Music Friday: Diamond Bracelet and Ring Top Ashanti’s Wish List in 'Hey Santa'

Welcome to Music Friday when we bring you uplifting songs with jewelry, gemstones or precious metals in the title or lyrics. Today, Ashanti reveals to St. Nick the blingy accessories at the top of her holiday wish list in the 2003 ditty, “Hey Santa.”

After asking Santa in the first verse for “something sweet,” such as chocolate Kisses or candy canes, Ashanti takes it up a notch in the second verse, as her request for “something new” includes a diamond bracelet or diamond ring.

(In a nod to the 1953 classic, “Santa Baby,” Ashanti echos Eartha Kitt’s call for a baby blue convertible.)

She sings, “Hey Santa, can you bring me something new / (Something new, something, something new)? / Like a diamond bracelet or a diamond ring / How about a shiny new, baby blue, convertible? / Hey Santa, can you bring me everything?”

Written by Ashanti and Irving Lorenzo, “Hey Santa” was released as the third track from Ashanti’s Christmas. The album, which included an equal mix of original songs and covers of holiday classics, peaked at #43 on the Billboard‘s Top R&B/Hip-Hop chart. Ashanti performed “Hey Santa” during the 2003 tree-lighting festivities at New York City’s Rockefeller Center.

Born Ashanti Shequoiya Douglas in 1980, the singer-songwriter, record producer, dancer and actress is named after the 17th century Ashanti Empire, in what is now modern-day Ghana. In that kingdom, women held positions of power and influence, and Ashanti’s mother believed the name might help inspire her daughter to achieve greatness.

Ashanti joined a gospel choir at the age of six and scored her first recording contract at the age of 14. The Glen Cove, NY, native won a Grammy Award in 2003 and went on to become the first female artist to occupy the top two positions on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart simultaneously with “Always on Time” and “What’s Luv?” She has also nabbed eight Billboard Music Awards, two American Music Awards and a Grammy.

Please check out the audio track of Ashanti singing “Hey Santa.” The lyrics are below if you’d like to sing along…

“Hey Santa”
Written by Ashanti Douglas and Irving Lorenzo. Performed by Ashanti.

Hey Santa, can you bring me something good
(Something good, something good)?
Hey Santa, can you bring me something sweet
(Something sweet, something, something sweet)?
Like chocolate kisses or candy canes.
Gumdrops or butterscotch, fruity flavor, chewy rings.

Hey Santa, can you bring me something nice
(Something nice, something nice)?
Hey Santa, can you bring me something new
(Something new, something, something new)?
Like a diamond bracelet or a diamond ring.
How about a shiny new, baby blue, convertible?
Hey Santa, can you bring me everything?

Ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh?

Hey Santa, can I sing this song to you
(Sing to you, sing to you)?
Hey Santa, can you make my wish come true
(Make it true, make it, make it true)?
Can you fill my stocking with lots of treats?
Boxes with red and green, underneath the Christmas tree?
Hey Santa, can you bring me everything?

Credit: Screen capture via YouTube.com / Ashanti Vault.

Study: Most Popular Occasions for Self-Purchasing Are Holidays and Birthdays

The idea that women deserve to splurge on themselves as a sign of self-empowerment and independence has been encouraged and promoted by the jewelry industry for many years.

Back in 2019, for example, the Diamond Producers Association (DPA) introduced the “For Me, From Me” ad campaign, which was inspired by the ever-growing segment of the market represented by women who buy diamonds for themselves. The DPA claimed at the time that one-third of the $43 billion diamond jewelry market was associated with female self purchases.

A new study by Jewelers Mutual Group adds more depth to the subject by revealing that the most popular occasions for self-purchasing are holidays and birthdays. The results illuminate the importance of nurturing self-celebration and prioritizing well-being and happiness during the holiday gift-giving season when self-care can be forgotten, according to the Neenah, WI-based insurer.

“Jewelry is so much more than metal and stone; it’s a symbol of independence and self-expression,” said Krystle Craycraft, senior vice president of marketing and digital at Jewelers Mutual. “As we continue our work to elevate the love of jewelry, these findings reinforce the significance of empowering individuals to treat themselves to beautiful and meaningful jewelry, regardless of the occasion.”

The Jewelers Mutual survey also revealed that female self-purchasers are significantly more likely to purchase necklaces and earrings, while males are more likely to purchase watches.

Respondents also acknowledged jewelry as an heirloom. Exactly 96% of self-purchasers either plan to or are considering passing down their fine jewelry.

Just about everybody knows the having one's fine jewelry regularly inspected is critical, especially if the items contain precious gemstones. But good intentions and good habits don't always match up. Jewelers Mutual learned that 39% of self-purchasers claimed they never have their fine jewelry inspected.

When asked about the frequency of their self purchases, a surprising 50% of respondents said they buy jewelry for themselves only once a year.

Credit: Image courtesy of Jewelers Mutual.

Velvety Orange-Pink 'Peach Fuzz' Named Pantone's 2024 Color of the Year

On Thursday, The Pantone Color Institute selected a velvety gentle peach tone to be its 2024 Color of the Year. The institute said Peach Fuzz's warm and welcoming embrace conveys a message of compassion and empathy.

The subtle orange-pink Peach Fuzz (PANTONE 18-1750) stands in stark contrast to 2023's Viva Magenta, which was described last year as a “new animated red that revels in pure joy.”

Conscious of a world in turmoil, Pantone decided this year to seek a hue that echoes our innate yearning for closeness, connection and a more peaceful future.

"We chose a color radiant with warmth and modern elegance," noted Leatrice Eiseman, Executive Director, Pantone Color Institute. "[It's] a shade that resonates with compassion, offers a tactile embrace and effortlessly bridges the youthful with the timeless."

Typically, Pantone’s yearly selection influences product development and purchasing decisions in multiple industries, including fashion, home furnishings and industrial design, as well as product packaging and graphic design.

Consumers embracing Peach Fuzz-inspired fashion items might consider accessorizing with fine jewelry featuring orange-pink gemstones, such as padparadscha sapphire and morganite.

Having been called “a true Rembrandt among gemstones,” padparadscha is the rarest and most valuable variety of sapphire. Padparadscha belongs to the corundum family of gemstones, which includes rubies and sapphires. The presence of trace elements determines the color of each gemstone.

While blue sapphires are naturally colored with iron and rubies with chromium, padparadschas are colored by the presence of both. The delicate interplay of pink and orange hues makes this gem one of nature’s greatest achievements. The gem’s name is derived from “padma raga,” which literally means “the color of the lotus flower” in Sanskrit.

Morganite is a member of the beryl family of gemstones, which includes emerald and aquamarine. Once known simply as pink beryl, the gemstone got its current name in 1911 when the famous New York gemologist G. F. Kunz recommended that the pretty pinkish-orange stone be named for banker and mineral collector John Pierpont Morgan. The New York Academy of Sciences agreed and this unique variety of beryl was officially designated as “morganite.”

The Pantone Color Institute originally created the Pantone Color of the Year educational program in 1999 to engage the design community and color enthusiasts around the world in a conversation around color.

Here are the Pantone Colors of the Year dating back to 2010…

PANTONE 18-1750 Viva Magenta (2023)
PANTONE 17-3938 Veri Peri (2022)
PANTONE 17-5104 Ultimate Gray (2021)
PANTONE 13-0647 Illuminating (2021)
PANTONE 19-4052 Classic Blue (2020)
PANTONE 16-1546 Living Coral (2019)
PANTONE 18-3838 Ultra Violet (2018)
PANTONE 15-0343 Greenery (2017)
PANTONE 13-1520 Rose Quartz (2016)
PANTONE 15-3919 Serenity (2016)
PANTONE 18-1438 Marsala (2015)
PANTONE 18-3224 Radiant Orchid (2014)
PANTONE 17-5641 Emerald (2013)
PANTONE 17-1463 Tangerine Tango (2012)
PANTONE 18-2120 Honeysuckle (2011)
PANTONE 15-5519 Turquoise (2010)

Credits: Color swatch images courtesy of Pantone courtesy. Padparadscha image by Chip Clark / Smithsonian and digitally enhanced by SquareMoose. Morganite image by Rob Lavinsky, iRocks.com – CC-BY-SA-3.0, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.