To the Gentlemen out there. And boys, they need more of the help. [Open to all]
Saturday is Valentines, set aside to contemplate love. (Yes this did exist before Hallmark.) Many of you complain that it has become too commercialized, just guilting money out of you. Well the reason it has fallen into such a state is because instead of being thoughtful or creative on your part, too many of you just grab some chocolate and red roses, maybe jewelry, and call that that.
Gentlemen, please. If you are only going to buy her flowers once a year, contrition bouquets are hopefully an unplanned and infrequent purchase, think about what you are saying. Gaia/Demeter/Gigi did not make thousands of colors and flowers for you to buy hybrid red roses alone.
She's pregnant and insecure? Almond blossoms mean hope and watchfulness. Compassion is represented by allspice. Alyssum is for worth beyond beauty. Arbutus, 'Thee alone do I love.' Red camellias mean 'you are a flame in my heart.' Red chrysanthemums are similar to red roses in passionate love an a red carnation say 'my heart aches for you.' Send your mother or the mother-to-be Coltsfoot or Day lilies. Confidence and shelter are said with a fern. Gillyflowers to ladies you are blessed to know show friendship. Heliotrope, eternal love, and honeysuckle says you think she is sweet. Lotus gives an air of mystery and peonies mark a happy marriage. Passionflower given shows faith and piety to your love, and a plum blossom offers beauty and longevity. If you insist on roses, different colors give different messages, from congratulations to gentle love. Stock says she will always be beautiful to you, and Sweet Williams symbol finesse and perfection. A tulip is the symbol of a perfect lover and streaked ones remind you of her eyes.
Not all flowers mean pleasant things, but these will hopefully inspire you to delve a little deeper. Imagine how she will feel when you hand her a strange bouquet, then sit with her and identify each breed and their meaning to her. Or play a game with it, leave a different flower in places she will frequent, with a little note clarifying the bloom. Need not be poetry, but it did mean you spent more than five minutes grabbing a handful from the local grocer on the way home.
While in this time it seems emasculating to receive flowers as a man, I assure you it is not, so this aliquot of advice is not for heterosexual males alone. I am merely directing this to the majority in need. Perhaps you may slim down the assortment to a tasteful few if giving to the man in your life.
I miss the Victorians sometimes....
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