Winter can be long and dreary. The novelty of the first snow, fresh and white, fades into the fatigue of shoveling your driveway, and that beautiful white blanket of snow turning to gray mushy slush. For those with winter birthdays, you can perk up your day and your wardrobe by wearing your brightly colored birthstone in blue, red, or purple for December, January, and February, respectively. Read on to learn more about winter birthstones.

The two blue birthstones for December are turquoise and blue topaz. The blue of turquoise is so unique that the stone has lent its name to the shade. Most people in the US probably associate turquoise with jewelry from Mexico or the southwestern US, in Native American styles, and indeed the US is today the largest producer of turquoise. But it got its name from the French word for Turkish, as Turkey and the surrounding areas was one of the earliest sources of the stone. Chemically it contains copper and other minerals, and is usually found in areas with large copper deposits. Blue topaz is actually not entirely natural, but is topaz made blue by radiation.

January's birthstone is the garnet. Usually thought of as a red color, garnets actually come in just about every hue except blue. This is because garnet is the name given to a group of similar minerals, including rhodolite and hessonite. As is the case with many birthstones, the garnet is the topic of folklore and believed to have special powers of protection or good fortune. Specifically, some believe that Noah used a garnet to light the way for the ark, and today, it is considered a good gem for travelers to grant them safe passage and return.

The amethyst, February's birthstone, is purple, a color associated with royalty, so it is no surprise that it is highly prized, and appears in the British Crown Jewels. While always purple, it can vary from a light violet to a deep purple shade. The Greek word from which amethyst descends literally means not drunk. So, amethysts have been thought since ancient times to preserve sobriety, and in modern times, have come to symbolize assistance to overcome other addictions as well. As a “sober” gem, they also represent piety and have traditionally been worn by priests and other clergy.

Don't hide inside, bring out the colors of bright winter birthstones and make the world a more colorful place.