All posts tagged Valentine’s Day

When are supermarket flowers ok to give?

6 Tips for Great Last Minute Valentine’s Day Flowers

If you need some ideas for last minute Valentine’s Day flowers, don’t panic, we’ve got your back. Valentine’s Day is fast approaching, and if you’re still trying to figure out what to give your valentine, flowers are not a cop-out! Flowers have been a popular gift for Valentine’s Day for centuries, symbolizing love, appreciation, and affection. They are a timeless and classic way to express your feelings, and they can brighten up anyone’s day.

So if you’re running short on time, don’t worry. You can still find amazing last-minute Valentine’s Day flowers that will make your loved one feel special and loved. Here are some tips to help you choose the perfect bouquet for your sweetheart.

First: Consider Their Favorite Flower or Color

Does your valentine have a favorite flower or color? If so, consider choosing a bouquet that features those blooms. This shows that you put thought and consideration into your gift, and it will be greatly appreciated.

If You are Unsure Choose a Classic Bouquet

If you’re not sure what flowers to choose, a classic bouquet of red roses is always a safe bet. Roses are the traditional symbol of love and are sure to impress your sweetheart. Sending them to someone who is not your sweetheart, such as a family member or friend? Opt for pink or white or yellow roses, or another flower altogether.

Having Them Delivered? Be Sure to Choose a Local Florist

If you’re looking for same-day delivery or overnight delivery, it’s best to choose a local florist. This way, you can ensure that your bouquet will arrive fresh and on time. Many local florists also offer customized bouquets, so you can choose the perfect arrangement for your loved one.

Give a Potted Plant

If your loved one is a plant lover, consider giving them a potted plant instead of cut flowers. Potted plants last longer than cut flowers and can be a beautiful addition to their home or office.

Include a Personal Touch

To make your gift extra special, consider adding a personal touch. You could attach a handwritten note, include a special treat, or even include a small gift along with the flowers. This is especially nice if you are giving them supermarket flowers.

There’s No Shame in Supermarket Flowers

We’ve all been there, shopping for flowers in the supermarket last minute. There’s no shame in supermarket flowers! Most supermarkets also have a selection of vases (some quite nice), so get a vase, remove the plastic wrap from the flowers, plunk them in the vase, and see how delighted the recipient of your flowers is – they never have to know that you found them next to the dairy aisle (shhhh, it will be our little secret).

Flowers are still a wonderful way to show your loved one how much you care on Valentine’s Day. Whether you opt for a classic bouquet of red roses, a personalized arrangement, a potted plant, or something from the supermarket, your loved one is sure to appreciate the effort you put into your gift!

The right flowers for Valentines day

The Right Flowers for Valentines Day in 2023

Valentine’s Day is a special day for expressing love and affection, and one of the most popular ways of doing so is through the giving of flowers. However, with so many different types of flowers available, it can be difficult to choose the right ones for the occasion. To help you make the perfect choice, here are some of the best flowers for Valentine’s Day.

Roses for Valentine’s Day

Roses are perhaps the most iconic flower for Valentine’s Day. Available in a variety of colors, each with its own meaning, roses are a classic symbol of love and affection. Red roses, in particular, are often considered the epitome of romantic love, and are a popular choice for couples on Valentine’s Day. If you want to add a personal touch, consider giving a bouquet of mixed-color roses, each with its own meaning, to express your love in a unique and special way.

Tulips for Valentine’s Day

Tulips are another popular flower for Valentine’s Day. With their bright and cheerful blooms, tulips are a great way to brighten up any room and add a touch of color. Available in a variety of colors, tulips are a versatile choice that can be combined with other flowers or given on their own. Whether you opt for a bouquet of red tulips or a mixed-color arrangement, tulips are a great way to show your love and affection.

Carnations for Valentine’s Day

Carnations are often considered the flower of love and affection, making them a popular choice for Valentine’s Day. Known for their long-lasting blooms and sweet fragrance, carnations are a thoughtful and romantic gift that are sure to be appreciated. Whether you choose to give a single stem or a bouquet, carnations are a classic and timeless choice for Valentine’s Day.

Lilies for Valentine’s Day

Lilies are another beautiful and romantic choice for Valentine’s Day. With their elegant blooms and delicate fragrance, lilies are a sophisticated and refined choice that are sure to make an impression. Available in a variety of colors, including red, pink, and white, lilies are a great way to express your love and affection. Whether you opt for a simple bouquet or a more elaborate arrangement, lilies are a great choice for Valentine’s Day.

Sunflowers for Valentine’s Day

Finally, if you’re looking for something a little more unique and unexpected, consider giving a bouquet of sunflowers. Known for their bright and cheerful blooms, sunflowers are a great way to show your love and appreciation. With their cheerful yellow petals and bold centers, sunflowers are a great choice for those who want to make a bold statement on Valentine’s Day.

In conclusion, there are many different types of flowers that are perfect for Valentine’s Day. Whether you choose roses, tulips, carnations, lilies, or sunflowers, be sure to choose a bouquet or arrangement that reflects your personality and your feelings for your loved one. With their beauty, fragrance, and symbolism, flowers are a timeless and romantic way to show your love and affection on Valentine’s Day.

Rose Trivia

In honor of Valentine’s Day, and because there will likely be many roses sent and received for this special holiday, we thought we’d give you a bit of rose trivia to celebrate.

Roses are universal symbols of love. Most everyone knows that roses represent adoration, desire, friendship, and other forms of love that one person can have for another. But, roses offer more meanings and they come with some interesting stories. The following are some pieces of rose trivia we thought you’d like to know about.

  • People have loved roses since nearly the beginning of humanity. In fact, it’s thought that the floors of Cleopatra’s palace were decorated with carpets of rose petals. The wise Confucius even had a library specifically dedicated to books on roses. He had more than 600 volumes in it!
  • “A rose by any other name would smell as sweet.” We agree, Mr. Shakespeare. William Shakespeare refers to roses more than 50 times throughout his brilliant writings.
  • The world’s oldest living rose is said to be 1,000 years old. It lives today on the wall of the Hildesheim Cathedral in Germany.
  • The mystery of, and the love for, the white rose began in the age of the Romans, when they believed that white roses growing wild were the tears of Venus that had fallen as she mourned the loss of Adonis.
  • Most people associate New York with the moniker “The Big Apple” or the giant crystal ball that falls in Times Square every New Year’s Eve. But, the official symbol of New York is the rose. It’s the state flower.
  • Country music star Dolly Parton has a rose named after her. It’s a beautiful orange-red variety that looks gorgeous on its own or in multi-flower arrangements.
  • According to Greek mythology, Aphrodite gave the rose its name.

The rose is a beautiful, mysterious, and popular flower that has withstood time and seems like it may outlast much of it. The next time you hold a rose in your hand, think about the people that have also experienced the wonder of the rose and the way the flower links all of us together with its beautiful presence.

Same-Day Flower Delivery for Valentine’s Day

[Updated February 2020] It’s Valentine’s Day, do you need same-day flower delivery? If you are empty-handed on the big day, here are a few delivery services who may be able to help you out with same-day flower delivery!

  1. 1-800-Flowers.com: For same-day flower deliveries, order them by 2:00pm.
  2. From You Flowers: Order same-day flower delivery and add other gifts such as a teddy bear, chocolates or mylar balloons.
  3. FTD: As with 1-800-Flowers, you will want to place your same-day flower delivery order by 2:00pm.

If you have absolutely missed the cut-off deadline for same-day flower delivery, there are still a few things that you can do!

  1. Consider a DIY same-day flower delivery. Buy flowers at either a floral shop or a grocery store and deliver them yourself. Many grocery store floral departments will arrange a few bouquets together for you to make one big, beautiful bouquet. If you still want the surprise factor, leave the bouquet somewhere your love will find them, like on their car, with a love note.
  2. Have a look at some last minute Valentines Day bouquets and other gift ideas.
  3. Check out our article about sweet and inexpensive DIY Valentines Day gifts.

If you have found yourself past the same-day flower delivery cut-off period and frantically searching for a last minute gift, take a look at a few of the most common Valentine’s Day mistakes, courtesy of KILT radio (link):

  1. Forgetting to Make a Reservation. If you’re going somewhere nice for dinner and assume you’ll just walk right in . . . it’s time to start panicking. You might eventually get a table, but you’ll end up waiting 45 minutes . . . which can put a damper on the whole night.
  2. Constantly Complaining That It’s a “Hallmark Holiday”. Yes, everyone knows that Valentine’s Day is just a way to sell more greeting cards and chocolate. So don’t harp on it all night. You’ll just look cheap.
  3. Buying Her a Last-Minute Present at the Nearest Drug Store. If she finds out, she’ll be insulted by the cheapness of the gift, AND because you didn’t plan ahead.

Our Favorite Valentines Day Fabric Flowers DIY Tutorials

Valentines Day is fast upon us and many creative crafters are looking for fabric flower DIY options to show the special someone in their life that they put a lot into their gift. We have rounded up 5 of our favorite tutorials to share with you:

  1. Looking for something fun to give the man in your life? Consider the ribbon bouttoniere tutorial from Martha Stewart Online. Pick his favorite colors and make him a gift that he can remember long after Valentines Day!
  2. Looking for something lacey and frilly? This lacey fabric flower DIY tutorial from Fashion by Ally shows you how to take lace and turn them into a gorgeous lacey bouquet! Considering proposing to your love for Valentines Day? Think of how pretty that ring will look, nestled in a lace bouquet! And your love can save the “proposal bouquet” for ever.
  3. If any of the loved ones in your life like to wear their flowers in their hair, surprise them this Valentines Day with one that is handmade! This fantastic fabric flowers DIY tutorial for hair flowers by A Little Tipsy not only shows you how to make them easily, but how to do it for under $5!
  4. For those with a little sewing know-how, consider taking on this slightly more advanced fabric flowers DIY tutorial from Beneath my Heart. It will take a bit more work, but as you can see from the pictures, the effort is well worth it.
  5. For a real “wow” factor, check out this fabric flower DIY tutorial from Creature Comforts Blog! Beautiful, easy-to-make, red poppies that offer a real pop. You can use them as a gift topper, as she shows in her example, or easily turn them into another hair flower. If you make several, you can put them together to make a bouquet.

While real flowers are a fail-safe way to brighten up the face of the one that you love, our fabric flowers DIY tutorials provide another great way to be creative and fun this Valentines Day

Edible Arrangements and Bouquets for Valentines Day

While flowers are always a fun and classic way to show appreciation to that special someone on Valentines Day, edible arrangements and bouquets are a unique way to surprise your love with the unexpected.

There are several options available for edible arrangements and bouquets this Valentines Day. For starters, there is the popular company Edible Arrangements (link)that provides beautiful arrangements of fresh fruits and chocolate. They have several delicious packages for Valentines Day, including:

  • “Chocolate Indulgence Strawberries” – A gorgeous red box of chocolate covered strawberries
  • “Valentine’s Day Delicious Celebration Dipped Strawberries & Apples” – A beautiful fruit bouquet, containing melons, pineapple, and chocolate-dipped strawberries & apples
  • “Sweetheart Swizzle Bouquet” – A gorgeous bouquet of chocolate-covered strawberries in a beautiful red pitcher.

Those are just a few of Edible Arrangements’ 64 Valentines Day options! Prices range from a budget-conscious $35 to more extravagant arrangements of over $100. If you are looking for chocolate-covered strawberries with more of an artisanal touch, consider Shari’s Berries. Shari’s Berries, founded by Shari Fitzpatrick in 1989, is an international company that provides delicious, chocolate-dipped strawberries, and has branched out to other delicious treats such as truffles, mini-cheesecakes, frosted cake pops and cookies. There are tons of great Valentines arrangements from which you can choose at Shari’s Berries, including:

  • “Full Dozen Gourmet Dipped Swizzled Berries” – A dozen gorgeous and huge strawberries, dipped in white, milk or dark chocolate, with a complimentary chocolate drizzled all over the entire berry.
  • “A Dozen Hugs, a Dozen Kisses with 12 Gourmet Dipped Strawberries” – A way to truly spoil your love. On Day 1 your love will receive a dozen flowers, and on Day 2 they will receive a dozen dipped strawberries.
  • “Cheesecake Trio & Full Dozen Gourmet Dipped Swizzled Berries” – A dozen delicious chocolate-dipped strawberries and a trio of mini-cheesecakes.

Like Edible Arrangements, Shari’s Berries has a large assortment of gifts from which to choose and that will fit every budget. From $20 to $250, you are sure to find the perfect gift for your loved one!

Looking for edible arrangements or bouquets that are less pricey, or have more of a personal touch? Consider making them yourself! There are tons of great tutorials out there for DIY Valentines gifts such as chocolate covered strawberry arrangements , DIY sugar scrubs to treat your love to an at-home spa day, and even how to make your own Valentines Day Eco-Friendly Card. If you want to try your hand at flower arranging, there is even a tutorial for that!.

Edible arrangements and bouquets are a popular choice for Valentines Day, so consider giving that special someone in your life a bouquet or arrangement that they can enjoy beyond just looking at them!

Last Minute Valentine’s Day Gifts

Did February fly by before you knew it? Suddenly it is the day before (or the day of – eek!) Valentine’s Day and you have nary a token of love for your beloved. Luckily, we have a few tips and tricks to help you out of this little pickle:

  • “I Will Love You Forever” last minute bouquet – Most grocery stores with floral departments will take several bouquets of your choosing and put them together into one big, beautifully wrapped bouquet. Once you have this bouquet, hit up your nearest Dollar Store or craft store and look for a fake flower bouquet that matches your real bouquet. Take one of the fake flowers from the fake bouquet (be sure to snip off at the bottom of the stem so you have the full flower) and carefully arrange it in the real bouquet so that it looks inconspicuous. Attach a note to it that says, “I will love you until the last flower dies” (the idea being, of course, that one flower in the bunch will never die). Your love will be so appreciative of how creative you had to get for this bouquet, that he/she will not care that they were not professionally delivered.
  • “Drink and Gamble Man’s Bouquet” last minute bouquet – Head back to the trusty Dollar Store and get a decorative glass bowl or basket (look in the floral section), some floral foam, tape and paperclips. Next, head to your nearest convenience or liquor store and load up on mini liquor bottles and lotto scratcher tickets. Place the floral foam in the bottom of the bowl or basket. Next, grab a paperclip and pull one end down so it is pointing downwards while the rest of the paperclip is point upwards. Put the pointy part into the floral foam so the rest of the paperclip is protruding from the foam. Put these in random locations in the foam and then stick each lotto ticket in a paperclip to make a bouquet of lotto tickets. Next, fill in the spaces with the tiny liquor bottles. To keep them secure, you might want to make a little tape loop, stick it to the bottom of the liquor bottle, then stick to the floral foam. If you want to take it a step further, get a bouquet of roses from your local grocery store and clip the stems down so they are about 3-4 inches. Add them strategically to the floral foam to add a pretty, living element to the bouquet. Either give to your love, or even more fun, find a courier service to deliver it to them at work!
  • The “Redneck Gift Basket” – Want a fun and hilarious gift basket to dictate an evening of fun? Once again, we find ourselves at your closest Dollar Store. Grab a basket and a few canning jars, also commonly referred to as the name brand name “Mason” jar, and some 3-4” glass taper candleholders. Next hit up your local craft or hardware store and grab some glass glue. Simply glue the candleholder to the bottom of the jar, making sure it is squarely in the middle, and voila! You have a “redneck wine glass”. Let those dry and then toss them in the basket with an inexpensive bottle of wine, a bag of frozen tater tots, and a DVD of Joe Dirt, Overboard, or any movie with your favorite lovable rednecks. This basket is sure to be a hit!
  • The elegant “An Affair to Remember” gift basket – Is your Valentine a lover of all things frilly, elegant, and feminine? Consider buying a single, elegant, orchid from your local grocery store or home building supply store. Present the orchid with some pretty champagne flutes and a bottle of pink champagne. Our champagne pick that offers the most bang for your buck: “Amour de Paris” from Trader Joe’s. At $4 per bottle, this champagne tastes of peaches and is pink! It is sure to please your Valentine’s love of frill, or Debra Kerr.  Buyer Beware: orchids are toxic to pets if eaten!
  • “The Digital Bouquet” – Get an electronic frame from your local electronic store (some drugstores with photo developing services carry them as well) and simply fill it with pictures of gorgeous floral arrangements along with pictures of you and your love.

With a little time and crafty effort, you will be able to pull off a fantastic Valentine’s Day gift that looks like you planned months in advance!

Why Do We Send Flowers on Valentine’s Day

Valentine’s Day has a long history, with roots that can be traced back to the time of the Roman Empire, as well as ancient pagan festivals. And the giving of flowers as symbols of love goes back to the ancient Roman gods too – Bacchus and Venus both related flowers with romance and love. But how did Valentine’s Day and flowers get linked?

Let’s start with the Roman gods. Roman mythology has all manner of gods and goddesses, living the high life on top of Mount Olympus. The mother of all gods is Juno, the queen and mother, who was celebrated on February 14th. Roman mythology also has a great many festivals, a large proportion dedicated to women, marriage and fertility (of the woman and of the earth.)

The day after Juno’s day was Lupercalia, a festival local to the city of Rome, and dedicated also to women, marriage and fertility. Lupercalia celebrates Lupercus (god of pastures, fallow ground and woodlands) and Faunus (god of agriculture and cultivated land.) Pope Gelasius I abolished Lupercalia in the 5th Century AD; he is thought to have done this to Christianize the ancient festival, though it’s not agreed by scholars if he dedicated the festival to th Virgin Mary (more fertility and women), or one of the three Saints Valentine, all martyred.

The festival continued, and in the 14th Century its popularity really began to surge in much of Europe. In particular, the custom of writing notes, and giving flowers and sweet treats really took off in England, France and Italy. Valentine’s is mentioned in the writings of Chaucer, Shakespeare, John Donne, and others. In historical reference, the earliest surviving Valentine’s note is a rondeau, written by Charles, Duke of Orleans, in the 15th Century.

By Victorian times, English printers were producing cards in volume. The tradition of sending cards was already in the US, but not quite so prevalent at the time. The tradition expanded rapidly until today over a billion Valentine’s cards are exchanged, world-wide, making it the second biggest card-giving occasion in the year.

So if this Valentine’s Day you give the gift of flowers to your sweetheart, you’re following in a long line of tradition stretching back a few thousand years. Do you know yet what flowers you’ll give, and what the meaning of these flowers is? Let us help you out. If you’re considering roses, read this article to understand what they symbolize. If your sweetheart doesn’t like roses, or you’d like to be a little unconventional, see how to celebrate Valentine’s Day without roses. Whatever kind of floral declaration of your love you give, we wish you a happy Valentine’s Day, full of love and intimacy, and a deep and close connection.

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