Science has proved it: hobbies make us happier, and you can never have too many. Mom has umpteen hobbies. One of these Mother’s Day gifts will bring her to umpteen-and-one.
Birthstone meanings by month:
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What is a birthstone?
Birthstones are gems that are associated with a birth month, each stone has a unique meaning and significance. Like horoscope signs, when you ask someone “what is your birthstone?” they almost always know the answer. Today you’ll commonly see birthstones in jewelry pieces, like necklaces, bracelets, rings, or earrings as reminders to celebrate your birth month all year long. Besides jewelry, birthstones or the colors symbolizing the stones show up in many other types of gifts and keepsakes making birthday shopping easy and fun. Birthstones are a part of modern society and since ancient times it is widely believed that wearing your birthstone is a symbol of wellness and good fortune. See which birthstone is meant for you.
What is the origin of birthstones?
Christian scholars in the 5th century made the connection between the twelve gems in the Breastplate of Aaron, twelve months of the year, and twelve signs of the zodiac. They theorized that each gem was connected to a certain month or astrological alignment and that they would receive therapeutic benefits for wearing one during that time.
To receive the full benefit, people took to wearing one stone for each month of the year and attributed a different meaning and value to them. Eventually this practice was modified so that a person would only wear the stone for the month they were born in (hence the term birthstone). There was a great amount of disagreement over which stone should represent a calendar month until 1912 when Sears published an “official” list of all the birthstones and the months they represented. Since then there have been a few modifications here and there but the list remains largely unchanged.
If you’re anything like us, your pets are pretty much part of the family. There’s nothing like the wags of joy you receive when you come home to your pup after a long day, or the purr of appreciation your cat gives in return for a simple scratch behind the ear. We can all learn something from the unconditional love our pets give us daily, and the holiday season is the perfect time to start spreading those warm, fuzzy feelings. Impress your fur-babies and your pet-obsessed friends with these irresistibly adorable finds.
Many years from now, when archaeologists of the distant future excavate the sites of 21st century man caves, they’ll get a glimpse into the daily life of today’s modern man. We want them to take a look at the artifacts they find and be amazed. But before future archaeologists can be amazed by their findings, it’s up to us to make sure those man caves are fully-loaded with all of the coolest things. It’s also up to us to make sure that our modern-day men are totally blown away by the holiday gifts they get this year. Help the man cave dweller in your life create a truly impressive domain with these must-have goods.
Maker Stories
Touch, Technology, and Giving Back: Meet the Creators of the
July 24, 2017
Touch, Technology, and Giving Back: Meet the Creators of the
Long Distance Friendship Lamp
July 24, 2017
Imagine a technology that allows you to show loved ones you’re thinking of them–not with a phone call, not with a text, but with a soft, colorful glow. John Harrison and Vanessa Whalen, a married couple looking to foster unique connections with their faraway family members, made it happen with their Long Distance Friendship Lamps. With just a simple tap on the top of your touch lamp, you can illuminate another connected lamp anywhere around the world—sending a message of love without words.
Here at UncommonGoods, John and Vanessa’s lamps have proven to be a huge hit, connecting faraway friends and family members with a little bit of Wi-Fi-powered magic. Read on to hear from John about the winding path he took to get to the Friendship Lamp’s creation—from playing the violin professionally, to working as an electrical engineer, to working closely with non-profit organizations to bring his and Vanessa’s shining idea to families and friends all over the world.
Earlier today, the Supreme Court announced that it will hear full arguments in October for Trump v International Refugee Assistance Project and Trump v State of Hawaii, cases regarding the Trump administration’s proposed travel ban. This decision allows the administration to move forward with a limited version of its ban on travel from Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen. With this decision, a 120-day ban on refugees will also be allowed to take effect on a limited basis.
We recognize that the world is increasingly volatile. We don’t pretend to have all the answers, but we do know that safe communities are important to everyone—regardless of race, religion, ethnicity, or home country. That’s why UncommonGoods supports organizations that advocate for causes that we believe in. In light of the decision to reinstate the travel ban, we are proud to stand with the International Rescue Committee, our longtime Better to Give partner.
It’s a bird! It’s a plane! It’s…Dad! We’re all holding out for a hero, but no need to wait ’til the morning light: he’s right there in the back yard. Or the kitchen. Or maybe the garage. Wherever your one-of-a-kind pop prefers to spend his “me” time (your words, not his), here’s our guide to gifts that celebrate his cape-worthy, Spandex-free super-ness.
The Fantastic Formula
E = MC Pow!
He may have out-of-this-world powers (case in point: the power of knowledge), but that doesn’t mean you can’t keep him grounded with these spiffy cufflinks made in the image of our home planet. | Earth Cufflinks
Is there any place more appropriate to wedge Dad’s favorite academic tomes than between two halves of a concrete brain? We think not. | Left Brain, Right Brain Bookends
Toast his mathematical prowess with this set of four Old Fashioned glasses, each decorated with a formula impenetrable to even the most cunning of mere mortals. | Math Glasses – Set of 4
From Acadia to Yosemite: A Celebration of Our National Parks
April 17, 2017When President Ulysses S. Grant signed the law establishing Yellowstone as the first National Park in 1872, he probably didn’t imagine how the parks system would expand or how popular the parks would become. The National Park Service celebrated its centennial in 2016 and welcomed a record number of visitors: 325 million. Yellowstone is still one of the most popular, but the system now includes 59 National Parks in 27 states and two US Territories. Other units in the National Park system add diversity to familiar natural preserves like Yellowstone and Yosemite, meaning you can climb to the top of Devil’s Tower or get your patriot on at Independence National Historical Park. To celebrate these priceless natural and historic treasures, we offer this collection of designs to help you enjoy the recreation and inspiration they offer.
