"If cold December
gave you birth.
The month of snow
and ice and mirth
Place on your hand
a turquoise blue,
Success will bless
whate'er you do."

- Gregorian birthstone poems

Turquoise is a copper aluminum silicate, best known in its nugget form as a somewhat lumpy, opaque stone.  It can, though rarely, be found in small bright blue crystals which are highly prized.  The blue colour results from the copper content and varies with the balance of minerals in each specimen.  The more greenish colour of some turquoise is due to iron.  Turquoise acquired its name in the 16th century as Turkey was a major stop on the trade routes from central Asia, where turquoise was mined, to Europe, and the stone would frequently be bought by Europeans at the Turkish bazaars.  Boasting world-wide popularity in both sacred practice and secular adornment, turquoise is also one of the oldest stones known to be fashioned into use.  Beads dating to as early as 5000 BC have been found in what is now Iraq and the Egyptians are known to have mined it in the Sinai since 3200 BC or earlier.

During its long use in human history Turquoise has been credited with a variety of powers.  Native American tribes used it in various ways to bring rain in parched climates.  One method of doing so was to powder it and create pictures out of the pigmented sand.  In the southwest, it was placed in tombs to guard the dead and the Navajo kept turquoise carvings as guardians against negative magic.  The Pueblos would lay it under the floor of a new house as an offering to deities, it was an important tool in the Apache shaman's medicine bag and other tribes fastened them to their bows as a charm for accuracy.  Outside of the Americas, rings with turquoise were worn to protect against the evil eye and many other dangers.  If attached to the bridle of a horse, it would protect the rider from falls.  Both the Hindus and the Persians believed that seeing a Turquoise and a new moon at the same moment would lead to good fortune.

Turquoise continues to be a popular stone today.  It has been for centuries and still is one of the most highly valued gems in Tibet and is the national gemstone of Iran.  It is still used in spells to attract wealth and still worn to protect from illness.  It also is sometimes said that turquoise can change colour to warn of impending danger, or that it will fade if it has been given to a lover whose love has dimmed.  Energetically, turquoise is an extremely holistic stone, aligning all chakras and meridians and bringing one's whole being into focus.  In this way, wearing a piece may very well protect health, since when everything in the body is flowing as it should, one is far less likely to become ill.  It will help maintain soundness of mood and emotion and, in its capacity as a throat-chakra stone, will help to overcome shyness in communicating the wisdom that can be found in all of us...one can recognize how what they are and what they have learned fits into the larger picture in a beneficial way.

And so, all of you December babies, as the weather grows colder and sniffles abound you may just want to hold a piece of Turquoise yourself to keep your spirits up and illness away.  If it feels a little strange at first, simply remember that people across the world have been doing the very same thing literally for millenia, and you are certainly not alone.

Note: While Turquoise is the stone most commonly associated with December, all months have more than one birthstone, due to varying traditions around the world.  Also, as the zodiac signs begin and end mid-month, a person's zodiac birthstone will not necessarily match the birthstone from the month in which they are born. In December Sagittarius, with Turquoise as its birthstone, is the sign until the 21st. Then Capricorn takes over with the birthstone Garnet, so December Capricorns have both Turquoise and Garnet as legitimate birthstones.