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There really is something to flower power—when it comes to expressing love and relieving stress.
Since Valentine’s Day is days away, let’s start there. Did you realize that, according to the Society of American Florists (SAF), 250 million roses are produced just for Valentine’s Day? Who is buying all these buds? The organization notes that in 2019, 28 percent of American adults (37 percent of men, 19 percent of women) bought flowers or plants on the big day. Men, typically, are giving the gifts for romantic reasons, and women do, as well, but they are more likely than men to honor their mothers on the day.
Naturally, Valentine’s Day takes the top spot for dollars spent purchasing flowers, but what holiday or special day is in second place? If you guessed Mother’s Day, you’d be—wrong. Christmas/Chanukah is the correct response.
We all know that flowers are uplifting, but there is science behind the fact that they do more than that. “Research from the University of North Florida’s Department of Public Health shows that living with flowers significantly reduces our stress,” notes SAF. “That is good news considering 68 percent of people report experiencing stress weekly and 32 percent feel stress daily.” (Raise your hand if you think 2020 and beyond served an uptick in those statistics.) “A simple solution to help relieve your stress is to have flowers on your nightstand to see when you first wake up, on your desk to provide a breath of fresh air while you work or on your kitchen counter or coffee table to help you unwind after a hectic day.”
