Flowers have long been the go–to gift for Valentine’s Day.
Many couples choose Valentines Day gifts from places like Interflora every year, but where does the tradition of giving flowers stem from, if you’ll excuse the pun!
The custom actually came to the UK from Japan where there was already a similar tradition called Hanakatoba. The problem they had was that they wanted a way to express their feelings for each other across long distances, but the majority of the population were illiterate so a love note or letter was impractical.
Flowers, with their scent and beauty, were the logical and practical choice. Different flowers or even colours of flowers became a language between lovers and friends. People could have meaningful conversations without saying a word. This tradition came over to England and by the Victorian era couples were well versed in the “language of flowers”.
So why are red roses the flower of choice for Valentine’s Day? Roses are a flower in which the variation can mean a lot, but all of the connotations are positive. Red roses mean true love and passion; which is why they’re perfect for your significant other at this time of year.
If you want to show more than one feeling try red and white roses; when they’re together in a bouquet it means unity, if you want to show your partner they have nothing to fear then cut the thorns off – though this one works both figuratively and literally!
One word of caution, though, even someone who is not versed in this language will know what a dead bunch means, so don’t buy too far in advance!
Anyways, back to Christmas!
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