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Choosing a birthday gift for a friend about to turn thirty years old can be a challenging task. You want to honor the special day with a unique gift, but not necessarily draw attention to their age. After all, thirty is the pivotal year of life when we transition from young adults to full-fledged grownups. Make your loved one feel their best on their big day by choosing a gift that focuses on the beginning of his or her life, not the number of years that have passed.

If you want to give a truly personal gift, you cannot go wrong with a birthstone-- a gift idea that dates back to Biblical times. Birthstones and zodiac stones are great gifts that hold deep significance and will be treasured for years. When making your purchase, be sure to keep in mind the type and size of jewelry the person wears most often, as well as whether she prefers gold or silver. This way, you can embed her birthstone, for instance a pearl for a June birthday, in a setting that will be adored. Birthstones are also stunning when mounted in watches, brooches, and hairpins for those who rarely wear rings or necklaces. If you are shopping for a man, he may prefer a pocket watch or specialty ink pen imbedded with his birthstone to jewelry. Following, is a list of birthstones:

• January -- Garnet
• February -- Light Purple Amethyst
• March -- Blue/Green Aquamarine
• April -- Diamond
• May -- Emerald
• June -- Pearl
• July -- Ruby
• August -- Light Green Peridot
• September -- Blue Sapphire
• October -- Multi-Color Opal
• November -- Golden Topaz
• December -- Turquoise or Blue Zircon

Some people have a special interest or belief in their astrological information. If this is the case with your friend, consider giving him or her a physical symbol of the zodiac and of your love with a zodiac stone gift, sometimes called Astral Stones. As with the birthstone tradition, a gemstone is assigned to each of the twelve zodiac signs. If your friend is a Cancer, for instance, he or she will cherish an emerald and its professed abilities to increase courage and health. When presenting a zodiac stone gift, include a description of the gem's astrological significance and origins. Following is a list of zodiac stones:

• Aquarius -- Garnet
• Pisces -- Amethyst, Aquamarine
• Aries -- Bloodstone
• Taurus -- Sapphire
• Gemini -- Agate, Alexandrite
• Cancer -- Emerald
• Leo -- Onyx, Peridot
• Virgo -- Carnelian
• Libra -- Opal
• Scorpio -- Beryl
• Sagittarius -- Topaz
• Capricorn -- Ruby

Whether you purchase a birthstone or a zodiac gemstone, you'll honor your friend's thirtieth birthday in a distinctive, personal, and memorable way.