Customized mother bracelets, also called name bracelets, are wonderful gifts to give this Christmas holiday. At a recent craft show I attended several people were discussing gift giving and how a customized bracelet would be a wonderful gift to give loved ones. There are several factors to take into consideration before making this purchase.

First, consider the components used in the bracelet. If you want a top quality bracelet, one must make sure that sterling silver and/or gold-filled beads are used. If the price seems a little too good to be true, you can probably assume sterling silver and gold-filled beads were not used.

Secondly, look at the size of letter beads used. A mother or grandmother bracelet should have the larger 5.6 mm letter blocks. This size is much better proportioned for an adult wrist. The reverse also applies. Smaller 4.5 mm letter blocks should only be used for someone with a very small wrist, such as a child.

Thirdly, determine what clasp you like. Normally you can choose either a toggle clasp or a lobster claw clasp. I have been told by many customers that although the toggle clasp in some opinions is prettier, the lobster claw clasp will insure the bracelet stays on your wrist and will not fall off. When you have such an expensive, personalized piece of jewelry you don't want to take any chances that you will lose it.

Lastly, find out what the shipping costs are. It only costs between .60 to .80 cents to send a bracelet across the country through first class mail. Many companies charge a flat $5 shipping fee. Companies should not be making money off of shipping charges. Also, first class mail only takes 4 to 5 days at the most to reach a destination across the country, which is not bad considering we wait longer for orders that are made off of the television or magazines.

Customized mother bracelets really do make wonderful gifts. If you decide this would be a wonderful gift for a loved one this Christmas, remember not to wait until December to order. This is a very busy time for customized bracelet companies and orders can become backed up longer than usual because of the holiday season.