Birthstones and Flowers

Birthday/Anniversary Trivia.

Birthstones and Flowers

Month

Birthstone

Flower

January

Garnet

Carnation or Snowdrop

February

Amethyst

Violet or Primrose

March

Aquamarine or Bloodstone

Jonquil or Violet

April

Diamond

Daisy or Sweet Pea

May

Emerald

Hawthorn or Lily of the Valley

June

Pearl, Alexandrite or Moonstone

Rose or Honeysuckle

July

Ruby

Larkspur or Water Lily

August

Peridot or Sardonyx

Gladiolus or Poppy

September

Sapphire

Morning Glory or Aster

October

Opal or Tourmaline

Calendula or Cosmos

November

Topaz

Chrysanthemum

December

Turquoise or Zircon

Narcissus, Holly or Poinsetta

The origins of birthstones and of the flowers associated with each month of the year go back at least to the Middle Ages, when astrologers and magicians taught complicated systems of 'correspondences' involving such things as jewels, plants and the signs of the zodiac. The combinations vary in different parts of the world. This list is widely used in Britain and North America.

Based on information from the Readers Digest Book of Facts ( 1985 )

Constellations of the Zodiac
Ancient astronomers noted that the sun makes a yearly journey across the celestial sphere, part of which is represented in the picture by the blue band. The ancient astronomers associated dates with the constellations in this narrow belt (which is known as the zodiac), assigning to each constellation of stars the dates when the sun was in the same region of the celestial sphere as the constellation. The twelve zodiacal signs for these constellations were named by the 2nd-century astronomer Ptolemy, as follows: Aries (ram), Taurus (bull), Gemini (twins), Cancer (crab), Leo (lion), Virgo (virgin), Libra (balance), Scorpio (scorpion), Saggitarius (archer), Capricorn (goat), Aquarius (water-bearer), and Pisces (fishes).

Anniversary Gifts

Anniversary

Gift

Anniversary

Gift

1^st

Cotton

14^th

Ivory

2^nd

Paper

15^th

Crystal

3^rd

Leather

20^th

China

4^th

Fruit or Flowers

25^th

Silver

5^th

Wooden

30^th

Pearl

6^th

Sugar

35^th

Coral

7^th

Wool or Copper

40^th

Ruby

8^th

Bronze or Pottery

45^th

Sapphire

9^th

Pottery or Willow

50^th

Golden

10^th

Tin

55^th

Emerald

11^th

Steel

60^th

Diamond

12^th

Silk or Linen

70^th

Platinum

13^th

Lace

Particular wedding anniversaries have come to be associated in the Western world with particular types of gift. The choice of gift varies slightly in different countries. This list is one of the most common.

Based on information from the Readers Digest Book of Facts ( 1985 )

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Birthstones and Flowers
Month	Birthstone	Flower
January	Garnet	Carnation or Snowdrop
February	Amethyst	Violet or Primrose
March	Aquamarine or Bloodstone	Jonquil or Violet
April	Diamond	Daisy or Sweet Pea
May	Emerald	Hawthorn or Lily of the Valley
June	Pearl, Alexandrite or Moonstone	Rose or Honeysuckle
July	Ruby	Larkspur or Water Lily
August	Peridot or Sardonyx	Gladiolus or Poppy
September	Sapphire	Morning Glory or Aster
October	Opal or Tourmaline	Calendula or Cosmos
November	Topaz	Chrysanthemum
December	Turquoise or Zircon	Narcissus, Holly or Poinsetta
The origins of birthstones and of the flowers associated with each month of the year go back at least to the Middle Ages, when astrologers and magicians taught complicated systems of 'correspondences' involving such things as jewels, plants and the signs of the zodiac. The combinations vary in different parts of the world. This list is widely used in Britain and North America. Based on information from the Readers Digest Book of Facts ( 1985 )

Anniversary Gifts
Anniversary	Gift	Anniversary	Gift
1^st	Cotton	14^th	Ivory
2^nd	Paper	15^th	Crystal
3^rd	Leather	20^th	China
4^th	Fruit or Flowers	25^th	Silver
5^th	Wooden	30^th	Pearl
6^th	Sugar	35^th	Coral
7^th	Wool or Copper	40^th	Ruby
8^th	Bronze or Pottery	45^th	Sapphire
9^th	Pottery or Willow	50^th	Golden
10^th	Tin	55^th	Emerald
11^th	Steel	60^th	Diamond
12^th	Silk or Linen	70^th	Platinum
13^th	Lace
Particular wedding anniversaries have come to be associated in the Western world with particular types of gift. The choice of gift varies slightly in different countries. This list is one of the most common. Based on information from the Readers Digest Book of Facts ( 1985 )