Winter Gifts is a 3 strand necklace with both December's and January's birthstones. I used chips and nuggets of Turquoise along with one center oval bead and faceted and tumbled Garnets. The ends are finished with Delica Glass spacer beads and a Silver filled toggle clasp. The shortest strand is 16 inches and the longest one is 18 1/2 inches. I just love combining birthstones, and these two colors and gems work so well together!

charmsoflight.com says, "Garnet cleanses and re-energizes the chakras. It revitalizes, purifies and balances energy, bringing serenity or passion as appropriate. Inspires love and devotion. Garnet balances the sex drive and alleviates emotional disharmony. It activates and strengthens the survival instinct, bringing courage and hope. Stimulates past-life recall. Sharpens perceptions of oneself and others. Garnet removes inhibitions and taboos. It opens the heart and bestows self-confidence.

Garnet regenerates the body and stimulates the metabolism. It treats disorders of the spine and spinal fluid, bone, cellular structure and composition. Purifies the heart, lungs, blood and regenerates DNA. Garnet boosts the immune system and energy levels."

"Turquoise is a purification stone. It dispels negative energy and can be worn to protect against outside influences or pollutants in the atmosphere. Turquoise balances and aligns all the chakras, stabilizing mood swings and instilling inner calm. It is excellent for depression and exhaustion, it also has the power to prevent panic attacks. Turquoise promotes self-realization and assists creative problem solving. It is a symbol of friendship, and stimulates romantic love.

Turquoise aids in the absorption of nutrients, enhances the immune system, stimulates the regeneration of tissue, and heals the whole body. It contains anti-inflammatory and detoxifying effects, and alleviates cramps and pain. Turquoise purifies lungs, soothes and clears sore throats, and heals the eyes, including cataracts. It neutralizes over-acidity, benefits rheumatism, gout, stomach problems, and viral infections."

According to firemountaingems.com, "Turquoise is one of the official birthstones for the month of December, and is heralded as the stone of communication. It encourages enthusiasm, thus inspiring new projects and bringing to light undiscovered artistic abilities. Turquoise also provides understanding and encourages attention to detail while attracting prosperity and success.

The sprawling lines of coppery matrix provide a large amount of energy to its wearer. This may be one reason why the stone has long been prized as a powerful talisman with healing properties. It is believed that Turquoise can help balance the blue throat chakra, enhancing the ability to communicate while increasing resistance to viruses, helping to relieve sore throats and allergies."

Some also say that Turquoise brings the Wisdom of the Ancient Ones to those who wear it! Clearly, these gems really have the potential to bring you gifts!