The World Florist Day is coming, and it is coming hard. Advertised weeks in advance as so called Valentine’s Day, it’s going to hit supermarket shelves with lots and lots of heart shaped chocolate boxes, blossoming flowers and, of course, the lovely feeling of having a once in a year “surprise” for your special someone. But where does this day come from?, one might ask. With what surprisingly fitting explanation did our caring flower lobby come up with?
Well, according to various online encyclopedias, the Valentine’s Day is based around the story of a beheaded Christian martyr called Valentinus. Not very romantic, you might think at first glance. But if we look at the crucial aspects of this story, we can make out two certain important facets. Firstly – obviously – Valentinus was beheaded, secondly, he sacrificed himself for something that he believed to be being bigger and more important than himself.
Well, of course, you might say, but what has this to do with the festival of love we annually celebrate?
See, through his acts, Valentinus embodies the very spirit of Valentine’s Day. Through the almost sacral gift of flowers, which we chop off the same way as Valentinus head was cut off, we remind ourselves, that sacrifices must be done. And through the sacrifice of buying a gift for a loved one, we lose time and money for a pointless goodie, which brings us a beautiful day with our loved one eventually (or if we stay with a Christian interpretation: paradise).
This way we have annually the chance of being part of a duality. We are executioner and martyr, giving and taking, Yin and Yang. Partner, together, for each other.
And for our local florists.
