|
Share Your Family Custom,
Tradition or Ritual
| |
Flowers
Family Tradition
 It has become customary to
give the gift of fresh Flowers to the opposite sex on almost any occasion. In times of
illness and death, Flowers are given regardless of gender. The gift of Flowers
to couples is customary for such occasions as Weddings, Anniversaries and
Holidays. Many men buy Flowers for their favorite woman on a weekly basis
to show their love and affection.
Background
Flowers have fascinated mankind throughout history because of their varied
beauty and fragrances. The Customs and Traditions associated with Flowers go
back beyond recorded history. Perhaps the oldest Custom; more than 50,000 years,
is the placing of Flowers on the grave of a loved one as a sign of remembrance
and respect.
In addition to the Customs associated with Flowers, there is also
their symbology. Almost every human emotion can be expressed with the selection
of the proper Flower. The first book written on the subject was "Le
Language des Fleurs" in 1819 by Madame Charlotte de la Tour (Louise
Cortambert). The most popular resource on this subject remains a book published
in 1884 by Kate Greenaway: "Language of Flowers".
In the United States today, Flowers are most often given for the
following occasions:
 |
Births and Birthdays |
|
Weddings |
|
Anniversaries |
|
Reminders of Love |
|
Valentine's Day |
|
Christmas |
|
Illness |
|
Death |
Flowers are worn as corsages by women and boutonnieres by men
for very special "dress-up" occasions.
The National Flower of the United States is the Rose. The
following table provides the Flower selected by each State of The United States
to be the "State Flower".
STATE FLOWERS
| ALABAMA |
Camellia |
MONTANA |
Bitter Root |
| ALASKA |
Forget-Me-Not |
NEBRASKA |
Goldenrod |
| ARIZONA |
Saguaro Giant Cactus |
NEVADA |
Sagebrush |
| ARKANSAS |
Apple Blossom |
NEW HAMPSHIRE |
Purple Lilac |
| CALIFORNIA |
Golden Poppy |
NEW JERSEY |
Violet |
| COLORADO |
Rocky Mountain Columbine |
NEW MEXICO |
Yucca Flower |
| CONNECTICUT |
Mountain Laurel |
NEW YORK |
Rose |
| DELAWARE |
Peach Blossom |
NORTH CAROLINA |
Flowering Dogwood |
| FLORIDA |
Orange Blossom |
NORTH DAKOTA |
Wild Prairie Rose |
| GEORGIA |
Cherokee Rose |
OHIO |
Scarlet Carnation |
| HAWAII |
Hibiscus |
OKLAHOMA |
Mistletoe |
| IDAHO |
Mock Orange Syringa |
OREGON |
Oregon Grape |
| ILLINOIS |
Native Violet |
PENNSYLVANIA |
Mountain Laurel |
| INDIANA |
Peony |
RHODE ISLAND |
Purple Violet |
| IOWA |
Wild Rose |
SOUTH CAROLINA |
Yellow Jasmine (Carolina Jasmine) |
| KANSAS |
Sunflower |
SOUTH DAKOTA |
American Pasqueflower: Wild Crocus or Prairie Crocus |
| KENTUCKY |
Goldenrod |
TENNESSEE |
Iris |
| LOUISIANA |
Magnolia |
TEXAS |
Bluebonnet |
| MAINE |
White Pine Cone and Tassel |
UTAH |
Sego Lily |
| MARYLAND |
Black-eyed Susan |
VERMONT |
Red Clover |
| MASSACHUSETTS |
Trailing Arbutus |
VIRGINIA |
Flowering Dogwood |
| MICHIGAN |
Apple Blossom |
WASHINGTON |
Coast Rhododendron |
| MINNESOTA |
Pink and White Lady's-slipper |
WEST VIRGINIA |
Rhododendron |
| MISSISSIPPI |
Magnolia |
WISCONSIN |
Wood Violet |
| MISSOURI |
Hawthorn |
WYOMING |
Indian Paintbrush |
Further Study
There are many resources on the Internet; some are provided
below:
Romantic
Gifts
Flowers and Plants Association
Credits
1
Bain, Carol. The World Book™ Multimedia Encyclopedia © 1998 World Book, Inc.
Chicago.
2 Microsoft® Encarta® 97 Encyclopedia. 1993-1996 Microsoft Corporation.
3 Greenaway, Kate. Language of Flowers. London. 1884.
| |
Traditions:
Freedom
1.History
2.Flag
3.Declaration
4.Constitution
5.Bill of Rights
6.American Eagle
7.Ceremonies
Family
1.Weddings
2.Anniversaries
3.Family Meal
4.Window Candle
5.Children
6.Yellow Ribbon
7.Values
8.Flowers
9.The Recipe Box
American Culture
1.Holidays
2.Craftsmanship
3.Entrepreneurship
4.Leadership
5.Know-How
6.Competition
7.Cost of Living
8.Citizenship
9.Careers
|
