Valentine’s Day is one of the biggest days of the year for florists in 77084. Every February 14, people all over the world purchase floral arrangements or individual flowers for their loved ones to celebrate the patron saint of love.
But how did our modern version of Valentine’s Day come to be, and what are the origins of the holiday? Let’s take a look.
Origin story
Saint Valentine’s Day was added as a feast day to the Catholic liturgical calendar around 500 A.D. Obviously, the way the day is celebrated has evolved over many years.
There are several different legends involving saints named Valentine, but there are conflicting reports of the original Saint Valentine, and the feast was actually removed from the liturgical calendar in 1969.
One of the most common versions of the Valentine story is that Saint Valentine refused to convert to paganism from Christianity, and was executed by Emperor Claudius II as a result. However, before his death, he performed a miracle to heal the daughter of his jailer, who then also converted to Christianity. Another legend involves a bishop, Valentine of Terni, who was also executed for his religion.
The legend that led to Valentine’s Day being a love-focused holiday involves a Saint Valentine who was a Roman priest, who had performed weddings for soldiers who were forbidden to marry due to an emperor’s edict that decreed married soldiers made poor warriors. Saint Valentine wore a ring with Cupid to help soldiers recognize him, and he handed out paper hearts to remind Christians of God’s love and their love for God. This became a sort of precursor to handing out Valentine’s Day cards.
In the 1300s, author and poet Geoffrey Chaucer wrote a love-themed poem about Saint Valentine that solidified the connection between the saint and love. This is considered by many historians to be the beginning of the “modern” meaning of Valentine’s Day, in which romantic partnership is celebrated between people. Thanks to Chaucer, by the 15th century the word “valentine” was being used to describe a lover, and by the 19th century, Valentine’s Day cards were being mass produced in paper, creating Valentine’s Day as we know it today.
Meanings today
Valentine’s Day isn’t a religious celebration any longer, due to the removal of the feast day from the church’s liturgical calendar. Instead, it is primarily a commercial holiday in which people spend time with their loved ones and show their gratitude and appreciation for them with gifts and quality time.
There are plenty of twists on the holiday as well. For example, “Galentine’s Day” has become more popular in recent years as a way for women (single or not) to celebrate their friendship.
If you’re still in need of a last-minute Valentine’s Day gift in 77084, we’re prepared to assist you with flowers and other gifts that will make the holiday special. Contact It’s Just for You today and we’ll be happy to help you with what you need to can create a memorable moment with your loved one.
St. Patrick’s Day might technically still fall during winter, but it’s just several days from spring, and the green themes of the holiday are evocative of spring being just around the corner. Therefore, for your St. Patrick’s Day arrangements in 77084, consider creating a lush vase of green florals and fresh blooms that are both befitting of the holiday and seasonal and hopeful for the arrival of spring.
Here are a few ideas for you to consider as you plan out your St. Patrick’s Day arrangements!
Leprechaun gardens
If you’ve heard of fairy or gnome gardens, which have become increasingly popular thanks to their prevalence on Pinterest, then you’ll love this St. Patrick’s Day-themed twist on the idea! Create a leprechaun’s garden, focusing on greenery and pots of gold.
One fun way of doing this is taking a couple small, wooden planters, lining them with plastic wrap and filling the bottom of each planter with river rocks for drainage before then adding lush green plants and soil. When you’ve finished putting in plants, you can cover with moss and lightly water. It’s the accessories that really turn it into a leprechaun garden, including small wooden houses and pots of gold, featuring little gold ornaments or marbles. You might even find a little leprechaun figurine to include!
Romantic arrangements
St. Patrick’s Day doesn’t have the same romantic themes that Valentine’s Day does, but that doesn’t mean there are no options for romance! You can combine some hydrangeas with ornamental kale, white wax flowers, green-tinted Mondial roses, green trick dianthus, Italian ruscus, lemon leaf greenery and silver dollar eucalyptus for a fresh, lush and romantic green arrangement that will take your recipient’s breath away. Just make sure to use some wet floral foam to help hold it all together!
Paper flowers
You can mix in some paper flowers with some real flowers, or create arrangements made entirely with paper flowers to add a fun, whimsical, personal touch to your arrangement. You can find a variety of instructions and DIY guides online to help you make paper tulips, daisies, peonies and more, and you can add in paper shamrocks as well. Use varying shades of green and add in some white here and there, and assemble them by putting floral foam in a vase and putting flowers in foam in the desired arrangement. If you really wish to go all out with the holiday theme, you can hot glue some plastic gold coins on to floral wire to add them in!
Edible arrangements
You can add some edible elements into your arrangements for a budget-friendly, fresh style. In addition to your greeneries, throw in some green apples, limes and green berries. They’ll go great with silver dollar eucalyptus and lemon leaf greenery, as well as Bells of Ireland and ornamental kale.
For more tips about how you can create a fun, seasonal and beautiful arrangement perfect for St. Patrick’s Day in 77084, reach out to the team at It’s Just for You with your questions.
If ever there were a time to treat yourself (and others) to flowers, this is it. The recently departed 2020 was a stressful year for most people around the world, but 2021 promises to be a lot better. That’s why 2021’s flower of the year in 77084 is specifically chosen to bring happiness and joy.
This year’s flower of the year is the sturdy, cheerful sunflower. Its bold shape and color are sure to put a smile on anyone’s face, and it pairs well with many other flowers to make dramatic—and dramatically happy—arrangements. Read on to learn more about the sunflower and why it was chosen to represent this year.
What does the sunflower represent?
Sunflowers represent happiness, joy, optimism, loyalty and longevity. If you’ve ever seen sunflowers growing in the wild, you might have noticed that they turn their “faces” to the sun, just like we all do after a long, dreary winter.
Fun facts about sunflowers
The sunflower plant has been around for thousands of years and is native to North America. Its edible seeds have long been used as a food source, whether milled into flour and cakes or eaten at a summertime baseball game. Sunflower seeds can also be pressed to make sunflower oil, which is used for cooking.
There are many different sunflower varieties available, ranging in size, color and shape. The biggest ones, appropriately named giant sunflowers, can grow as high as 16 feet tall—that’s taller than many one-story houses.
Sunflowers eventually made their way to Europe in the 16th century, and are the national flower of several countries. It’s hard to compete with their beauty, hardiness and utility.
Why sunflowers make a great bouquet choice
Sunflowers are most often bright yellow, with big black centers. Yellow is a color commonly associated with cheerfulness, positivity and energy—all things we could use more of in the coming year. If yellow’s not your style, you can often find sunflowers in shades of orange and red, as well. Sunflowers can even absorb and hold dye well if natural orange and red varieties aren’t currently available.
When it comes to hardiness, these flowers are some of the longest lasting around, even when cut. They can bring cheer for 10 days or longer. That means sunflowers make a great choice for anyone who wishes their floral arrangements wouldn’t die so quickly—as long as you change the water regularly and use the provided plant food, they’ll continue to thrive. Their thick, sturdy stalks give them a leg up on more delicate cut flowers. Keep them in a room with moderate temperatures.
If you’re thinking about getting a bouquet with 2021’s flower of the year in 77084, It’s Just For You is here to help. We offer several sunflower bouquet options, but we’re also happy to make a custom arrangement. Our family owned and operated flower shop loves a creative challenge, so call us today to schedule your next flower delivery. We look forward to hearing from you!
Valentine’s Day will be here before you know it—do you have a plan to order your flowers on time? Between the pandemic and a stressful start to the year, you might have more people on your flower list than usual. Here are the best flowers for Valentine’s Day 2021 in 77084, whether they’re for a partner, family member or best friend.
For your romantic partner
Deep red roses are a surefire selection when you want to say, “I love you.” On the other hand, if your partner isn’t a fan of roses, there are plenty more ways to get the message across. Do you know their favorite flower? Choosing their favorites is a great way to show you remember what they love.
If you’re stumped, try lush or bold bouquets in shades of red, pink, purple or white. Peonies, ranunculus and anemones all have tightly-packed delicate petals that look like lacy, luxurious fabric. Potted orchids are exotic and—despite being a bit finicky—can last long past the holiday, just like your love.
When your partner is more of a potted plant aficionado, why not pick a potted anthurium plant? The heart-shaped leaves and bright red “flowers” are beautiful all year long.
For Mom and Grandma
Your mother and grandmother deserve some love, too. Bouquets of cheerful irises, sunflowers and chrysanthemums are a great way to let them know you’re thinking of them. Plus, these flowers all have appropriate meanings: irises represent wisdom, sunflowers represent positivity and chrysanthemums mean optimism and joy. When you want to tell Mom and Grandma that you care, you can also use flowers to convey the message that you appreciate their love, wisdom and support.
For Galentine’s Day
Not everyone loves Valentine’s Day—and even if you do, your girlfriends should be recognized as well. Celebrate Galentine’s Day with flowers that suit your individual friends. For example, your chic, modern best friend might long elegant long-stemmed calla lilies, while the romantic-at-heart might enjoy a multicolored rose bouquet. (Yellow roses represent friendship, after all.)
For anyone who needs a dose of cheer, brightly-colored gerbera daisies are sure to bring a smile to their face. If they’re just getting over a breakup, a blooming cactus can be a cheeky way to acknowledge that they’re better off without their (prickly) ex. Plus, cacti are low maintenance, so they won’t be a burden when they’re already feeling bad or overwhelmed.
For the guys
Men enjoy getting flowers, too. Why not make your boyfriend, husband, father or best friend’s day with some well-chosen blooms? Protea flowers are not only pretty, but some varieties look like they came straight out of a sci-fi show. A bold houseplant can be a masculine choice, too—the ever-popular snake plant not only thrives on low light and little water, but it has a funky, modern shape that looks great in any home.
Poinsettias have long been synonymous with Christmas. They can be found in every seasonal display in community centers, retail stores, churches, schools and homes. It’s Just For You offers endless poinsettia deliveries during the holiday season. Poinsettias have enjoyed a long and interesting history in the United States to get them where they are today. Read on to learn more, and then place your order for Christmas poinsettias in 77084!
Mexican roots
Poinsettia flowers are actually a special kind of leaf known as bracts. If you look closely, you’ll notice that the red petals of a poinsettia are truly colorful leaves. The plant is native to Mexico and Central America, where they bloom in the winter season. The ancient Aztec civilization called poinsettias cuetlaxochitl and used them to make cosmetics, medicines and clothing dyes.
Christmas legends
No one knows exactly how the vibrant red poinsettia plant became so associated with Christmas, but the leaves are considered by some to be a symbol of the star above Bethlehem which led the three wise men to the baby Jesus in the Christmas story. The poinsettia’s red leaves are also said to symbolize the blood of Christ, while the white symbolize his purity.
In Mexico, a legend akin to that of the little drummer boy is told about the poinsettia plant. As the story goes, a little girl had nothing to bring to the baby Jesus on Christmas Eve. She was sad until her cousin told her that even the smallest gift given by someone out of love would make the baby Jesus happy. The little girl picked some flowers, and when she laid them down in the church, they turned bright red. Poinsettias were then called flowers of the holy night, or flores de noche buena.
American import
The poinsettia plant got its current name from a man named Joel Roberts Poinsett. In the mid-1800s, Poinsett was the first ambassador to Mexico from the United States. While traveling in Mexico, Poinsett became very interested in the plant. He ended up sending some of them back to his home in South Carolina, where he began growing them in greenhouses and sending them to botanical gardens and friends. As the plant began increasing in popularity, it was sold as cut flowers. Eventually, in the early 1900s, poinsettias began to be sold as whole plants in pots and for landscaping. The Ecke family from California were among the first to sell whole poinsettia plants, and they are still in the business today.
A holiday favorite
However they happened to become associated with the season, poinsettias are now nearly as universally recognized as the Christmas tree as a special holiday decoration. They can brighten any holiday table or display. Place them on your mantel or around your tree. Get many to place on every step of a stairway or in every window of your living room. Send a poinsettia to everyone on your gift list this year. Their festive holiday cheer can brighten any room or any loved one’s day. Contact It’s Just For You in Houston for all of the poinsettias you need this Christmas in 77084!