• Crystal glass is often cut into different shapes or animals.crystal image by jimcox40 from Fotolia.com
  
  Crystal was originally used in household's in the 1600s to help reflect light from fire and candles. The first chandeliers were made of lead oxide glass that reflected light better than regular glass. The glass was cut into crystalline shapes and would bend and reflect light. Daniel Swarovski perfected the glass cutting for the ultimate shine and reflection. Crystal gifts can be made of Swarovski crystal glass or regular lead oxide glass. Real crystal is rarely used because it is too brittle to cut.
  
  

Crystal Bowl

• Crystal bowls are a popular housewarming gift. They can be colored, frosted, inlaid with images like flowers and cut in various ways. While some may have a shallow platter shape, others can have a very deep bowl or vase shape. While quartz crystal is too brittle to cut in detail, quartz crystal bowls can be made by grinding up quartz powder and spinning it in a cylinder while heated to over 7,200 degrees F.
  
  

Crystal Pendant

• Crystal pendants are typically the most widely known form of crystal glass jewelry. These are cut into cylindrical shapes with a tapered diamond like end. Another form of crystal jewelry gaining popularity are glass pendants with swirling colors of different crystal glass. These can be cut into circles or hearts and are typically flat a slight width. These glass pendants can be hung with a chain necklace or fabric matching the swirling glass colors.
  
  

Crystal Figurines

• Crystal figurines are glass crystal cut into various recognizable shapes. These shapes can be animals, flowers, hearts, musical instruments, seashells, lighthouses and more. These are cut with fine edges to produce the most light refraction. Some use more than one type of glass production, a crystal fish with many faceted edges can sit atop a smooth frosted glass piece of coral or a smooth crystal paper weight can have many small bubbles blown inside during production to produce the shape of a flower. Crystal figurines are where you will have the most flexibility with your gift idea.