An important occasion often means flowers for someone special in your life. Flowers of all types are given to honor birthdays, anniversaries, Mother’s Day, theatre performances, recitals, a first date, births and deaths, and nearly any occasion in between.
Flowers have a way of speaking a universal language of appreciation, respect, friendship, love, and condolences to their recipients without the use of words. It’s no wonder they are such a popular method of communicating!
Flowers as an Act of Etiquette
Etiquette encourages us to show kindness and consideration as often as possible. Flowers provide one method for doing this.
- Saying thank you. Flowers are a wonderful accompaniment to a thank-you note.
- Sending good thoughts. Sending flowers with a note of encouragement, get well wishes, condolences, wishing good luck, or just to let someone know you are thinking of them will be a bright moment in any day.
- Welcome. A new neighbor, roommate, office colleague, or someone who has moved away will appreciate a welcome floral arrangement to help them adjust to a new environment.
- A thoughtful gift. Bringing flowers to someone’s home when you’ve been invited for dinner, or as a gift for a special occasion is always appreciated.
The Right Flowers for Someone Special
Research studies reveal that around 89% of people feel special when receiving flowers. This high percentage is the very reason the floral business is consistently booming. And no wonder – flowers are and always have been a gift based on emotion.
Whether or not you have difficulty expressing your feelings, giving flowers to help relay the message you want to send is a good idea.
In Victorian times, types and colors of flowers were used to send very specific messages. From friendship to infidelity, there was a flower for every occasion. These days, that specificity is not so intact, though roses still tend to imply a more romantic interest, particularly red roses.
If the object of your affection is not a fan of roses, but you still want to convey a message of romance, an arrangement of red and pink blooms will be perfect..
If romance is not what you choose to communicate, send an arrangement that has a mix of colorful flowers, especially if roses are included.
Etiquette Guidelines for Giving Flowers
Though giving flowers is relatively easy whether you have them delivered or deliver them yourself, there are things to consider. You might use the following checklist before going online or calling a florist.
- Does the recipient have any allergies that might prevent them from enjoying your choice of flower?
- If you are having a floral arrangement delivered, did you include a note letting the receiver know who it is from?
- Do you know the recipient’s preference on color or type of favorite flower? Instead of a bouquet of stems, would they prefer a potted plant instead?
- Will the type of arrangement you are sending relay the message intended? This is also where an enclosed card can be useful.
You can use your first-time-flower-giving event as a way to discover the recipient’s preferences in flowers and their method of delivery, which can be important information for the future.
- May they receive flowers at their place of work – and would they enjoy this?
- Is there a preference in the type of bouquet? Long-stemmed flowers, a short arrangement that can be placed on the table, or a grand bouquet?
- Do they care more about what the flowers say to them, or what they say to others who see that they received flowers? (Something to consider when the recipient is the object of your affections.)
While flowers for someone special may need consideration at times, the best times are when they don’t. It’s when your impromptu sending of a small vase of roses, or the picking and handing over of a wildflower is received with unabashed delight, that you’ll know you’ve found the perfect floral recipient.
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