I might be in my early 30s, but I do love an advent calendar. And this year is no exception: thanks GeoFossils!
Last year I had a cheese one. Unfortunately, it didn’t last the 25 days it was supposed to; I went on a trip the weekend before Christmas and opened all the doors to take the cheeses I liked to have a bit of a picnic in the hotel. My family had what was left. Which wasn’t much!
Anyway, this year I was going to get myself another calendar. In previous years, I bought an Pandora style Christmas themed bracelet, but this time I was thinking of one of those posh chocolate ones (y’know, the ones with the golden bears…), but then I saw a post on Facebook from GeoFossils. They were selling their crystal advent calendars and I thought, “Why not?”
So if you have been following me on social media, either on Facebook, Instagram or both during December, you’d have seen me post everyday the crystal I received with a bit of information. Within the first week, I thought that the calendar would make a great topic for a blog.
So here it is, my advent calendar from GeoFossils…
Oh and I apologise for the quality of the photos. These are the ones I took on the day and it was a bit dark – I have an early start for work. Plus, I really couldn’t be bothered to retake any of them.
The Advent Calendar
GeoFossils were to send out the advent calendars in time for December 1st. They published a post on Facebook asking if anyone hasn’t received their calendar to get in touch. My calendar was one of 9 that got lost in the post, not the fault of GeoFossils or the Royal Mail to be honest. It’s been one of those years. Anyway, my calendar arrived on December 1st. In the surprisingly light box, there was a 24 day calendar, a box for the 25th and a Christmas card from the employees of GeoFossils.
GeoFossils also have a YouTube channel (please subscribe) and everyday, they posted a video to what the crystal was, its properties and other bits of information. Some of the information about the crystals are taken from the GeoFossils Crystal Handbook (look at Day 25).
Day One
I was really surprised to receive two stones. In the picture is a rough and a smooth tumbled stone of Lapis Lazuli.
A stone that can be used as September’s birthstone (instead of Sapphire), Lapis Lazuli is a protection stone that can be worn to guard against psychic attacks. This stone can release stress quickly, provide deep peace, harmony and a deeper, inner self-knowledge.
Day Two
My favourite form of amethyst is in a cluster like this.
The birthstone for February can be helpful in stilling one’s thoughts in prayer and meditation. Amethyst can also stimulate the higher mind and open up to the insights, wisdom and guidance that can be found/offered.
Day Three
I think Black Tourmaline looks far better as a rough stone, rather than a polished smooth, tumbled one.
Black Tourmaline in known for absorbing negative energies within your surrounding environment. It can help to release unwanted energy and is also excellent for dispelling fears and obsessions to bring emotional stability.
Day Four
Honestly thought this was a Clear Quartz cluster. Nope.
Celestite is known to be an Angelic crystal that can help with communication between you and your angelic guide. It also provides a gentle, uplifting energy to help expand awareness into higher realms – a perfect for crystal for meditation.
Day Five
Obviously with the previous day, I knew that it wouldn’t be something like Aquamarine. It looked and felt similar.
Another Angelic crystal. Blue Celestite is a crystal with connections to the throat and third eye chakras, this means it will help you to speak the truth and see what is real. Like White Celestite, in it’s blue form, the crystal’s gentle energy engulfs you within a loving embrace.
Day Six
Thought this was Quartz. I’m not very good at playing ‘guessing the crystal’ am I?
This can also be known as Quartz with Chlorite, so I was nearly right. Some others may know it as Shaman Dream Stone, this means it can evoke lucid dreams. Lodolite is an excellent crystal for meditation, as most quartz crystals are.
Day Seven
Now, I definitely knew that this was Rose Quartz. A rough stone plus a heart shaped one!
Rose quartz is known as the stone of love, or the Stone of Unconditional Love. A stone that attracts all kinds of love as well as boosting self-esteem. It’s also a calming and reassuring crystal that can strengthen empathy and sensitivity.
Day Eight
As I said in my original social media post, I have never heard of this stone before. I think a Crystal Healer who follows me even left a comment saying that this was new to them too.
A stone that can bring focus to the mind. So it’s a perfect crystal to be associated with the third eye and/or crown chakras. Kammererite is a crystal that can support you emotionally and spiritually.
Day Nine
Once again, when I opened the parcel, I wasn’t sure what I got. But I really like the colours of Malachite.
A crystal that helps to protect from negativity, helps to sense danger and resisting temptation (probably need that for the festive period!!). Malachite is also a stone of balance, abundance, manifestation and intention.
Day Ten
Have you heard of Polarity Moonstone? Nope, this was yet another new one for me. Plus ANOTHER rough form and tumble stone.
I have heard of moonstone, but not come across this variety. Polarity Moonstone is a crystal that calls on the energies of the day and night in order to balance the emotional body. It is said to merge the conscious and the subconscious aspects of the mind, as well as to help us realize and act upon our needs and desires
Day Eleven
This I knew straight away. I have a feeling that at this point of you reading this blog, that you’re probably not believing me in that I got two versions of a crystal. 11th December I received a tumble stone and heart shaped Selenite. A stone I have been wanting to add to my ever growing collection.
Selenite is all about illumination, balance, harmony and peace. It’s a crystal that can clean and charge other crystals and can help you to connect to the Angelic realm. (It is also important NOT TO GET THIS WET)
Day Twelve
Wasn’t quite sure how to pronounce this. If you know what I mean.
Taken from the Latin word ‘fulgur’, which means thunderbolt. To create this crystal, a lightning bolt strikes and ‘petrifies’ sand. It’s a crystal that can initiate spiritual transformation.
Day Thirteen
A gorgeous baby Quartz Geode.
Last year I bought an unbroken geode. I was looking forward to ‘cracking it open’ to see the crystals inside. Unfortunately, the only thing I manged to do was break off chips and create a few dints in the path that leads to my front door. So, I was extremely pleased to open day 13 to find a stone with an elastic band around it only to discover what I was hoping to find with my own.
Quartz are known to have healing properties that are incredibly beneficial regarding spiritual healing. Clear quartz is known as the ‘Master Healer’. Crystal Quartz are known to contain powers that can benefit everyday thoughts and feelings as well as a person’s actions and words.
Day Fourteen
This was a surprise for me. I’ve never seen Labradorite in its rough form. To the point that I wasn’t really sure what it was.
For most jewellery makers, Labradorite is a favourite. This is because of the colours it displays – otherwise known as labradorescence. It’s a crystal of transformation and a welcome companion throughout change, as it provides strength and perseverance. A stone that everyone should have throughout this past year!
Day Fifteen
Now THIS was a surprise. Four stones!!!
These four stones are what is call the Madagascar collection. They said that they couldn’t just choose one, so they decided in order to showcase it had to be more than one.
Ocean Jasper has another name: Orbicular Jasper. It is said to have the energy of the ocean, so it is able to to wash its gentle energies over you and bring a sense of comfort, empowerment and nurture the soul.
Carnelian is another alternative birthstone, in this case it is for July. Carnelian is known to be the stone of joy, as the sun’s vibrant energy fills you up with joy. It’s an excellent crystal to help boost your vitality, motivation and to stimulate creativity.
Rhodonite (in this case in Quartz), is a stone of compassion and an emotional balancer that can clear away any emotional wounds that we carry from our past.
White Dendritic Agate is another stone with another name: Merlinite. It’s a crystal that can bring fullness, abundance and joy to all areas of a person’s life. It’s obviously a stone that has connections to magic; why would they name it after one of the worlds most famous magicians?
Day Sixteen
Otherwise known as Fools’ Gold. Love that it it’s in the shape of a cube.
We’ve all bought Pyrite as a child. We all loved the have something that is called ‘Fool’s Gold’. I certainly did have a small, glass bottle containing bits of this crystal. Another protective stone, Pyrite is known to shield a person from negative energies of all kinds and promote good, physical health and emotional well-being.
Day Seventeen
Another new stone for me. I am discovering so many new crystals on this journey.
Little is known about this stone. Yet, it is (as I believe) Dolomite. In this case, it is Dolomite with inclusions of Pyrite and given the name Sugar Pyrite. It can also be found with calcite, barite, quartz and fluorite. Dolomite itself is (yet another) protection stone. By placing it in the centre of a room, this crystal will both balance and ground the room’s energy.
Day Eighteen
Got it wrong again. Thought it was Moonstone.
Opalite is a man-made synthetic glass. It is a stone that has been mistakenly known as Opal, Tiffany Stone, Opalised Fluorite and Purple Opal. Or in my case: Moonstone. Look it was dark and I only had my bedroom light. You can tell what it is better in natural light. Opalite is a stone that is all about getting jobs done.
Day Nineteen
A stone from the UK. GeoFossils thinking was: what embodies the UK? A world heritage site: Stonehenge. Believe it or not, Preseli Bluestone is the stone that was used to create the monoliths at the famed site. It is a crystal that enhances spirituality, as it is believed to connect a person to the mystical energy of Merlin.
Preseli Blue Stone is otherwise known as Stonehenge Stone, River Stone or Fairy Stone.
Day Twenty
Another new crystal for me.
Sadly, it doesn’t smell of Teen Spirit. Nirvana quartz is another recent discovery, therefore not much is known about it but it is believed to be a crystal that resonates with both past and future, which can lead to inner peace and joy.
Day Twenty One
This feels like chalk. It’s not, but it has a similar texture.
Another stone with another name: Goddess stone. Or Fairy stone. It’s a crystal that has beneficial and spiritual energy to help women. It’s an excellent stone to use for meditation (to connect with your spirit guides) as well as a grounding stone (to create a stable earth connection).
Day Twenty Two
I did it yet again! This time, I thought it was Hematite. Well, wouldn’t you? It’s very shiny, just like Hematite.
Silicon, not to be confused with silicone. Could get interesting if you did… Anyway, silicon is a crystal of many properties. It can enhance communication, agility of thought, sharpen your focus and increase your mental activity. It’s also known to be a crystal that can provide a gentle balance to both masculine and feminine energies.
Day Twenty Three
It’s Ruby in it’s raw form! Just look at the red.
Ruby is a crystal known to be a talisman of passion, protection and prosperity. It can bring a sense of power to its wearer, along with self-confidence and determination that can overcome a person’s timidity in order to propel them towards prosperity and achievement.
Day Twenty Four
Thought the dull one was charcoal… I keep getting it wrong!
As you can see in the picture, I received two versions of this crystal. The duller of the two leaves a black residue, much like charcoal. Shungite is known as a water purifier and there are methods to show how to make it. Because of its uses to purify water, Shungite is known to be a purifying stone that can reduce stress and anxiety. Another stone that has been needed for this past year.
Day Twenty Five
I’ve seen crystal grids at rock and gem shows, but never been ‘brave’ enough to try them out. Looks like I got my chance. In this ‘Lady Luck Abundance Travel Set’, I have received: Green moss Agate, Frankincense resin, Citrine quartz cluster, Green Aventurine, Clear quartz points, Gold Tigers eye, Nephrite Jade, three cinnamon sticks, Crystal Cleansing spray, a small crystal grid and abundance oil.
It also came with a Crystal Handbook, which has helped me to write this blog. In this handbook, it also provides information on how to create and use the crystal grids. I have set one up, very much like what you see in the picture, only I have added a clear quartz to the centre to (hopefully) bring positivity and anything else that I can bring to mind. Whether that is how they work, I don’t know, but I’m happy to give it a try.
GeoFossils
GeoFossils have provided an amazing advent calendar, something that I hope they will continue to do next year and possibly for many years to come. For more information about GeoFossils, who are a crystal and gemstone UK based retailer and wholesaler, check out both their website and their YouTube channel.
Emaz Beadz
If you want to read more, check out other blogs Ema has written, including a brief history of crystals and her trip to London to see the Tutankhamun exhibition.
