Father’s Day Flowers

I don’t know about you, but personally, I find Father’s Day to be the most difficult holidays to celebrate. Not because it’s obscure or commercialized or even controversial. Far from it, actually. Father’s Day is difficult because I can’t seem to grasp exactly what Father’s Day is all about. Well, perhaps we can get some hints when we take a look back at the origins of this holiday.

Fathers were originally honored on St. Joseph’s feast day, on March 19. However, a woman named Mrs. Sonora Smart Dodd of Spokane, Washington, inspired by Anna Jarvis’ campaign to have mothers celebrated on an official Mother's Day, decided that in honor of her own father, she wanted to establish a corresponding holiday to commemorate fathers. Her father, William Jackson Smart was a veteran of the American Civil War, and had to raise their family single-handedly when his wife died giving birth to their sixth child. Sonora wanted to acknowledge the courage, selflessness, protectiveness, and love that her father had shown his family. Thus, the first official Father’s Day celebration occurred in June 1910.

Now, we have observed and experienced the re-definition of a father’s role in today’s complicated and ever-shifting society. This, in itself, is tough enough to handle and adapt to. However, the perennial problem with Father's Day makes that challenge pale by comparison. Particularly, what in the world do you do for Father's Day?

Yes, I know there is a plethora of gifts in every shopping mall and gift shop, locally available or through the Internet. But that’s just the problem, you see. All of these gifts are becoming commonplace and boring, frankly speaking. I mean, let me ask you this: What can you give your father as a gift on his special day that won't collect dust on a shelf or clutter up a dresser, and won’t become an unrecognizable antique in the garage or spare room? You want to give him something that will actually be appreciated or used the day after it's given? And more importantly, what can you give that he hasn’t already bought for himself?

Moms are so much easier. Take her out to dinner, or better yet, invite the family over for a special 5-course extravaganza, do all the cooking and all the cleaning and let her sit back and enjoy the company without having to do any of the hosting duties. If you want, you can send her out for a day at a luxurious spa. You can easily find something or someplace to pamper her and make her feel like a queen.

Fathers can be relatively easy to find gifts for. It can be relatively safe if Dad is a hobbyist, a technophile, sports junkie, or home theatre nut. DVDs, CDs, books, a train set, the latest USB gadget, a digital camera, or two tickets to the playoffs. You can also plunk yourself down in front of your computer and find several gifts for him on the Internet. But do these gifts really show him how much we appreciate and love him for his kindness, courage, protection, concern, and strength?

Fear not, there are alternatives to those types of gifts. Likewise, you can easily find other great gift ideas for your father, like plants and flowers. Now, stop raising your eyebrows and give it some thought. How many people give flowers and plants to their dads on Father’s Day, or for any other special occasion, for that matter? But maybe for that reason, flowers would be an ideal gift for that Dad who has everything else.

There are flowers and plants that can symbolize masculinity and paternal qualities, believe it or not. You want an example? How about the sunflower, which’s big and strong, with a bright face like a shining symbol of hope in a dark and gloomy place. Violets are great, also. Violets have long been associated with fidelity and trust as well as with sacrifice and devotion. Now those are gifts that a father would like.

Martha Rimes Ashley is a researcher and writer for www.flowersupermarket.com, which provides gorgeous plants and flowers at affordable prices. Visit us when you need gorgeous flowers and plants.

Article Source: http://www.wellnessarticlelibrary.com

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