As is the case with all types of fashion, jewelry trends have evolved to become a significant part of all different cultures around the world. This is especially true when it comes to infant and baby jewelry. Baby jewelry customs vary and span across the globe. Each part of the world expresses beauty through jewellery customs in a multitude of ways.
Let’s take a look at some of the most fascinating baby jewelry customs you can find all over the world:
Mexican baby jewelry customs:
In countries that are predominantly Catholic, like Mexico, it’s customary to form a bond between jewelry and religion by gifting a rosary or a cross necklace to a newborn baby. This necklace is also known as a guardian angel necklace. Normally, the baby receives these gifts at a baptism or christening ceremony. This gift is intended to send religious well-wishes to the infant while honoring the religion of the whole family.
In Mexico particularly, one of the most popular infant and adult jewelry symbols is La Virgen de Guadalupe who, accordingly to various religious accounts, appeared multiple times to Juan Diego. Juan Diego was a native peasant who is considered to be the first Mexican saint.
With this history in mind, it should come as no surprise that La Virgen de Guadalupe is very emblematic of the strong ties between Mexico and Catholicism. Jewelry depicting La Virgen de Guadalupe is particularly special for newborns because Christians and Catholics believe that Jesus Christ is the son of Mary.
Latin American baby jewelry:
Latin America is very well-known for its evil eye jewelry, which is typically worn to deter evil spirits. Evil eye jewelry makes a beautiful gift for those of all ages, but when gifted to a newborn, it’s believed to keep evil spirits at bay that may otherwise make the baby cry or become ill. It’s underlying symbol of protection makes those who wear evil eye jewelry feel more confident and at ease.
Authentic evil eye jewelry in Latin America tends to include shades of pink or red. It’s main distinct quality is the ‘azabache,’ which is a jet black gemstone that encapsulates the jewelry’s protective qualities.
Turkish evil eye jewelry:
Turkey is also quite well-known for its inclusion of evil eye jewelry into newborn culture. But it looks a bit different because it incorporates ‘nazars’ — charms that look like bright blue or green eyes. Typically, nazars are arranged onto the door of an infant’s nursery to protect against evil eye spirits.
Santeria baby jewelry customs:
Santeria is a region that features influences of both Caribbean and African culture. Its most common color schemes include green and yellow hues. This unique color combination is said to represent Orula, who is the spirit of wisdom. Following these customs, newborns who receive Orula-colored jewelry will help a newborn prosper and grow to become wise and strong.
As you can see, there are countless ways to incorporate jewellery into religious beliefs and culture when considering the right gift for a newborn.
Have you ever heard of the fascinating jewelry trends and traditions? Which ones are the most interesting to you, and why? Tell us in the comments!
Conclusion:
Baby jewelry customs vary and span around the globe reflecting cultural traditions, religious beliefs, and regional practices. From Mexico to Europe to the Middle East, it seems that each country and their respective cultures has a unique take on jewelry for little ones.
Author of this article:
Emiliano Ferreyra
CEO of In Season Jewelry
1800 SW 1st Ave
Suite 401/402
Miami, FL 33129, United States
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Founder & Editor of Textile Learner. He is a Textile Consultant, Blogger & Entrepreneur. Mr. Kiron is working as a textile consultant in several local and international companies. He is also a contributor of Wikipedia.
