Saint Patrick’s feast day, as a kind of national day, was already being celebrated by the Irish in Europe in the ninth and tenth centuries. In later times he become more and more widely known as the patron of Ireland.
Saint Patrick’s feast day was finally placed on the universal liturgical calendar in the Catholic Church due to the influence of Waterford-born Franciscan scholar Luke Wadding in the early 1600s. Saint Patrick’s Day thus became a holy day of obligation for Roman Catholics in Ireland.
In 1903, Saint Patrick’s Day became an official public holiday in Ireland. This was thanks to the Bank Holiday (Ireland) Act 1903, an act of the United Kingdom Parliament introduced by Irish MP James O’Mara. O’Mara later introduced the law that required that pubs and bars be closed on 17 March after drinking got out of hand, a provision that was repealed in the 1970s. The first Saint Patrick’s Day parade held in the Irish Free State was held in Dublin in 1931 and was reviewed by the then Minister of Defense Desmond Fitzgerald. Although secular celebrations now exist, the holiday remains a religious observance in Ireland, for both the Roman Catholic Church and the Church of Ireland.
In the mid-1990s the Irish government began a campaign to use Saint Patrick’s Day to showcase Ireland and its culture. The government set up a group called St. Patrick’s Festival, with the aim to:
— Offer a national festival that ranks amongst all of the greatest celebrations in the world and promote excitement throughout Ireland via innovation, creativity, grassroots involvement, and marketing activity.
— Provide the opportunity and motivation for people of Irish descent, (and those who sometimes wish they were Irish) to attend and join in the imaginative and expressive celebrations.
— Project, internationally, an accurate image of Ireland as a creative, professional and sophisticated country with wide appeal, as we approach the new millennium.[14]
The first Saint Patrick’s Festival was held on 17 March 1996. In 1997, it became a three-day event, and by 2000 it was a four-day event. By 2006, the festival was five days long; more than 675,000 people attended the 2009 parade. Overall 2009′s five day festival saw close to 1 million visitors, who took part in festivities that included concerts, outdoor theatre performances, and fireworks.
In every year since 1991, March has been proclaimed Irish-American Heritage Month by the US Congress or President due to the date of St. Patrick’s Day. Today, Saint Patrick’s Day is widely celebrated in America by Irish and non-Irish alike. It is one of the leading days for consumption of alcohol in the United States, and is typically one of the busiest days of the year for bars and restaurants. Many people, regardless of ethnic background, wear green clothing and items. Traditionally, those who are caught not wearing green are pinched affectionately.
Since red has the slowest vibratory rate and and longest wavelength, it stimulates adrenal glands, boosting energy.
Boost confidence with irises
The color indigo stimulates the brain’s pineal gland, which is the regulator of sleep patterns. Indigo also helps to free the mind of worries, fear and inhibition.
Enhance alertness with sunflowers
Yellow lightwaves stimulate the brain, making you alert, clearheaded and decisive. And since we associate yellow with the sun’s rays and daylight, it’s said to help us feel more optimistic.
Get a good night’s sleep with bluebells
Blue triggers the production of melotonin, a brain chemical that helps us relax and sleep soundly. Blue also stimulates the thyroid gland to release thyroxin, a hormone that regulates metabolic rate.
Relax with green zinnias
Green affects the nervous system, making us breathe slowly and deeply, slowing the production of stress hormones and helping the heart relax.
Prevent allergies with orange daisies
Orange strengthens the immune system and the lungs, which can ward off spring allergies. Orange also has a strong beneficial effect on the digestive system and can stimulate the sexual organs.
Relieve stress with lilacs
Violet cools us, alleviating “hot” conditions like heat rash and sunburn, and suppressing hunger and balancing metabolism. It also stimulates the pituitary gland, the part of the brain that releases tension-fighting beta-endorphins.
Today I was surfing the ‘net to find just the perfect floral quiz to share with readers of Tulips Talk. There were so many floral personality quizzes it amazed me. I had a difficult time narrowing them down. However, I did ~ here are what I consider the TOP SEVEN flower personality quizzes online (I did not include any that required a login or to subscribe first to see the results):
The Society of American Florists conducted research to find out what flowers “mean” to different generations. Here’s an excerpt of that study:
“SAF’s Generations of Flowers consumer research study, completed in January 2009, explores the motivations and barriers of how different age groups perceive, buy, and use flowers and floral outlets. Three generations of consumers were assessed through qualitative and quantitative measures: Generation Y (ages 18-30), Generation X (31-44), and Baby Boomers (45-60). The study methodology included:
Interviews with generational and gift giving research giants, Iconoculture and Roper
Two online focus groups of 57 individuals
Online survey of 1,557 flower consumers”
Key Inisghts Included Flowers and Gifting, Flower Purchase Behaviors and compared Boomers, Gen X’ers and Gen Y feelings toward flowers in general.
For instance when it comes to floral purchases
Gen Y is “most likely to purchase flowers in person and deliver flowers themselves. This echoes a “personalization” trend in gifting characteristic of this generation.”
And Gen Y is also “more likely to purchase flowers to impress guests in their home, significantly higher than other generations. This indicates an opportunity to reposition the value of flowers for the younger consumer.”
Compared to Gen X which “most likely purchases flowers as a traditional holiday/occasion gift for someone else, as a “just because” pick-me-up gift, and for home decoration.”
The Baby Boomer Generation “is significantly more likely than other generations to keep flowers in their consideration set when purchasing a gift, and to find flowers appropriate for a broad range of gifting situations.”
Gemini’s symbol is the twins. Geminis are versatile, highly adaptable and somewhat mysterious. Gemini are playful, youthful and fun-loving. Bordering on the mischievous, Geminis are expressive, clever and social.
You can choose narcissus or buttercup, roses or poppy. Lady Gemini like almost every flower and her preferences depend on her mood, that changes very quickly.
Geminis delight in fun loving, cheerful flowers such as daisies, gerberas, summery sunflowers or quiet sophistication of the rose. Geminis like nearly every flower so match the flower to the ever changing mood of the creative, lighthearted Gemini, are one of the most creative of all the zodiac signs. Roses are a perfect choice with the range of colors that symbolize friendship. love and even passion.
Geminis colors are bright yellow, black and white and their birthstone is agate.
Taurus is a born romantic, considerate and hardworking. Warmhearted, sensuous Taurus love romantic, thoughtful gestures. Although Taurus have a reputation of being headstrong and fierce, they are well-grounded, practical and appreciate nature’s exquisite beauty.
Taurus love luxury and indulging in the finer things of life even when their practical side says they can’t afford it.
Taurus are delighted with simple bouquets of quality flower such as lilac or pink roses. They appreciate any flower given with love and sincerity. Dramatic and aromatic lilies touch the Taurus heart and indulge their romantic sensuality.
Taurus’ color is garnet and birthstone is the emerald.
Welcome to Flowers and Colors – The Secrets to Creating Moods through One of Natures Greatest Gifts – Flowers.My name is Heidi Richards Mooney, Owner of Eden Florist and I am delighted to share a journey through floral history, myth and symbolism with you.
There’s a new book in town and it is amazing! It is calledThe Garden of the Soul: lessons from four flowers that unearth the Self by my good friend Lynn Serafinn ~ Personal Transformation Coach
Here’s an excerpt from her book: Daffodils – The Principle of Becoming
We all associate springtime with new beginnings. After a long, barren winter of hiding under the earth, the flowers begin to emerge one at a time. Here in the UK, the first flower of spring is the daffodil. This week, I took two lovely long walks in different parts of town here in Bedford—one along the River Great Ouse, and the other through Bedford Park, a beautiful Victorian park that is much loved by us Bedfordians. Daffodils were bursting with bright yellow everywhere I walked, especially in one wooded section of the Park, which was actually the inspiration for the setting of one of the stories in my upcoming book, The Garden of the Soul: lessons from four flowers that unearth the Self. And when these brilliant flowers make an appearance, they really make an appearance. Never satisfied with being just a flower or two here and there, daffodils usually come in the hundreds when you find them. And what a glorious site they are. Their yellow colour and their unique shape makes you feel just as if the sun itself had decided to incarnate right there in the woods and burst into a thousand tiny suns. It is the true announcement that spring has come, and that new life is brewing all around us.
In my book, I use the daffodil as the symbol for “The Principle of Becoming”. “Becoming” means all that is continually evolving, growing and changing within us. Many of us fear change, but we all inwardly know that without change in our lives, we stagnate and die. Change is where innovation, imagination and creativity are born. It is the source of spontaneity, laughter and, ultimately, joy. “Becoming” therefore is the principle of regeneration and rebirth. No rebirth is able to take place without letting go of something else. In the case of the daffodils, they release themselves from the hidden safety of the earth, to take their chances in the open air of the late winter in the barren world above, before any of the other flowers dare attempt to poke their heads out. They do not wait to see if other flowers survive the ordeal first. They may look like light and cheerful flowers, and indeed they are; but in my view, they are also the most courageous.
We can learn from the daffodils by seeing that their glory lies in the fact that they took that bold chance, and are protected from harm, even when an unseasonable snowfall comes along. Like them, we can learn how to make courageous decisions in our lives by sensing when the time is right, and trusting the universe to carry us safely to our destination. It is when we procrastinate due to fear—of the unknown, of failure, of the judgement of others, or so many other things—that we often miss the opportunity the world is offering us. If the daffodil does not bloom in the spring, it has to wait until another year rolls around. Fear is inevitable in life. But fear itself is not our obstacle; it is merely an emotion. The real obstacle comes when we allow that fear to paralyse our own ability to grow. To master “The Principle of Becoming”, which is the lesson of the daffodil, we have to learn how to be comfortable with our own fears, and simply fall backwards into trust, for the greater purpose of feeling fully alive and bringing joy to the world.
This spring, when you see the daffodils, learn this vital lesson from them. Your glory in life begins the moment you hear the call of your own awakening and decide to take the chance to blossom, even in the face of your own fears. It is then when you too will take on the beauty of a thousand suns.
You can learn more about the lessons from the four flowers when you purchase my book The Garden of the Soul: lessons from four flowers that unearth the Self. It’s coming to Amazon on Tuesday 7 April 2009. AND if you join the “launch countdown”, you can find out how to receive 25 beautiful mind-body-spirit gifts donated by over 20 of my friends and colleagues, just for buying the book the day of the launch. Visit http://tinyurl.com/lynn-bonus for complete information. And be sure to keep an eye out for daffodils this week.
February’s birth flower is the Violet.It is also known as the African Violet. The flower is a five-petal velvety blossom that comes in shades of pinks, whites and purples. They are available as a houseplant or garden plant all year round.
Baron Walter Von Saint Paul Illaire is credited with discovering the violet plant in Tanzania in 1892.
Violet Facts, Trivia and Folklore:
♥ The Greek word for violet is io. Io is a character in Greek mythology and the daughter of King Argos. Zeus loved her. However, Zeus was concerned that Hera (his wife) would discover their affair, so he turned Io into a heifer and then created the sweet-scented flowers that we now know as violets for her to graze upon.
♥ Violets also have a unique method of reproduction, known as cleistogamy, which means to self-pollinate.
♥ During the Middle Ages, violets were a symbol for humility and modesty not only because of the blooming habits of the flower but also because of their association with the Virgin Mary.
♥ The god Hades fell in love with the maiden Persephone. One day while Persephone was walking through a field of violets, Hades carried her away to his land of death. The world mourned her death and became barren until Hades relented and agreed that Persephone could walk on the earth from spring through fall. Thus leading to violets symbolizing immortality, resurrection and spring.
♥ In Shakespeare’s Hamlet, Ophelia, upon learning of the death of her father, Polonius, speaks to the queen in the language of the flowers, quite common in the 16th century.Her allusions are to the tragic event which has taken place and the emotions and attributes symbolized by certain flowers: rosemary for remembrance; pansies for love; fennel for flattery; columbine for ingratitude; rue for repentance; daisies for faithlessness; and violets for constancy or devotion.In act IV, scene 5, she sings distraughtly while in the company of the queen, “
I would give some violets, but they withered all when my father died: they say he made a good end .”
♥ The Greek dramatist, Aristophanes, referred to Athens in one of his plays as the violet-crowned city for King Ion (Ion means Violet).
♥ When French composer Frederick Chopin died, one of his music students Jane Sterling bought all the violets she could find in the flower shops of Paris to cover his grave. So beloved is Chopin that, even today visitors daily place flowers (frequently violets) on this grave in Paris.
♥ Josephine Bonaparte loved the scent of violets and thus they became her favorite perfume.Before Napoleon was exiled in Elba, Josephine died and he picked a bouquet of violets for her grave. When Napoleon died, violets and a lock of Josephine’s hair were found in a locket that he wore.
If you’d like the answer key, leave a comment and I will send it to you!
NEED FLOWERS? Be sure to visit Eden Florist online for our selection of everyday, birthday, anniversary, get well, new baby, business and just because flowers and gifts. Proudly serving South Florida for 27+ years!
