The Best Secrets About Jewelry Are Yours To Discover

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https://www.merrychristmascountdown.com/Jewelry

There are many different types of jewelry for every style. There is sure to be some type of jewelry that suits you or the person you want to buy for. Read these tips to learn more about what kind of jewelry is right for you, and what fits best with your lifestyle, habits, and level of care you wish to take.

When you go jewelry shopping, make sure that it is with people you know and trust that can help you find what it is that you need. There should ideally be at least two people to help you with your shopping experience. The first should be an experienced and trustworthy jeweler. The other should be a loved one or good friend.

Attending yard-sales is a great way to build up a collection of jewelry. Many people sell old costume jewelry for practically pennies. This is a perfect opportunity to stock up on broken pieces that can be repaired or made into new jewelry later. Many new beautiful pieces of jewelry can be born of old broken pieces. Use yard-sales to build up your collection.

Christmas

If you are in the market for a piece of jewelry you can realize significant savings by waiting for the right time of year to buy. Christmas and Valentine’s day are especially busy times of the year for jewelers, and they may be less likely to negotiate during these times of year.

If you are shopping for seasonal brooches, try to buy them out of season. By buying Christmas brooches, valentine’s day brooches or Easter brooches out of season, you can usually save a lot of money and acquire a quality piece of jewelry. So, if you are looking for a Christmas tree brooch or a snowman brooch, try to buy it in July. Of course this is not always possible, after all, do you always know what you want to buy for Christmas as early as July? Very often, the best time to shop for these items is just AFTER the holiday. This either means buying almost a year in advance for the following holiday OR waiting until after the holiday to buy the piece you want. Unfortunately, that does not make sense for items like Christmas Tree brooches, as they are unlikely to be worn once the holiday is over. Sometimes, these types of items are marked down significantly just before the holiday because the vendor knows that once the holiday arrives, they will be stuck with it if it is not sold, so if you are willing to wait until the last minute and risk not getting the piece you want, you could wait until Christmas Eve, for instance and make the vendor an offer. They may be glad even to receive half price.

Sterling Silver

Sterling silver jewelry makes a great investment. Pieces of jewelry made from sterling silver last for a lifetime and provide endless elegance. Sterling does tarnish if it is not worn regularly, but can be quickly shined up using a polishing cloth. However, pieces of sterling silver jewelry that have specialty coating can last ages without tarnishing.
Beware of fake sales online. Oftentimes, jewelry advertised as sterling silver with a gemstone, such as turquoise is just a piece of metal sprayed in silver and the turquoise is a fake piece of plastic. Such vendors may accept returns, but the hassle of shipping it back at your own cost, is usually not worth it. Be aware of scams like this. If you are looking for a good piece, use a reputable jeweler.

When looking to invest in fine jewelry, understand the different price ranges different metals and gemstones fall into. For example, understanding that opal is very expensive, you can already figure out if you see someone selling it for under twenty dollars, it is a fake. Knowing that sterling silver is a lot cheaper than white gold, but quite similar in appearance, can help narrow down your price when looking to invest in a nice pair of earrings.

As you can see, there are many different types of jewelry readily accessible to everybody. Use these tips to pick the right combination of materials, style, and price that are right for you. Jewelry is easier to care for than one might think- find the perfect piece, and wear it often.

How Many Days Until Christmas

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Are You On The Christmas Countdown?

Once it comes to the end of August each year, some people starting counting how many weeks or even how many days till Christmas. Of course, 2020 is going to be very different for many people: no Office Parties and kids may have started thinking about what they might like for Christmas, but in many households, Christmas expenditure will have to be cut back severely!

If your household is still able to celebrate and you need to know how many days until Christmas, you can see that on the Xmas clock in the top right hand corner of this page.

https://www.merrychristmascountdown.com

Preparing Ahead

If you like a big Christmas each year, you may have already started preparing as soon as the previous Christmas is over: recording what went well and what needs to be improved and starting to store decorations and the tree away ready for next year.

If you cook your special Christmas meal only once each year, it’s important to note down the cooking times and temperatures, the ingredients and any special items you include. It’s so easy to forget to buy that special ingredient or the particular temperature or cooking time needed for your turkey or special recipes but you usually remember them at the time you need them, so write them down then in your journal.

Getting Ready

Have you made a list of all the things you need to do? The cards to send, presents to buy and wrap, guests to prepare for? You can get a download list of things to remember and budget for here.

Secret Santa

Many work places hold a Secret Santa event each Christmas, where each worker draws another person’s name from a hat and buys them a present within a given budget. No one knows who buys which present for which person. Some families, especially large ones, make use of Secret Santa each year to cut down on overall expenditure and allow each person to receive one bigger gift rather than many smaller gifts.

 

Christmas Eve Excitement

Not long now until Christmas and Christmas Eve. Have you got your Christmas Eve sorted?

Christmas Eve Boxes

Maybe you are going to get Christmas Eve boxes or Christmas Pyjamas?

Of course, you may have had a difficult time this year 2020, with Covid and lockdowns? Maybe you are having to cut back greatly for Christmas, compared with other Christmases and perhaps you are even having to redefine Christmas?

Make It Special

If so, is there anything you can think of that would help make Christmas Eve special for you and your family? Something that doesn’t cost anything, even if you have to prepare ahead of time? Maybe have a sofa night, wrapped in a warm blanket, sipping hot chocolate and watching a film? Maybe watching the Norad Santa tracker showing where Santa’s sleigh is? You can check out the Norad Santa Tracker from 1 December 2020 here. You may be able to find something in a local charity or goodwill shop?

Foodbank

If you are totally stuck for food and other necessities, as many people are this year, then check out your local foodbank. I know that my local foodbank is preparing to help out a number of people and families this year, in different ways, including volunteers preparing a plated Christmas dinner for those alone and hampers for those with very little.

Neighbors Friends And Family

If you are OK for Christmas and Christmas Eve, what about your neighbours, friends and family? Is there anything you can do for them at what may be a difficult time?

The film and song below were created some years ago and I love this song about Christmas Eve. Maybe you will enjoy it also?

And a quieter song from the Florin Street Band if you are feeling more reflective for Christmas 2020