Say it with flowers

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Nothing says “I love you” or “I care about you” like a copious bouquet of flowers – especially around Valentine’s Day.

If you decide to give flowers to a loved one this holiday, be sure to not be one of those last minute buyers waiting in line at the flower shop, scrambling to procure the leftovers.

Although there is an abundance of flowers stored during the Valentine’s Day season, floral shops still tend to run out of certain flowers if they were not pre-ordered. When pre-ordering a bouquet of flowers, the shop will reserve them for you to pick up or even have them delivered.

A delivery charge tends to be around $10 and makes your gift extra special by having them delivered to the recipient while at school or at work. The generous gift will be witnessed by peers and co-workers and provides a positive reception atmosphere.

Instead of buying flowers at a floral shop, they could be bought at a store for a lower price. The difference is that flowers from the floral shops tend to last longer by 8-10 days. But if you do choose to go with store-bought flowers, you can make them look better just by peeling the dry outer petals off of each rose or flower.

Red roses may be the ultimate Valentine’s Day flowers, but don’t limit yourself to them. Try other fun colors such as white, pink or yellow or do a multi-colored bouquet. Don’t be scared to try other popular flowers as well, such as lilies, daisies, carnations and tulips. Or exotic flowers such as bird of paradise, oriental lilies and orchids. Mix it up with bright colors.

If you’re still indecisive if flowers are worth the investment, remember the emotional impact flowers have on wellbeing. A recent study done by the Society of American Florists (SAF) gave 147 women either flowers, candles or a fruit basket to see what their reactions would be. All the gifts had a positive effect, but it was only the women who received flowers where 100 percent of them displayed a Duchenne smile, which is considered a “true smile” of happiness.

Chocolates and teddy bears are also nice gifts for Valentines, but the gift of flowers will ultimately win you affection so give them a try this year.