This year, the big trend in jewelry accessories is customized necklaces. This trend began in American mall, popularized by teenage girls, but has grown to attract even Hollywood stars and fashionistas on the world stage. Many women are now showcasing their interests, their passions, and even their favorite charities or causes with charm necklaces. While gold is always in style, its high cost this year has made silver customized necklaces the must-have item for formal and semi-formal affairs. Sterling silver makes an attractive charm that is easily monogrammed and worn in place of a large pendant.

Let’s take a look at the big draws in 2009 so far. By far, name charm jewelry is at the top of the list. New moms are wearing personalized mom necklaces to show off their new baby’s name, and on the reverse, the baby’s birthdate. Adding a small charm like a crystal or a stone to the top of the personalized silver plate is a nice touch. Now, a word of warning for those of you not used to wearing silver on the skin: it does tarnish, so you have to clean it at least once a year to keep it shiny. On the other hand, when silver has a slight tarnish it has a baroque look that is very fashionable in some circles. I personally think this style is darling, and of course it’s easy to make this happen because all you have to do is make sure your jewelry gets some good time out of the jewelry box.

Lastly, a style that has been noticed in cosmopolitan areascombines the personalized nameplate with a semiprecious stone, such as ruby. This can make a great gift idea, because the stone can be picked out to be the birthstone of the recipient. A variation on this theme is to give matching necklaces to mother and daughter, with their own birthstones. So the set of customized necklaces is both personalized and also reflects that special mother-daughter bond. A wonderful idea for rites-of-passage, such as turning 16, or moving away to college. After all, if you daughter is starting her own family far from home, it's nice for her to have something that reminds her of her family that is also professional enough for work.

With Mothers's Day coming quick, it's time to find something that will really your mom or wife sing. And sorry, fellas,flowers and a card from the local gas station are the wrong road to travel. Here are some ideas for really reminding Mom how much you appreciate the sacrifices she has made as a mother.

For extraordinary gifts, there are two ways you can go. The first is to choose a precious object that she would never buy herself. First, consider personalized jewelry. Remember that jewelry does not have to take two months pay to be appreciated. There are many great Mommy necklace selections that can be found for less than two hundred dollars. The right personalized bracelet matches your lady’s style and her spirit. I recommend birth stones if you don’t know how to choose something that she can accessorize with her present day jewelry collection. Also, a personalized necklace has become very popular thanks to Hollywood stars. For moms with little children now, a good choice is a mother’s necklace that lists her children's names, mixed in with colorful glass beads or semi-precious stones.

The other way to find her something unforgettable is to buy her an adventure rather than a present. This could be a free pass to the massage centeror a coupon for her to take a week off from doing the dishes and cleaning the house. This is a perfect solution if money is hard to come by. Classier experiences could be a surprise vacation to a place you used to go when you were younger. The right Paris weekend can truly rekindle the romance with your wife – but make sure the coupon includes a plan for a baby sitter!