Showing posts with label Valentine's Day gifts. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Valentine's Day gifts. Show all posts

Sunday, January 27, 2019

Review of the Meaning Behind Different Colored Roses

The Meaning Behind Different Colored Roses
Did You Know that Each Rose Color Has a Unique Meaning?

With Valentine's Day around the corner, there's nothing carved in stone that says you have to give Red Roses.

If you want to send a different message, check out the meaning of each colored rose as described below. Once you determine what you really want to say, send a dozen roses of that color instead.

Red Roses

This one you know. It generally means "I love you". Sending red roses tells the person in no uncertain terms that you love them. It also speaks to beauty and lets the person know, that in your eyes, they're perfect just the way they are.

Yellow Roses

If you want to send someone a flower that expresses thanks for the friendship you share, yellow roses are a good choice. Yellow roses tell the person that they make you happy and you're thankful to have them in your life.

Lavender (Purple) Roses

If you've just met someone and you've got that love-at-first-sight thing going on between the two of you, then sending them purple roses says you're eager to continue and grow this unexpected relationship. Purple is also associated with Royalty, so if you happen to fall in love with a Prince or a Princess at first sight, send them purple roses.

White Roses

If you're looking to send flowers to someone you just met, white roses are the ideal choice. They're used in weddings to symbolize new beginnings but you don't have to be getting married to experience a new beginning. Don't hesitate to send them in the case of anything new; new job, new baby, new friendship, new love.

Pink Roses

Is there someone in your life that you admire? If so, send them pink roses. Perhaps it's a person who has accomplished a great deal, been an awesome friend or set an unparalleled example with their life. Sending your mother pink roses speaks to your admiration for her. Pink also represents gracefulness. For the person with high integrity and who behaves in a classy manner, pink is their flower.

Orange Roses

Orange roses speak to your excitement about being with a person. You're anxious to take on new adventures with them and your relationship is all about enthusiasm and, where applicable, desire. Give orange roses to the person you want to take on the world with. It doesn't have to be a love interest. In fact, if it's a good friend, give them a combination bouquet of yellow, orange and white roses.

Peach Roses

Do you want to send someone a 'Thank you'? If so, then peach roses deliver that message. If you're grateful for someone and what they've done for you, or for just being in your life, peach roses say it without words. When you want to show someone how much you appreciate them, add peach roses to your bouquet.

Now that you understand the general meaning of each rose, consider the message you want to convey and either mix and match them or give a dozen of one color.

If real flowers aren't doable, here's a collection of faux bouquets to send to that special someone:




Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and/or Esty (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”


Wednesday, January 20, 2016

Share Some Valentine Love with a Lonely Senior



What can you do to help a lonely senior feel appreciated on Valentine's Day?


Many aging seniors feel more alone every year. Many were widowed or never married. Many of their friends are beginning to leave them through death. Many outlive all their friends. Some are lucky enough to have children nearby, but even so, if their children have spouses or are part of a couple, they may be focused on their spouse or significant other on the day when people celebrate love. They may send Mom or Dad a card and / or make a phone call, but they may not take that lonely parent to dinner or go and visit on what may be the loneliest day of the year for those with no surviving partner or friend. There may be parties for those in senior residences, but that's not really personal. That lonely senior may be feeling pretty blue on the Red and White Day of hearts and flowers.

Love you forever book cover
If that lonely senior is your mother or grandmother, get her the book Love You Forever to assure her you will always love her. It will let her know you appreciate her love for you and that you return it. It will let her know that you will always be there for her while she needs you, as she was there for you.  It would be best, of course, to take her to lunch and give her your present there, but if you live too far away to do that, send the book with a loving message on the fly leaf. Trust me, she will like it better than a Valentine card, and it can substitute for a Valentine card.

Love You Forever has become almost a classic gift book about maternal love. It is meaningful to all ages. Children, mothers, and grandmothers will understand its message of unconditional love. From the moment a mother holds her newborn baby boy, she begins to sing to him: “I’ll love you forever, I’ll like you for always, As long as I’m living my baby you’ll be. ”

She continues to sing her song whenever her boy is asleep, even as he grows up. Eventually he becomes a mature man, marries, and moves away, but she sometimes still sneaks over to rock him and sing the song to him. (Though it looks silly as shown in the pictures, a mother who misses her grown child can easily see it as a mental visit, a longing for the relationship she misses.)

As the years go by, the mother grows older and older. Finally one day she calls her son to come because she is old and sick and needs him. We watch him pick her up, rock her and sing his own version of the song to her. His version ends with “As long as I’m living my Mommy you’ll be. ” But she can no longer hear it. You’ll probably cry while watching him during those minutes he stands at the top of the stairs in grief before going down. Later, he continues his mother's tradition in his baby daughter’s room. He picks up his daughter and rocks her, as he sings the song to her. This is a great gift for mothers and grandmothers.


What Lonely Person Needs a Card or Gift from You on February 14?


When we still have partners, it’s so easy to overlook our parents, aunts, uncles, grandparents, or maybe aging friends and acquaintances who may have lost theirs. We may pay special attention to them the first year, and maybe even the next one when February 14 comes around. But we often move on with our lives faster than they are able to move on with theirs. We are younger and busier and tend to forget that they will continue to feel lonely for years after their loss — especially on days such as birthdays, anniversaries, and, of course, Valentine’s Day.

How can you help? The most important thing is to make sure your lonely friend or loved one knows you are thinking of them. If you cannot make a personal visit, a gift with a personal note might be in order.

Should You Send Flowers?


You can order flowers online to be delivered if your loved one is not allergic to them. What has always worked best for me, though, if I can’t deliver the flowers in person, is dealing with a local flower shop. If you’ve never been there, stop in and make sure the flowers are of high quality and the shop is pretty well established in town with a reputation to maintain. Let them know what kind of arrangement you have in mind and let them suggest what is fresh and plentiful that will meet your needs. They will know of a reputable flower shop that they work with near where your loved one lives. They will make the arrangements and see that everything is taken care of to your satisfaction. If you already know the florist is first-rate, a phone call can take care of the entire matter.
Share Some Valentine Love with a Lonely Senior
Farmer's Market Roses, © B. Radisavljevic

Last time I sent flowers, I called a local florist I had visited many times. I talked to the shop owner who assured me they had a reputable store to work with five hours away. I placed the order and it was delivered as expected and the recipient was very happy with the result.

Keep in mind that hardly any florists will deliver on Sunday, and this is also true on line. Make your arrangements at least two business days ahead of when you want delivery. If you wait until the last minute your flowers may not make it on time.

If you are fortunate enough to be close enough to buy flowers locally and deliver them in person, there are options other than flower shops for getting quality flowers at reasonable prices. The ones in this picture were for sale at a local Farmers Market the Saturday before Valentine’s Day at a very inexpensive price compared to flowers you would have delivered. You can also buy cut flowers and living plants at Trader Joe’s and at many local markets. This lets you see the actual flowers your loved one will get. Don’t forget to deliver them in or with a vase you can put them in, so your loved one won’t have to hunt for something.

Don't Wait Until the Last Minute to Shop 


You will want to get a card or gift you have obviously put thought into. (This also applies to husbands. I sold greeting cards in stores for ten years, and sometimes I’d start to panic about five days before Valentine’s Day when so many cards for wives and mothers were still sitting there. The men would troop in either on their way home from work February 13 or on Valentine’s Day itself — leaving their shopping for the last minute when the selection was depleted. )

mailbox with a open field behind it
Let’s imagine you’re a widow and your children and grandchildren all live across the country and most of your friends have died. Maybe you do have a daughter close by, but she is going out with her husband on Valentine’s Day. You are bound to be feeling that you are alone on a day when so many are doing something special with their spouses. You miss that spouse who’s not there. You wish you had someone to go somewhere with — even just lunch. The only place you have to go is your mailbox. How do you feel when it’s empty, too.

Here are some suggestions for filling that mailbox. Be sure you write a personal note in your own writing. Maybe a blank card will give you more room to write. Pick a scene that might bring back a happy memory, or a flower that's a favorite. Try one of these blank floral cards from my collection at Zazzle. The one below is an example, but there are many different kinds of flowers in the collection.
Share Some Valentine Love with a Lonely Senior
Greeting Card with Coral Rose, © B. Radisavljevic




Give Your Loved One a Valentine Gift to Brag About

One aspect of making a gift to a parent, grandparent, aunt or uncle who lives alone or in a senior residence is giving him or her something to show friends who visit. When he or she says "See what my son gave me" he or she means "See how my son loves me and remembered me." When you give something that lasts and will be used or displayed and seen often, your loved one will feel remembered, loved and significant whenever he or she sees it. It's a gift that keeps on giving, as long as it isn't a substitute for showing your care by personal contact on a regular basis. It reinforces the caring things you do year-round on those days when you can't call or visit. I still use the mugs my children gave me almost exclusively because they remind me of the good times we spent together.

These inspirational mugs from Amazon are for your mom.

Most of these items can be customized when you order them. Some designs are also available on shirts, hats, aprons, memo boards, magnets for the refrigerator, or other gifts. I chose mugs because they are used often and don't take up much space. Many seniors who live alone have limited space if they have moved from their former family homes. These are mugs you can customize at Zazzle. 


Maybe a teddy  bear will be just the right gift for a lonely mom or grandmother. My own mom had a small collection of them.
I think many women never outgrow their love for plush animals, especially teddy bears. This one holds a reminder of your love, even on days your mom may be feeling blue because she wishes you were there with her. If she prefers some other animal to a bear, you might want to browse through these other plush animals. 



It's not the Price of the Gift, but the Thought That Counts

When people start getting older, they begin to think in terms of getting rid of things instead of accumulating more stuff. Unless you know exactly what they really do need, something small and sentimental will probably have the most emotional impact.

When your loved one who lives alone is feeling unloved or unconnected during the other days of the year, a gift obviously picked with love will provide some comfort. It will remind your loved one that she is still loved on some of those days when you might be too busy to call or visit, or if you live far away.

Men may not seem need this as much as women do. But a widowed man who was happy in his marriage will still be lonesome on Valentine’s Day. A card, call, or visit to let him know he’s in your thoughts will be appreciated. And he also might like to go to lunch or dinner if you can manage it. If you are able to get off work early, maybe you can arrange to take your parent or grandparent to lunch and then have a romantic dinner with your spouse later on.


head holding a heart shaped box

Family is most important, but also try to remember those who may have no family left. Some people may never have had children, or their children may have preceded them in death. They may have no one left. If you know someone in that position, what an act of kindness it would be to remember them with a card or a small gift or the pleasure of your company on Valentine's Day. After all, it's a day for showing love, and no one needs love more than the lonely.






Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and/or Esty (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”


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