History of Giving Flowers As Gifts

History of Giving Flowers As Gifts

Giving flowers to a loved one is among the most frequently practised traditions the world over. Even if you don't have the time or the cash to put together a gift, just a bunch of flowers will eloquently convey your sentiments.

People give flowers on many occasions - birthdays, anniversaries, memorial service, remembrance, Valentine's Day, or just for no reason at all. But, ever stop to think how this lovely custom began?

Even our ancestors used to give flowers!

Well, for one, giving flowers is steeped in antiquity, and not for the reasons that we do today! In prehistoric times, giving flowers and medicinal plants was actually looked upon as an act of kindness - often making the difference between life and death. In fact, archaeologists have found remnants of flower petals on several prehistoric grave sites.

As centuries rolled, flowers continued to play an intricate role in the social fabric of mankind. Historians have revealed that the act of giving flowers dates back to the ancient Egyptians as revealed from this civilisation's hieroglyphics.

Chinese writings, as well as Greek and Roman mythology abound with references to the art of flower giving. The ancient Egyptians were also masters in extracting oils from flowers to make perfumes.

Flowers assume special significance in the Middle Ages Cut to the Middle Ages, the era of severe social taboos and restrictions. The strict guidelines of the church frowned heavily on overt displays of affection between couples, letting their imagination innovate and come up with something far more acceptable. Flowers were innocent, beautiful and totally available. So, couples began exchanging flowers and each bloom had its own significant meaning which only the other could decipher, leaving them free from the tension of prying eyes and inquisitive looks.

From Turkey to the rest of the world...

It was in 1700s that Charles II imported a Persian flower tradition into Europe - the Language of Flowers. It was commonly used in Turkey for sending messages. In fact, the Turkish people refined this custom to a fine art, and even used it in their military campaigns to send secret military messages. So a bouquet of flowers was often a cunningly concealed message which only their personnel could decode in front of the unaware enemy.

The Victorian era saw flowers playing centrestage in life's many dramas. Reams were written about the meaning and significance about different flowers, artistic flower arrangements and how to transform a simple bloom into an eloquent message between two people.

Flowers still rule the roost Even today, little has changed. If anything, flowers dominate all our important moments. Of course, even flowers have their hierarchy and the rose continues to be the quintessential flower of love, passion and romance. One has only to look around on Valentine's Day to see the brisk business florists do on that day. A flower says so much more than a thousand words, to paraphrase a journalistic idiom.

Truly, flowers are the loveliest among Nature's creations and have an indefinable bond with mankind that hasn't changed over the ages.