Mother’s Day Gift Idea: Choosing Colorful Carnations for Mom
If you’re buying flowers for your mom this Mother’s Day, then consider choosing some beautiful carnations to show how much you love her. This gorgeous flower has become the choice for Mother’s Day and below we’ll tell you why!
Mother’s Day was established in America in 1908 by Anna Jarvis. She handed out 500 white carnations at her mother’s memorial and after this, she campaigned tirelessly to establish Mother’s Day as a national holiday, starting with establishing a tradition in her own church of giving away carnations on the second Sunday in March each year. This tradition quickly spread to other churches. Over time people began wearing carnations in honor of their mothers, with red for a mother who was still alive and white in memory of a mother who had passed away. Legend also has it that Mary’s tears turned to beautiful carnations when she saw the suffering of her son Jesus. So in more ways than one, carnations have strong reasons for being Mother’s Day flowers.
Carnations also carry their own meaning and generally symbolize admiration, love and purity. Anna Jarvis described white carnations as specifically symbolizing the virtues of motherhood, including faithfulness, charity and beauty. The meaning of carnations even varies from color to color so when choosing your Mother’s Day flowers, make sure you take this into account. For example, light red carnations convey admiration, whilst dark red conveys love and affection. Pink carnations have become synonymous with Mother’s Day because they mean that you always have the recipient on your mind. This is a perfect gift if you live far away from your mum. Remember that even though an array of colorful carnations looks pretty, they are actually a symbol of refusal! Not the message you want to convey on Mother’s Day!
In addition to choosing the right colored carnations for your mum, think about which variety she might like. Solid color carnations mean they are just one color and the meanings described above apply to solid color carnations. A bi-color carnation has two different colors on the petal and means that you’re sorry you can’t be with her, which is perfect if you’re not able to visit your mum in person on Mother’s Day.
If you want to turn your carnations an unnatural, vibrant color you can buy white ones and put them in a vase with water containing food dye or provide this for your mom so she can watch the transformation! In some florists you can also buy engineered carnations in bold blues and purples. If your mum’s favorite color falls outside of the natural reds and white that carnations come in, then this option may be for you!
Finally, once the carnations have arrived, let you mom know how to keep them looking fresh and beautiful for longer. Use room temperature water in the vase and add any sachets of plant food provided by the florist. Remove any leaves from the stem that are submerged under water. Keep the vase in a cool area away from any fruits or drafts. Changing the water every day will help the carnations last up to seven days. They will last up to ten if you cut an inch off the stem each day. Cut the stem at an angle whilst holding the stems under water. With these tips, a beautiful bunch of carnations will be making your mom feel special long after Mother’s Day is over!
Guest Blogger: Jess Savage has a knack for creative family activities and crafts. When not building with blocks or cutting crusts off sandwiches with her two sons, she enjoys blogging about holidays, cooking, and inspirational crafts.