It is not the length of time you couples have been together that should be considered in choosing the proper gift for a man, but more importantly the bond and intimacy you feel for each other. It’s a matter of how well you know him and take that as an advantage in buying him the gift he deserves.
{ Comments on this entry are closed }
With Mother’s Day looming right around the corner, I’d figure I would write up some tips to ensure your flowers get to your mum on Mother’s Day .
Did you know that there’s over 20,000 florist in the USA with over 100,000 employees that can deliver your flowers by post? With that many flowers delivered, something is bound to go wrong. Florists have consistently ranked in the top 10 most complained about business according to the BBB. Below we will list some tips to ensure you get quality flowers delivered on time.
Tip #1 – Get to know your florist.
Getting flowers is a very personalized service. It’s certainly worth getting to know your local florist, so that you may tell the florist how you want your flowers to look.
Tip #2 -Don’t wait till the last second!
Lets say you’re sending your significant other roses on Valentines Day – well, you and every other guys is too, so get a jump on it early to make sure your florist isn’t sold out.
Tip # 3 – Find a local florist.
If your flowers are being sent a few towns over or to another country, find a florist local to that area to ensure fresh flowers and a timely delivery.
Hopefully by following a few of our tips your mom will get a beautiful bouquet of flowers! OH, and remember: Mother’s Day falls on May 8th ( which is a Sunday here in the USA) so ask if the florist will be delivering on Saturday or Sunday.
Good Luck!
{ Comments on this entry are closed }
If someone special in your life deserves a treat, there’s nothing better than a beautiful flower arrangement. But what if you can’t be there yourself? Well, that’s when online flower delivery could be just what you’re looking for.
By arranging things online the whole thing becomes incredibly simple. There’s no need to head to your local flower store to get the right blooms, and with the quality of many supermarket and high street bouquets being questionable it really is the only option. Everything can be arranged from your home or even from your office, ensuring you don’t have to waste valuable time trawling round different shops.
This option is ideal for people that want to deliver their bouquet across the country, but it can be just as beneficial if you need something in double-quick time. If you almost forgot that special occasion then you can arrange same day delivery to ensure your arrangement gets there, offering a totally stress-free solution.
You needn’t worry about there being a lack of selection either, because if you come to us you can look forward to finding plenty of options. There are bouquets for all occasions and preferences, and the quality is exceptional. Every arrangement is hand-crafted using only the finest stems before being delivered to your door, ensuring you get the best service and results possible.
As you can see, there are plenty of benefits to arranging flower delivery online. It’s quick, convenient and totally hassle-free, and with same day options you need never worry about it not getting there on time. So, if you want a great selection of bouquets that are guaranteed to get to your recipient when you need it, online delivery could be just what you’re looking for.
{ Comments on this entry are closed }
Last week we started a look into the history of the poinsettia by seeing the regions of the world where poinsettia grows wild and the characteristics that have made it such a striking and impressive holiday flower.
Now we want to start looking at how this blossom came to be known as the most famous Christmas flower and exactly how it gained the iconic position it holds today.
Pre-Colonial Use of the Poinsettia
As we described in part one of our look at the history of the poinsettia, the flower grows indigenously throughout regions of Mexico, mainly, and also parts of Central America. Because of its striking colour and the uses that it can be applied in it has always been an important plant to residents of these regions.
The Aztecs called poinsettias cuitlaxochitl, a word that roughly translates to “flower that grows in residues or soil” in the Aztec language Nahuatl. The poinsetta (or cuitlaxochitl) was used by the Aztecs to extract red dye and as a medication and, because of its beauty and functionality, it was an important flower in their culture.
Poinsettia as the Christmas Flower
With the arrival of European colonizers, the poinsettia became known for different reasons. Throughout Guatemala and Mexico it came to be known as Noche Buena (“Christmas Eve” in Spanish) and Flor de Pascua (“Easter Flower”) in Spain. It was also significant in South American cultures, with Chilean and Peruvian populations calling it a name that translates to “Crown of the Andes”.
It became part of Christmas traditions beginning in 16th century Mexico, where the influence of Christianity and Spanish culture began to give birth to a brand new holiday symbol.
Next time we’ll look at the evolution of the poinsettia, tracing how it came to be such an iconic flower in Christmas traditions by seeing its growth from Mexican folk bloom to an internationally recognized holiday symbol. We’ll see just how the Mexican tradition began and how it spread throughout the world.
{ 0 comments }
The modern Mother’s Day is celebrated on various days in many parts of the world, most commonly in May or in March/April, as a day to honor mothers and motherhood. In the UK and Ireland, it follows the old traditions of Mothering Sunday, celebrated in March/April.
Here in the US we celebrate Mother’s Day on the second Sunday in May. In the 1880s and 1890s there were several attempts to establish a Mother’s Day, but they didn’t succeed beyond the local level. The holiday was created by Anna Jarvis in Grafton, West Virginia, in 1908 as a day to honor one’s mother.Jarvis wanted to accomplish her mother’s dream of making a celebration for all mothers, although the idea didn’t take off until she enlisted the services of wealthy Philadelphia merchant John Wanamaker.She kept promoting the holiday until President Woodrow Wilson made it an official national holiday in 1914. The holiday eventually became so highly commercialized that many, including its founder, Anna Jarvis, considered it a “Hallmark Holiday”, i.e. one with an overwhelming commercial purpose. Jarvis eventually ended up opposing the holiday she had helped to create. She died in 1948, regretting what had become of her holiday. In the United States, Mother’s Day remains one of the biggest days for sales of flowers, greeting cards, and the like; it is also the biggest holiday for long-distance telephone calls.
Here’s our Top Ten list of flowers to give to your mother.
1. Traditional Bouquet
2. Carnations
3. Daffodils
4. Roses
5. Tulips
6. Freesia
7. Pot chrysanthemums
8. Iris
9. Lily
10. Foliage plants
{ 0 comments }
When you’ve just started dating a girl, birthday gifts can be really hard to pick out. You don’t want to get too crazy and buy a few dozen roses. If the relationship is fairly new, red roses aren’t the best route to take—we all know that roses are a universal symbol for love.
We suggest a nice bouquet of Daisies, Orchids or even Sunflowers.
{ 0 comments }
Sunflowers are symbolic of adoration. Sunflowers turn their heads to the sun, which is the origin of their common name. Sunflowers belong to the genus helianthus, a reference to Helios, the sun god. In the United States, sunflowers are found in the midwest prairies as well as roadsides. The sunflower generally grows in scrub land and dry areas. Sunflowers are native to the Americas and are the state flower of Kansas and the national flower of Russia. Sunflowers bloom from July through September. Sunflowers are traditionally bright yellow with a central disk or reddish brown
{ 1 comment }
We want to help make it easier for anyone to express their sympathy at funerals by looking at various cultural traditions and how flowers play a part in them. Japan has a unique culture with a large emphasis on traditional practices. Sending flowers to a Japanese funeral can be confusing for those of us not well versed in the appropriate ettiquete but reading these tips can make giving a gift simpler.
Should You Send Flowers to a Japanese Funeral?
Japanese funerals often involve flowers but, unlike many other cultural ceremonies, they are not always the central aspect of the ceremony. The type of flowers that are appropriate for Japanese funeral events range greatly and can include nearly any type of bloom a mourner chooses to purchase. Flowers are often placed on top of the funeral site’s altar, put in the casket before sealing and are usually left upon the gravesite by friends and family.
It is common for the funeral party to donate money to a hanawa (funeral wreath) in place of individual flower arrangements. Another option to consider alongside your gift of sympathy flowers is koden, a condolence gift that consists of money for the bereaved.
What is Koden?
Koden is a Japanese term that refers to the traditional sympathy gift of money. It has been a cultural practice related to sympathy and funerals for centuries of Japanese history. Sending koden is often done by placing money in a small envelope sealed with white and black ribbon.
Combining koden with a tasteful flower arrangement is probably the best idea for those attending a Japanese funeral (or sending their condolences to a Japanese family). It is important to note, however, that only close friends and family should send flowers, koden or contribute to hanawa. Many Japanese traditionalists prefer to keep funerals within families so be sure to use personal discretion in all cases and keep the above tips in mind when creating your sympathy gift.
{ 0 comments }
Chinese New Year is celebrated on the 1st day of the First Moon of the lunar calendar and varies from January 21st to February 19th until the 15th of the moon. Preparation for Chinese New Year begins weeks in advance when the house is thoroughly cleaned, plates of oranges, tangerines with leaves intact and Pomelo’s (grapefruits) are placed in the house including the container for rice and a Lien Hop. If you haven’t heard of a Lien Hop, it is a round container with many sections. It is filled with dry goods such as preserved ginger, candies sweets to serve to guests and relatives. The family celebrates with an elaborate nine course meal on Chinese New Year’s Eve such as a fresh cooked chicken with all parts including the head and feet, noodles, Fat Choi Soup for wealth, prosperity and long life. The flowers used in Chinese New Year celebrations are water Narcissus and plum blossoms.
On Chinese New Year, children receive good luck money in a Lai See envelope and wear new clothes and are told not eat anything that is sour or your clothes will wear out sooner.
There are twelve animal signs for the Chinese Zodiac. The animal signs for one another in an established order, and are repeated every twelve years. These are the signs: Rat, Ox, Tiger, Hare, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Sheep, Monkey, Rooster, Dog and Pig.
2010 is the year of the Tiger.
The origin of Valentine’s Day varies with some experts stating St. Valentine, a Roman who was put to death due to his beliefs. St. Valentine died on February 14th. There are many other varying opinions as to origin of Valentine’s Day.
February 14th eventually became the day for giving receiving love messages, flowers, candies and expressing your love to your special one in your life. Children in school exchange Valentine’s Day cards with candies. A higher percentage of women purchase gifts for Valentine’s Day whereas men purchase red roses for their love ones.
Speaking of Valentine’s Day, the most special Valentine’s gift I ever received was a creative one based on the five senses. My husband and I were dating at the time when he presented me with a gift for each of the fives senses; touch was a stuffed animal, sight was a picture, smell was a dozen red roses, hearing was a recording of love songs and taste was a large heart-shaped candy on a stick. That is one Valentine’s Day that I will never forget.
So what do Chinese New Year and Valentine’s Day have in common? Sunday, February 14, 2010.
Gung Hay Fat Choy and Happy Valentine’s Day,
{ 0 comments }