Show mom you care
Three cheers for mom! Mother’s Day is almost here, and although Valentine’s Day gets a lot of attention in the floral industry, Mother’s Day is actually the biggest floral holiday for many florists. I love this fact, because there are few people who deserve a show of thanks as much as mom.
Although the roots of Mother’s Day go all the way back to ancient Greece, Miss Anna Jarvis was the force behind our modern version of Mother’s Day. By 1911, every state in the nation observed Mother’s Day. In May 1913, The U.S. House of Representatives unanimously adopted a resolution requesting the President, his Cabinet, members of Congress, and all officials of the federal government to wear a white carnation on Mother’s Day, as it was the favorite flower of Miss Anna Jarvis’s mother. This flower was chosen to represent the sweetness, purity and endurance of each mother’s love. The red carnation, however, has since become more popular as the official flower of Mother’s Day.
I’m a mother of two, and my daughter is almost 6, the age when every dandelion and daisy she encounters becomes a gift for me, or anyone nearby if I’m not around. I have often returned home to find my husband digging in the yard with a dandelion tucked good-naturedly behind his ear. It brings her so much pleasure to share the cheer and color of a simple flower. And I can never get enough of her heartfelt, wilted bouquets, held too tight in her little fist.
Now I have the joy of working with customers who have grown up, but share this same wonderful impulse: to brighten mom’s day with flowers. In fact, I have several customers who regularly visit their elderly mothers and stop by my department on their way to see her to pick up a fresh bunch of mixed flowers to light up her eyes.
As you get ready for Mother’s Day, you’ll find a variety of bouquets, locally grown tulips and potted blooming plants to choose from (including carnations!), so you can find just the right color and size to suit your mom, grandma, or wife.