More than 100 million roses are sold at Valentine’s Day. Of cut flower purchases, Valentine’s Day ranks #1, making it the number one holiday for many florists.

Of Valentine’s floral purchases, 64% are made by men and 36% by women. What are they buying?

78% Cut flowers
15% Flowering houseplants
5% Outdoor bedding and garden plants
2% Green plants
Of cut flowers purchased, 45% are roses, 34% mixed flowers, 13% carnations, and 8% other single flower types. Of roses purchased, 74% are red, 10% pink, 5% peach/salmon, 3% yellow, 2% white, 4% mixed colors, 2% other. For whom are they buying?
Men:
84% wife/significant other
4% friend
5% mother
3% daughter
5% other
Women:
24% mother
19% husband/significant other
13% daughter
14% self
12% friend
6% parents
2% grandmother
1% sister
9% other

Source: Society of American Florists Survey results are from a nationwide survey of 481 men and 534 women conducted by Bruskin/Goldring Research

Love is very patient and kind,
never jealous or envious,
never boastful or proud,
never haughty or selfish or rude.
Love does not demand its own way.
It is not irritable or touchy.
It does not hold grudges
and will hardly even notice
when others do it wrong.
It is never glad about injustice,
but rejoices whenever truth wins out.
If you love someone you
will be loyal to him
no matter what the cost.
You will always believe in him,
Always expect the best of him
and always stand your ground
in defending him.
All the special gifts
and powers from God
will someday come to an end,
but love goes on forever.
Living Bible I Corinthians 13:4-8

Check out Valentines Traditions Around the World and  Even More Valentine Traditions Around the World

Arabic: Kul ‘aam u antum salimoun

Brazilian: Boas Festas e Feliz Ano Novo means “Good Parties and Happy New Year”

Chinese: Chu Shen Tan

Czechoslavakia: Scastny Novy Rok

Dutch: Gullukkig Niuw Jaar

Finnish: Onnellista Uutta Vuotta

French: Bonne Annee

German: Prosit Neujahr

Greek: Eftecheezmaenos o Kaenooryos hronos

Hebrew: L’Shannah Tovah Tikatevu

Hindi: Niya Saa Moobaarak

Irish (Gaelic): Bliain nua fe mhaise dhuit

Italian: Buon Capodanno

Khmer: Sua Sdei tfnam tmei

Laotian: Sabai dee pee mai

Polish: Szczesliwego Nowego Roku

Portuguese: Feliz Ano Novo

Russian: S Novim Godom

Serbo-Croatian: Scecna nova godina

Spanish: Feliz Ano Neuvo  and Prospero Ano Nuevo

Turkish: Yeni Yiliniz Kutlu Olsun

Vietnamese: Cung-Chuc Tan-Xuan

Want to translate something? Check out www.FreeTranslation.com.

Order flowers for New Years, in January or anytime at www.EdenFlorist.com

The first New Year’s Eve ball drop in Times Square happened in 1907

The Jewish New Year is called Rosh Hoshana

Auld Lang Syne means time gone by

The largest annual New Year’s Eve celebrations happens in Sydney Australia

More than 80,000 fireworks are set off from the Sydney Harbour Bridge

Hogmanay is the celebration of the new years Scottish style

The centenary clock is lowered at 23:59:48 on new years eve in Madrid Spain

Tournament of Roses it the most popular New Year’s Day parade

Pasadena’s Valley hunt clubs first tournament of roses parade took place in 1890

New York’s Waterford crystal ball weighs 1,070 pounds

In Flagstaff Arizona a pine cone dropped on New Year’s eve

Bangor Main drops a purple beach ball decorated with Christmas lights

In Seattle, the New Years countdown done with an elevator

The Chinese New Year is known as the Lunar New Year or the Spring Festival

Apples and Honey are eaten to symbolize a sweet new year in Rosh Hashanah

Thailand celebrates from April 13 to 15 by throwing water

In the ancient Roman calendar the new year began on March 1st

The first new year holiday observed was celebrated in Babylon about 4000 years ago

The baby was first used to symbolize the New Year in Greece around 600 BC

In Colombia, Cuba and Puerto Rico families stuff a life-size male doll with things that have bad memories or sadness associated with them, and then dress it up in old clothes from each family member. At the stroke of midnight, ‘Mr. Old Year’ is set on fire.

In Spain people eat 12 grapes as the clock strikes midnight (one each time the clock chimes) on New Year’s Eve

In Japan, Buddhist temple bells are rung 108 times at midnight

In Brazil people wear white clothes on New Year’s Eve to bring good luck and peace for the year to follow

In Greece children leave their shoes by the fireside on New Year’s Day in hopes that Saint Basil will come and fill their shoes with gifts.

Want to send Flowers on New Years Day? Visit: www.EdenFlorist.com today!

My mom has purchased a plastic Thanksgiving table cloth that we use to write with a permanent marker what we’re thankful for each year with our signature and the year. She has it out on the table and then we can look back and see what our family/friends wrote and have memories of spending time with different people on Thanksgiving.  (Contributed by Brittany)

This is one of my all-time favorites and because my family likes it so much, we do it every year!

The Thanksgiving Box
http://www.tulipstalk.com/a-box-of-thanks/

There’s still time to order  flowers for  your Thanksgiving  table from Eden Florist. Visit our Website www.EDENFLORIST.com or call 800-966-3336 (EDEN) today!

THE TALKING FORK
This old storytelling game has been around forever, but it just might do the trick when the kids have cleaned their plates and are ready to fly out the door again. Just ask: “Did everybody use a fork?”  They’ll all nod.

“Good. If you just used a fork, then you owe the cook a magic memory. I will now unveil The Talking Fork.”  Puzzled looks will follow.  “I cooked this meal. And before we all leave, I want to hear some good, fun, magic family memories. Here’s the Talking Fork. I’ll go first.” Then pick up a fork around which you’ve tied a ribbon — a nice, big serving fork is good for dramatic effect — and begin.  Source: Family Education.com

HAPPY PUMPKINS


Another fun activity for family members of all ages is the Happy Pumpkins.  You will need one miniature pumpkin per guest and several “magic markers.”

Ask each guest to decorate their pumpkin to reflect their mood, personality or creative nature.  Use these as a centerpiece for the desert table.

And here’s another Thanksgiving activity that is sure to bring a smile to your guests faces:

Picture Perfect Thanksgiving http://www.tulipstalk.com/picture-perfect-thanksgiving/

There’s still time to order  flowers for  your Thanksgiving  table from Eden Florist. Visit our Website www.EDENFLORIST.com or call 800-966-3336 (EDEN) today!

Today I was surfing the net for some cool resources Tulips Talk readers might enjoy and found the Snapdragons blog with Jane Lindsey.

Jane has a wonderful flower tutorial with great instructions for putting flowers together.

Check it out here: http://snapdragongarden.co.uk/step%20by%20step_July.htm

While reading Jane’s blog I came across another blogger – Vintage Pretty

VP wrote a great article called “Heaven Scent”  (tips to keeping your house smelling fab) which you can read here: http://vintagepretty.org/2005/06/21/heaven-scent/

I also found a blog post by Anna Spiro, Interior Designer in Brisbane Australia and author of Absolutely Beautiful things that is just pretty to look at http://absolutelybeautifulthings.blogspot.com/ and even has some great flowers and things!

Be sure to order your cut flowers from Eden Florist to make your special bouquet.

Every day I receive a wonderful “note from the Universe.” It is called TUT™ and they are “Brief passages written by ‘The Universe,’ designed to remind you that you have, indeed, been given dominion over all things.”

You can learn more and subscribe at www.Tut.com.

And be sure to send flowers to someone you love, with your favorite note from the universe tucked in!

Smile Week on Twitter

It all started last night when I posted about it being National Make Someone Smile Week ~National Make Someone Smile Week Begins Today http://bit.ly/3Aumrm I was linking to the post I wrote yesterday here..

Michael Long aka @theredrecruiter on Twitter retweeted a message I posted that had been retweeted by someone else. Here it is: “@HeidiRichards I’m digging this smile week thing! Let’s spread it! #SmileWeek“

Then Michael sent a message saying: “What are you doing for #smileweek? I’m going to buy a stranger a cup of coffee tomorrow. (Spread the smiles!!!)” followed by:

“Help spread the word about National Smile Week! Here is how to play! http://bit.ly/eFJIm #smileweek“

To which I replied “Whoohoo wouldn’t it be kool if #SmileWeek made Trending Topics????” (BTW, Trending Topics are the Top Ten topics people are talking about on Twitter. )

@HeidiRichards Absolutely! Let’s hope that #SmileWeek takes hold tomorrow when everyone gets to work!

That was the beginning!  Since then hundreds of people have tweeted and retweeted about Smile Week sharing what they plan to do. People are buying cups of coffee for strangers, calling people they haven’t spoken to in a while, paying the tolls at toll booths and so much more.

So I thought it would be fun to find out what MY READERS are doing to Spread the Smiles Across the Miles for National Smile Week.

so far, my staff and I have sent flowers to two local nursing homes, the local post office, a hospital information desk, local library and I have given my UPS, FEDEX and Postal Carrier flowers.  Not to mention all the fun quotes, riddles, stories and good will shared on Twitter!

Let’s get this Smile Week ball rolling so fast it goes round the world at least once!

Are you up for the challenge?  If so,  feel free let us know what your plans are and what you’ve already done (in the comments section below). And if you are on Twitter, leave your Twitter ID and be sure to post your replies on Twitter with the #SmileWeek hashtag so others will see what you are doing.

Looking forward to hearing your ideas and goodwill stories!

Did you know that today begins National Make Someone Smile WEEK (July 19-25)? That’s right. And all across the country thousands of florists are delivering flowers to people in hospitals, nursing homes, and foster care centers to people who might not otherwise get any flowers.

Started in 2000 by Teleflora, it has become “the floral industry’s most successful charitable program. Last year’s program spanned 144 cities throughout the United States and Canada, more than 2,000 florists donated their time. Teleflora’s program delivered more than 35,000 bouquets to those most in need of a smile.”

Eden Florist will be participating in Make Someone Smile Week by dropping off flowers to my local library, favorite grocery store clerk and more. 

Check out the article “How do you Make Someone Smile? Send Flowers, of course!”   It’s my list of  21 people and places to send a smile and get on in return.  and be sure to visit: EdenFlorist.com to send flowers to someone who needs a lift.

And when you give a smile, it is almost impossible not to get one in return! And wouldn’t it be nice to be “blamed” for doing something good (for a change)? *SMILE

So keep smiling! And be sure to send someone flowers to make them smile too!  It could be a total stranger or someone you love. Its up to you.

Feel free to leave your LIST of people you would like to make smile in the comments section below. If we get enough response, I may even have a contest and give free flowers to the writer AND the person she/he wishes to send flowers. How about that to make someone smile?

Happy Make Someone Smile Week!

1. What’s your flower type at Quizilla http://www.quizilla.com/quizzes/9959891/whats-your-flower-type

2. Flowers that Match Your Personality Type Quiz http://www.streetdirectory.com/florist/singapore/flower_guide/quiz/flower_and_personality_type/

3. Which flower are you? How do your friends see you? http://www.youthink.com/quiz.cfm?action=go_detail&sub_action=take&obj_id=340

4. What is your flower personality (at SelectSmart.com) http://www.selectsmart.com/FREE/select.php?client=flowerprsnlty

5. Blogthings What Flower are you? Personality quiz http://www.blogthings.com/whatflowerareyouquiz/

6. Which Flower are You at AllTheTests.com for under 30ish  http://www.allthetests.com/quiz14/quizpu.php?testid=1118970425&katname=Plants-Personality-tests

7. And my favorite (it seems to be the most comprehensive) is the Society of American Florists Personality Quiz which I wrote about here: http://www.edenflorist.com/article_info.php?articles_id=34

To help you to find out the “floral personality” of your intended recipient here’s a direct link to the quiz: http://www.aboutflowers.com/quiz/quiz.html

Good luck with your quiz taking! Feel free to leave a comment below and let me know how accurate you think they were.