She may be your baby girl, but with each passing year she's growing toward womanhood. Before long, you will be celebrating hallmark moments in her life such as a significant birthday, bat mitzvah, a Quinceanera, prom, graduation from college, and beyond. In between, are simple moments in life that deserve special consideration too; straight A's on the report card, making the basketball team, learning to drive, or simply for being your beautiful girl.



Any parent of a daughter knows the moments are fleeting. You want to capture them forever, but how? And more importantly, you want to give her something that will help her remember those moments as well. For decades, charm bracelets have served as important symbols of a young woman's life. In the 1950s when a girl turned 13, her parents presented her with a charm bracelet to mark the occasion. She decorated her charm bracelet with charms that represented her hobbies, talents and dreams for the future. When she became a grown woman, the charm bracelet followed her into adulthood, marking her marriage and entrance into motherhood with new charms.

Today's charm bracelets have come of age, so to speak. While the traditional look of yesteryear can still be found, the Danish-inspired charm bracelets offer a lovely and whimsical touch that will grow up with her. As she reaches new milestones in her life, the charm bracelet can be decorated with interchangeable charms according to her preferences and interests.

Occasions for Giving a Charm Bracelet

Depending on how a young girl cares for her things, parents might consider presenting their daughter with a charm bracelet during her preteen years. Perhaps they choose and more traditional sterling silver or gold charm bracelet, later to be replaced with a Danish-inspired piece to be worn in her young womanhood. In whichever case, there are endless opportunities to show your daughter how much she means to you.

1. Hallmark Birthday

Ipods and Jonas Brothers aside, the tween teen of today is sophisticated, able to appreciate things that girls her age decades ago might not have. A charm bracelet for a 12th or 13th birthday shows you recognize the young woman she's becoming. Fresh and flowery charms, Murano glass beads and sterling silver creations can be used to symbolize her interests and pursuits at this young age. For the Sweet 16 princess, a sterling silver or gold bracelet decorated with charms such as her birthstone, a monogram and a sterling silver flip flop celebrate the carefree days of youth. Later, when she reaches 18 or 21, you can add a semiprecious or 14K gold charm to her growing collection.

2. Graduations

It seems like yesterday she was graduating from kindergarten, now she's taking the walk across the stage for high school, college, or her MBA. Where has the time gone? Celebrate her amazing academic achievements with an equally amazing gift that shows her your pride and support at this new stage of her life. For the girl who is true-blue to her school, maybe a charm bracelet in her school colors is in order. Or perhaps you might go the route of a sports-themed bracelet to recognize her athletic achievements. The sky is the limit when it comes to creating your daughter's charm bracelet.

3. Confirmations

Religious confirmations are special moments in your daughter's life. Whether it's a church confirmation, bat mitzvah or Quinceanera, a charm bracelet can help mark the moment when a girl is becoming a young woman. If these occasions are not a part of your religious observances, consider holding a special tea or luncheon in your daughter's honor and invite special women who model what you'd like your daughter to become. As a part of the occasion, have guests share wisdom from their own lives and present your daughter with her own charm bracelet - a symbol of her exciting future.

4. Engagements, Marriage, Motherhood

As she becomes the beautiful woman you've imagined for years, there are significant moments that are especially exciting. After all, this is why you worked so hard all those years - to see her become an independent adult. Whether it's the announcement of her impending marriage, a bridal shower of even the special day, a charm bracelet from her family will be gift she'll treasure always. When she enters into motherhood, a charm bracelet is the perfect gift to mark this momentous occasion. Include the birthstones of the father, mother and new baby. Present her with a new birthstone charm with the birth of each child. Hopefully, that will include granddaughters and you can look forward to starting the tradition all over again.