values the life they have lived.



ROLLER SKATES are a fun and happy charm, linked to children a good charm for the young, but perhaps also a loving grandparent who wishes to remember and appreciate their own childhood.



ICE SKATES are more elegant and graceful than the roller skate and suits a classically beautiful woman. The ice skates gives us the ability to glide across frozen water, suggesting our triumph over the trials and obstacles of life.



BICYLES represent independence, joy, innoncence, and health.



SCISSORS are a great charm for women, people who sew or craft, and the charm represents diligence, industry, and are sharp denoting mental clarity. Good for the memory and those who don't like to be idle.



KEYS represent safety and opprtunity - perhaps the key to a new idea. Keys are also traditional for coming of age gifts at the 21st birthday.



LANTERNS represent faith, vigilance, and inspiration. The sight of a lit lantern upon a late night homecoming is most welcoming, probably the reason why lanterns evoke a subconscious feeling of wellbeing.

HUMMINGBIRDS (pictured above stock from my etsy store) mean hope and joy and help restore the energy you may have left behind in your youth, I'd choose this charm to feel happier, stronger, and more healed.

SWANS are symbolic of purity, innocence, and are considered very lucky.

BLUEBIRDS are for happiness, contentment, and valuing the small treasures in your life (observing the daily causes for gratitude) therefore not missing the bigger picture in life.

WOODPECKER is linked to psychic ability and enhances communication, a great charm for helping you bring out your hidden talents.

PELICANS a hopeful and triumphant choice after all its a peli-CAN not a peli-CAN'T! Very cheery and clever birds, a good totem for a survivor.

OWLS are symbolic of wisdom and mysticism. Night creatures are a great choice of charm because they can guard us while we sleep.

DEER and REINDEER are both a symbol of prosperity. The deer is linked to eternal youth probably because of their amazing athleticism and joyful leaping. Lighten your heart and show affection with this choice of charm.

CAMELS the ship of the desert, this animal proves the saying 'where there's a will there's a way'.

FOX this creature has keen senses, and an ingenious ability to escape trouble. In Japan the fox denotes longevity and protection.

LIONS denote personal honour and nobility, a heroic choice of charm and is also linked to royalty.

SNAKES this is the wisest animal in Chinese astrology. The iconic image of a snake eating itself is symbolic of eternal life. Choosing a snake makes a distinctive statement and will add power to a collection of charms that embraces a lot of the softer, more adorable animals and birds.

LIGHTHOUSE the image above is stock from my madeit store. The lighthouse is a great charm for protection, safe journey, inspiration, and homecoming.

There are many more (possibly unlimited) charms I could have mentioned here, if you are interested you might check my blog archive for other symbolic gift posts, and watch out for my future posts.

I have many more pieces of jewelry featuring a wide range of charms and symbolic meanings in both my stores http://www.starzyia.etsy.com/ and www.madeit.com.au/Starzyia

I collect charms from new and vintage sources around the world to continue to provide meaningful and unique creations and have many stored waiting to become a beautiful creation. It is possible for me to create a meaningful item for you for any occasion.

Symbolic Gifts for Healing and Recovery

To celebrate my happy news - mum has been given the all clear cancer wise and will be monitored for the next five years - I thought I'd share some of my favourite gifts for healing and recovery.

Amber I love the use of amber beads and crystals to promote health, and the most effective method is to wear a necklace made of amber.

Turquoise heals the heart and chest, I would wear a long necklace for this also.

Lapis Lazuli has powers over depression and the emotions, necklace, earrings, rings, or crystals placed in the room are all effective.

Aquamarine can be useful for healing the liver, jewelry and crystals are good and I have once seen a very beautiful aquamarine studded belt and buckle.

Citrine is as good as citrus fruits for healing - they both bring happiness and increased energy.

Abalone Shell is great for the heart chakra.

Copper is a healing metal for arthritis, rheumatism, and some disorders of the blood. In addition to copper bracelets and rings, copper ornaments are great and with an ornament you can double the symbolism by choosing the right animal, plant or other symbol to heal.

Comfrey Leaves I would tie two together with twine and slip inside the pillow case, to give peaceful dreams and optimism and energy upon waking.

Acorns these are a traditional sign of life, fertility, and immortality, so an acorn or an acorn charm would be great for healing and longevity.

Bench Seats in the tarot, benches mean pausing to examine the intracies of life, so giving a bench seat is giving the opportunity to reflect on and appreciate life, plus during recovery it is lovely to sit out in the fresh air.


In addition to these I would recommend reading my previous posts for animal and plant symbols as well as the use of colour to help maximise the healing potential of your gift. I also intend to do a post on the healing properties of common foods, herbs, and spices these are safe because they are edible and make a very enjoyable form of medicine or supplement to prescribed medicines.

Thanks to everyone who has contacted me via blog or email to ask about my mum and offer support, I could not be happier with the way things have turned out!

Traditional and Symbolic Gifts for Brides

Its no secret, my favourite gifts are symbolic gifts because they are more meaningful and unique, and my favourite occasion for symbolic gifts is the wedding. There may be many things a couple starting out in their married life may need to help furnish their home, but for me the most important gifts are those that may help them focus on their relationship and begin married life on a firm foundation. Here are some of my very favourite symbolic gifts for brides...

Bamboo this plant is believed in Chinese culture to represent perfect virtue, especially in gentlemen, a good token to keep a man faithful in marriage.

Ivy this plant is associated with fidelity.

Peonies represent happy marriage, so a bouquet of peonies would be a great engagement or bridal shower gift, and should also be considered for the bridal bouquet and other wedding flowers.

Lavender this herb is linked with love and fidelity and keeping dried lavender sprigs in the mattress is supposed to keep partners faithful.

Pommegranates are a symbol of abundance, fertility, and marriage, and have a strong feminine energy.

Honey traditionally a pot of honey is given to a new bride to sweeten her home life and bring good luck.


Lanterns outdoor lighting in the traditional carriage lamp or lantern design is linked with faith and fidelity as well as making a warm welcome for guests and members of the household arriving at night. Lanterns will keep the couple returning home to each other each night.

Of course the greatest gift and token of all is the wedding band given to the bride by her new husband, the ring is symbolic of eternal life, and the stones in an engagement or eternity ring will add their own symbolic meaning.
Pearls are symbolic of fertility, and wisdom.
Rubies are symbolic of the sun, and as a ring to bring mental clarity (a better gift for a student than a bride if you ask me), as a birth stone ruby is supposed to bring contentment.
Garnet is for constancy
Amethyst is for sincerity, virtue
Diamond is for innocence, some say for eternity
Emerald for love and success
Peridot is for married happiness
Sapphire is for clear thinking
Opal is for hope
Topaz is for fidelity
Turquoise is for prosperity

I hope you have enjoyed this post, I will continue with more symbolic gifts in the future.

New Year, New Venture! Yay for Artfire!

Well I have some news.... if you have enjoyed any of my posts on symbolic gift ideas.... I now have a store on artfire.com that sells only symbolic and meaningful gifts.... and each gift's qualities and inspirations are explained to help you find the perfect gift for the special people in your life.

I still operate on etsy, but if this concept is successful I may take it over to my etsy store too.

I will still post free symbolic gift guides here on my blog, but there will constantly be new gifts and meanings featured in the artfire store to tide you over between posts, and it may help you to see how to maximise the potential of your gifts.

My store address is www.starzyia.artfire.com

please come and visit me and tell me if you like the concept of the store.

One feature of artfire that may interest my Australian friends, you can come and purchase in Australian dollars, that's right there is built in currency converter so you can know exactly how much you are spending. The site also sells in US and other currencies as relevant to the individual buyer.

The meaning of the two creations featured here is explained in their store description.

I am still loading stock, and if you need something particular please contact me I love to custom create for people.

I will post a new symbolic gift guide here this week... stay tuned, and have a nice day!

Symbolic Holiday Gifts

Here is a new instalment in my symbolic gift series, themed on Christmas and Hanukah, so its not too late to find something meaningful, from the heart, and economic.



Reindeer represent wealth and good fortune, so a good gift for promoting prosperity. They also are a real heart warmer, I don't know too many people who don't feel affection towards Santa's trusty reindeer. You might find reindeer soft toys, card icons, tree decorations, or ornaments.



Holly prickly old holly is most closely associated with Easter as it reminds us of Christ's crown of thorns, but in European folklore, holly was planted to ward off bad spirits from the home, and in gardens was said to deter lightning strikes. I would give holly to cleanse the home and promote love.

Ivy represents eternal life and therefore resurrection, a fitting decoration for celebrating the birth of Christ. I have also previously mentioned that ivy promotes marital fidelity and harmony.

Mistletoe represents our Heavenly Father's love for us which endures even when we give no love or obedience in return - in this symbolism we are likened to the parasitic mistletoe. As well as for its religious symbolism, mistletoe may be given from parent to child.

Myrrh a precious gift brought to Jesus at the time of His birth, it is very healing so it might represent our ultimate healing and redemption, or could have been given to prepare Jesus for his own trials in life.

Frankincense is the finest incense, the white smoke that is produced while it is burnt represents both our prayers, and the souls of the righteous ascending to heaven. Frankincense is still today burned in church services and rituals. This gift represents Christ's loving sacrifice.

Candy Canes represents the shape of shepherd crooks and has thus been chosen as a christmas symbol because of our Lord, the Good Shepherd. It is said the red stripes represent His sacrifice and the white His virtue.

Acorns okay, they might not have a link to christmas, but in the northern hemisphere they are a great winter treat when toasted and I think they would make a great gift for women, they are a Celtic symbol of life, stregth, fertility, and immorality.

Bells represent joy and freedom, they call us to church, are used to express messages, and it wouldn't be a decent sleigh ride without them! Silver bells would be my first choice for christmas, thanks to the beautiful carol of that name. Gold and bronze bells look more like the bells used in churches and town halls.



Candles are symbolic of light - the light of life, wisdom, spiritual enlightenment, and inspiration. Candles are also central to the celebration of Hanukah, on each night of this Feast of Lights, another candle is lit on the menorah.



Menorah a seven branched candlelabrum, for Chanukah or Hanukah it is an eight branched candlestick to commemorate the reclaimation of the temple after it had been desecrated, there was not enough oil to keep the perpetual flame burning for more than a day, yet it was lit and continued to burn for 8 days until new oil was prepared ready for use, this is regarded as a miracle. I would give a menorah for faith, hope, virtue, liberty, and in association with the symbolism of light and candles.



Angels in religion, represent God, as his messenger bringing hope, guidance, and protection. What better gift than an angel for a christmas tree, or a small glass or crystal angel, even an angel pin seen frequently in card and gift stores.

Don't forget to share the meaning of your gift, and as for finding these symbolic gifts at this time of year they are everywhere. I would buy wreathes made up of the plants featured here, bells, charm bracelets, crystal or glass ornaments, tree decorations, candles, essential oils, frankincense, religious icons.... the possibilities are endless so start seeking these treasures!

Symbolic Giving second in series

Bear with me my oldest readers, this is the second in my series of symbolic gift posts and if you were with me at big blog you will find this familiar, but I want to go right through from my first to my last and new symbolic posts too.

I love the concept of symbolic giving, because it is so meaningful, and usually can be achieved simply, and economically (though your budget is up to you) a simple bloom in a box can be perfect, especially when you include a note or message explaining the meaning.

So without further ado, here are the next set of symbolic gifts:

Dragonfly the lovely dragonfly is symbolic of strength, peace, and prosperity, and nearly always is associated with eternal life and the celebration of life as a spiritual journey. The dragonfly has a fascinating life and is associated with both air and water so is a good gift for people born under air or water signs.

Butterflies are also symbolic of life metamorphosis, transformation, and hope. A good remembrance of how death is only our gateway to immortality, a transformation to a new way of living or existing. Butterflies are joyous because they represent resurrection and have such a happy, busy way of life.

Fireflies are linked with inspiration and creativity. A great gift for students, artists, and scientists in need of direction and energy as well as confidence to pursue dreams and ideas.

Ladybirds are love symbols and bring good luck. I have always loved ladybirds but more so since I played Mary in a nativity play and on the night, a ladybird was on the face of the baby Jesus doll, and I was filled with awe and wonder as to how it came to be there - we were deep indoors on a premisis without a garden, where did this little lady journey from? Since then I have had a ladybird charm put on my bracelet. I think ladybirds are perfect for a gift between two female friends.

Bees represent virtue and honesty (as the worker bees lead a sexless life!) and they evoke images of selfless toil and industrious labour. Bees are good for promoting happiness.

Rainbows are symbolic of a bridge between heaven and earth, also of God's mercy towards man (a sign from God after the flood of Noah's time). Rainbows are great for love and acceptance, and for hope. Even a rainbow coloured silk scarf or garment would serve this symbolism.

The sun represents masculine energy and also glory. A sun symbol would be a great gift for a man, and a spectacular gift between father and child in either direction.

The moon is the symbol of the soul (from astrology) and is a feminine symbol. I think the moon is particularly healing for women, so consider it for a health promoting gift for that special someone.

Flowers in general are representative of life and beauty. For special meaning seek both the colour and the flower type symbolism and settle on the perfect gift.

Camellias represent China, especially the southwest where the flowers are revered. As someone with access to a large quantity of perfect camellia blooms (my mother is just the best with this plant!) I would box a single bloom, or present it in a small dish floating in water. A plant would of course last longer but requires work. For my mother's 70th birthday I arranged camellias on her cake. Camellias are linked also with serenity, and modesty.

Amaryllis means success in battle or in overcoming a trial, good for people who are enduring an ordeal, also for students facing exams.

Sunflowers represent affection, admiration, adoration, and are very positive with a warm energy. I think these are perfect for golden haired girls.

Tulips are associated with opportunity and advancement, and of course Holland. I would recommend tulips for women trying to carve out a successful career, or for courage and confidence in any recipient.

The daisy is symbolic of purity, virtue, and innocence. They suggest faith and steadfast virtue. Day's Eye daisy never looks upon the darkness but holds over til the rise of the sun, a perfect example for us to never despair, and to turn from temptation.

Hyacinths mean reincarnation and are good for memorial gardens and for the grieving.

Apple Blossom the first branch of apple blossom should be cut and laid inside the window sill if there has been illness in the household. Apple blossom is pure, and beautiful as well as refreshing.

The Willow tree is associated with healing, visions, and dreams, and is the natural origin of aspirin (salicylic acid). I would give willow to those who need to stop mourning and begin living again.

Pomegranates are a symbol of abundance, fertility, and marriage. They possess a very strong feminine energy.

Bamboo in Chinese culture denotes perfect virtue, especially in men. I would plant bamboo or keep a 'lucky bamboo' plant if I were getting married.

on a personal note, one of my creations was selected for A Merry Christmas! Etsy Treasury, this page expires on the US date of Tuesday 10th, to view my work in the page visit
www.etsy.com/treasury_list.php?room_id=92459

thank you!

Symbolic Gifts

Following on from my post about thoughtful giving, I thought I'd revive a popular series of posts from my days on bigblog. Symbolic gifts are a great and often budget friendly way of sharing meaningful giving. As with most gifts it is the presentation that can make or break a gift, so if you want to give something as humble as a single blossom, pop it into a beautiful gift box. Don't forget to share the meaning of the gift so that it can be fully appreciated by the recipient.



Hydrangeas according to folklore, planted by the back door promote happy and obedient children.



Almond Blossom symbolises hope. I would give a single blossom in beautiful gift box, or cut branches of blossom and place in a large vase.



Shamrock is good for representing Ireland and the Irish. I would look for charms, or fabric prints if I could not get a shamrock leaf.



Bay Leaves symbolise love that surpasses death, love beyond the grave, so a good gift for the grieving.



Dianthus the flowers denote affection.



Ivy is linked to marriage and fidelity, if you can't give leaves or the plant itself, I would look for stationery with an ivy motif, or an engraved bangle or ring.



Pink Carnation is for love between friends.



The colour purple is the colour of spirituality, but is also good for gifts that are meant to indulge the recipient, as it is the colour of luxury, so ideal for a satin robe, pillow, or rug.



Blue is a soothing, serene colour that represents trust.



Green is for creation and healing, and is sometimes used to represent wisdom.



Orange and red are energy colours and red is a fortunate colour in Chinese culture.



Opals represent completion, are symbolic of Australia, and are the birth stone for October.



the Mandala or 'endless knot' represents harmony, find it in association with other buddhist items.



Irises and Lilies because of Greek mythology, represent resurrection, and power over death, also transformation.



Jade in oriental culture is referred to as the 'stone of heaven'.





I hope you enjoyed these I have plenty more posts on symbolic gifts to come, each featuring colours, blossoms, animals, stones, and other symbols that may appeal as gift ideas.