The gift of giving

Header image for Interrobang article CREDIT: PIXABAY
Buying a loved one flowers shows off your thoughtful and caring side.

Jolene Rijnen, franchise owner of Oxford and Wonderland branch of Forest of Flowers, “[loves] flowers because they are the perfect gift”. This is because flowers “make people happy; the occasions associated with flowers are happy occasions”.

Rijnen said she believes that her flowers make a positive impact on people’s lives and help celebrate special occasions.

Rijnen referred to a study done by Rutgers University showing that flowers do improve people’s moods.

In a study conducted by Jeanette Haviland-Jones and Terry McGuire, subjects were reported to all show an immediate impact of happiness by showing a Duchenne smile – a smile that involves all muscles in the face (commonly also referred to “smiling with one’s eyes”) when presented a bouquet of flowers.

Their report states that flowers help reduce long-term stress, anxiety and agitation. Additionally, the report shows that flowers help forge intimate connections between people and bring people closer to one another.

Rijnen considers the act of flower- purchasing very thoughtful.

“The time that the [people] put into choosing the flowers… and thinking about the specific colours and flowers that their significant others will receive takes a lot more work than simply buying a gift card somewhere,” she said.

Though gift cards allow recipients to get what they want, it does remove the personal aspect to gift giving.

While buying flowers, customers often chat with her, adding a “human element” to the process and making it more interactive. Rijnen also enjoys having customers customize bouquets, because it allows them to be a part of the whole creative process.

By extension, the act of card-writing that goes with the flowers creates an experience for both the sender and the intended recipient and brings them closer because of the choices that the sender has to make to pick the perfect bouquet or plant, in addition to picking and writing the message suitable for the occasion.

Rijnen said she believes that “writing a [personalized] message in a card is both touching and meaningful.” The act of writing something unique to the person “impacts [them] so much more… especially because someone took the time to sit down and think and write something specifically special for that person as opposed to getting a card that already says something.”

Typically, the busiest times for a florist is Valentine’s Day and Mother’s Day, but these special occasions are not the only time that is appropriate to send flowers.

Since flowers are shown to be a mood booster, they serve as a perfect pick me up for any time of the year and a good way to show appreciation for friends, family, and coworkers.

Do you have writer’s block when it comes to writing cards? Here are a few helpful tips to guide you:

• Get personal

• Reflect on past experiences and pivotal moments

• Give thanks to moments where their support has made an impact

• Reference an inside joke

• Include where you want your relationship to go moving forward.