Earlier, Tara posted a comment on my blog stating that she has never received flowers from her husband, and it made me think. I've gotten flowers from James a few times. He used to send them more frequently when we were dating or newly married and he could have them delivered to my office.
When I stopped working and became a SAHM, he had flowers delivered to the house one time. After a few years with no flowers, I started buying them for myself. Somehow, that would prompt James to buy some for me within the next few months. (I didn't intend for that to happen, but it was a nice result.)
For Valentine's Day this year, James sent some totally unprompted roses. I was quite proud of him until our trip to Colorado where he mentioned "they haven't yet credited the airline miles" -- so it was more about the miles and less about me. He brought two dozen roses home recently, so that buffers the blow.
In a totally unrelated conversation about flowers this week, James told me there are several women in his office who complain when flowers are delivered to them. They say they'd rather have the money to shop for clothes. When I think of dragging my kids to the mall, battling crowds of people, saying "no" to [cookies/Orange Julius/the entire inventory of The Disney Store] at least 643 times all to pick over garments that make me feel much older and rounder than I am (or want to believe I am), I would much rather have a giant bouquet in which to bury my face and breathe deeply. But that's just me.
What about you? What are your thoughts on flowers?
Wednesday, May 7, 2008
A Floral Debate
Posted by Amanda at 8:17 AM
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I would rather get a more thoughtful gift for things like birthdays and anniversaries but I LOVE it when Allan just shows up from work with a boquet of flowers. I do love getting flowers from unexpected people too, I just like knowing that I have been thought about.
I like flowers, but I used to insist that James not buy me any cut flowers that were just going to wilt and have to be thrown out a week later. Unfortunately I don't have much better luck with live plants. As I've gotten older I've come to appreciate flowers more. My boss once gave me a bouquet as a thank you gift for holding down the fort when he went on vacation. I didn't realize how much it meant to me to have something so beautiful to look at on a regular dreary day in the office or at home.
I'm like you in that clothes shopping is a depressing task and I'd much rather have the flowers.
I LOVE getting flowers. I agree that I wouldn't want it to be my only birthday present or anything but my husband will occasionally bring home flowers on a Saturday morning or something for no reason and that's just the best!
My grandfather always gave my grandmother money to buy herself something, which she loved. But I'd rather know that what I'm getting is more representative of what my husband (or anyone else) would want me to have....
My thing with flowers is that they die. I love how they spruce up the living spaces, but just as soon as you enjoy them they start to wilt. And immediately I feel bad for the sender. Especially if it was a very nice (and expensive) floral arrangement. All that money for just a few days of beauty?
You can still have all the beauty with maybe a single carnation or rose. I'll take that!
I still enjoy the big arrangements, but they never last long in our house. They see me, they wilt instantly!
Even my poor, poor wedding bouquet. We stayed in Annapolis our wedding night, and then flew off to Seattle the next morning, so I had to leave all those gorgeous blue hydrangeas and white roses behind. We didn't even have time to hang it. Jeromy set it upside down on our little porch, so that maybe it would dry all pretty and I could keep it. But no. It got bed head.
It's not that I don't like flowers; flowers just don't like me.
I love a thoughtful gift but I think there's nothing better than no-reason flowers ... even if they're bought at a grocery store for $3. I love that! There's something so romantic and old-school about flowers.
I am a huge fan of flowers. Yes they die but they are just romantic to me. I love the smell and the look. I don't care for a guy buying a dozen red roses delivered by a florist. I prefer a guy to go out and pick out the flowers himself and put some thought into it.
I love flowers & tell my hubby that he can pick them up at the grocery store rather than paying big bucks for delivery if it means I can get flowers more often! There is something about the beauty of flowers that remind me how much God loves us that he created something so special & beautiful.
Sad to say I would rather get a gift card or $$ to buy clothes or other non-needed items. He could also buy me a cheap bundle of flowers to go with it. :)
I love LOVE flowers! My husband used to send them to my office and even after I became a sahm, we lived by a place that had roses $9.99 a dozen cash and carry. Now that we live out in the middle of no where, I get flowers for our Anniversary, Valentine's Day and pretty often in the summer when he stops and picks me some wild flowers.
But even after 12 years of marriage, I get so excited when I see him walking up with some flowers for me!
I voted for the flowers! I'm all about the flowers ya'll. They are beautiful whether hand picked from a garden or field, store bought or florist sent. Scott recently sent some to me and Emma on Valentine's Day (he was in china). LOVED THEM.
I like to get cut flowers now and then, but I do find that the ones that come from my own garden are prettier and smell nicer.
Considering I'm known as the chlorophyll assassin in my house I rather have jewelry or something. Basically something that I can't kill. :)
I think that's why my husband surprises me with Martha Stewart magazines instead of flowers.
jessica
I love flowers! But, I never want to get them on a Hallmark holiday. Valentines flower or Mother's Day flowers are not nearly as special as just getting them sent to me out of the blue.
I love flowers, but I don't love the mess they make of our (joint) budget. I like it best when my husband takes the children away for an hour to Sam's club to do some shopping for me (isn't that a perfect gift, right there!) and comes home with a $6 bunch of carnations. They brighten up the house beautifully, they say "I love you and thought of you" and they don't break the bank account. :)