From Melanie Robson – Flower Scene | Bouquet in A Card – Kelowna.
Introducing Valentine…or several possible Valentines.
Our first candidate – a third century priest (possibly Christian) who persisted in marrying serving soldiers to their sweethearts in defiance of a ban introduced by an emperor convinced that single men fought better than those thinking of wives and children at home.
A second nomination – a young Roman chap who helped persecuted Christians escape the prisons where they found themselves incarcerated.
A third possibility – already in prison for having offended the emperor, presumably for aiding and abetting Christians, a youth fell in love with his jailor’s daughter and sent her a letter signed “from your Valentine”. Defying and/or offending Roman emperors invariably resulted in execution and such a fate awaited any of our proposed Valentines. Recognition of martyrdom and ultimately canonisation followed.
And February 14th? In a process similar to those dictating much of the Christian calendar, a saint’s day for St Valentine may have been introduced to replace a somewhat exuberant pagan carnival. To celebrate Lupercalia in mid-February, and to ensure the fertility of their targets, naked youths would run around the streets slapping young women and fields of corn alike with strips of hide cut from freshly sacrificed goats or dogs.
Such behaviour being frowned upon by the popes of the later 5th century, the festival’s days were numbered and eventually put to bed when a suitable saint, Valentine, was identified to provide the figurehead for more seemly festivities on February 14th.
Romance & roses followed in due course, with Western Europe’s later mediaeval population possibly making a link between the common timing of St Valentine’s Day and the start of the mating season for birds to justify a celebration of romance.
Various notables from the 15th century left documented evidence of their valentine love poems and letters, including both the winner of the Battle of Agincourt, Henry V, and one of the losers, Charles, Duc d’Orléans; the latter wrote a valentine to his wife whilst still a guest of King Henry in England after the battle (for which read, more accurately, imprisoned in the Tower of London).
The exchange of hand-made cards outside of the nobility started in England during the 17th century. An American lady, Esther Howland, launched the first commercialised valentine greetings cards in the 1840s.
Flowers were and continue to be an obvious complement to or substitute for greetings cards, most importantly, roses, which have been associated with love and romance since antiquity. Other flowers have been associated at various times with more subtle messages.
Some examples:
- Rose – I love you passionately
- Bleeding Heart – Hopeless, but not heartless
- Gardenia – I love you secretly
- Gladiolus – You pierce my heart
- Lily-of-the-valley – Let’s make up
- Sweet William – You are gallant & perfect
- Violet – I return your love
The Kiss
And this is where FlowerScene comes to the party! Kelowna’s newest flower shop is gearing up for its first big event. No matter what the weather, large quantities of roses – plenty of red of course, but other hues available – will be winding their way up the Coquihalla direct from the flower auction in Vancouver, ready for assembly into FlowerScene’s spectacular take on the traditional Valentine’s offerings.
We will also have a delightful range of orchids and other potted flowering plants for possible alternatives, either simply as a change or as a gift for the man not known for his appreciation of roses, and plenty of inspiration for entirely unique romantic creations.
FlowerScene’s partner, Bouquet in a Card, provides the all-in-one St Valentine’s Day solution – a mini-bouquet of flowers emerging from a romantic card design, with Belgian chocolates as optional extras. For a really unique Valentine’s gift, look no further!
Pink Love
Two rewards and a challenge…. First the rewards: any advance order for flowers from FlowerScene received by 5pm on Monday 13th February for pick-up or delivery in or around Kelowna on St Valentine’s Day will receive a free Belgian chocolate heart; all orders for Bouquet in a Card products for delivery between now and February 14th will receive a 10% discount (enter promotion code “VDAY2012″ during check-out process).
And the challenge? Globally, 85% of St Valentine’s gifts are bought and sent by women. Gentlemen, let’s see if Kelowna can do better!
Article Provided by OBRG Member Mélanie Robson
Flower Scene | Bouquet in a Card
104-5309 Main Street (Kettle Valley)
Phone: 778-477-5661
Toll Free: 1-855-477-5661
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E: info@flowerscene.ca
W: http://bouquetinacard.com
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