Mother's Day Flowers

Mother's Day is a time honored tradition, and a truly warm holiday that crosses religious lines and national borders. Since the holiday's beginnings in the early 1900s, Americans have honored their mothers with flowers and love. The celebration usually includes a kind card, a big hug, a kiss on the cheek and lovely Mother's Day Flowers.

Mother's Day Flowers

Flowers seem to go hand-in-hand with mothers, and so florists, whether female or male, enjoy the holiday almost as much as mom. But how did flower delivery become such an integral component of the Mother's Day holiday...

Well, the original daughter who sought to honor her mother and every mom the world over was Anna Marie Jarvis. She campaigned in the early 1900s to make Mother's Day a national and later international holiday. Anna's own mother died on May 9, 1905. To honor her mom, the loving daughter gave out flowers, specifically carnations, in her church, the Andrew's Methodist Episcopal Church. The building is now the International Mother's Day Shrine, and flowers are integral to the holiday celebration.

The first official Mother's Day came as the result of a proclamation by President Woodrow Wilson on May 9, 1914, but the House of Representatives only just voted in 2008 to commemorate Mother's Day. You'll be warmed to know that mom passed by a unanimous vote, and so, is loved across party lines.

Anna gave out carnations in her church, since it was her mother's favorite flower. The flower industry picked it up from there, promoting the wearing of a white carnation to church if your mother was deceased and a red carnation if your mom was living. Today, flowers of all sorts are sent to mothers across the country on Mother's Day.

Flower Sales & Delivery

Flower sales have grown at a 6% annual rate, and now represent a $102 billion global market. The United States imports approximately 79% of the flowers sold in the US, and 59% of those are sourced from South America.

Nick Leodis, the owner of Studio Arts Florist in Queens, New York, warmly tells us that Mother's Day is his busiest holiday. Nick says, "We are open 24 hours a day throughout the entire week before Mother's Day in order to handle the business." As he fills the deliveries of warm wishers, he remembers his own mother, who has since passed on. Nick enjoys his work, especially during this season, because of those warm memories. Wherever you are, you can buy your flowers from Nick by clicking through the image atop this article or the link here, and if you mention "The Greek," Nick will drop the delivery charge for all telephone orders of over $40 in value for all Queens, NY deliveries.

Yours truly would also like to take a moment here to wish my own mother a happy mother's day. I know she'll be warmed by these words. Thanks mom for the gift of life, the nurturing you provided me, and the unconditional and limitless love you continue to offer.


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