NamHaFlorist blog

Gift Tips

2008-07-10T15:57:00.000-07:00

There's nothing like the satisfaction of giving the perfect gift. The Society of American Florists has developed this convenient guide on how to give great gifts and when to give them.

How to Give the Perfect Gift

Prioritize special dates on your calendar. Stay on top of your gifting needs by checking your calendar at the beginning of every month. Better yet, solicit the help of your local florist. All you have to do is tell your florist the important dates you would like to be reminded of. He or she will contact you ahead of time with gift suggestions for the upcoming occasion, and can even make suggestions or remind you what kind of flowers you sent last time.

Take the time to find something that is perfectly suited to your recipient's interests, personality and style. These tips can get your thinking on the right track:

* Does he or she have a special hobby or interest? Add to an antique lover's collection with a vintage vase filled with flowers (a florist can create the perfect arrangement to complement the vase).

* Would he or she prefer a quiet and romantic celebration? Try tickets-for-two to a special event. Send a dinner invitation delivered to his or her door in a bouquet of flowers.

* Does he or she deserve some special pampering? Ask your florist to help you create a special spa kit in a basket with goodies like bath beads and oils on one side and a beautiful arrangement of flowers on the other.

Remember Special Days All Year Round

There are many occasions throughout the year when gifts are traditionally given and received, but don't forget those special days that celebrate personal milestones.

Anniversaries, birthdays and holidays are special occasions, but they're not the only times when giving a gift brightens the day. Celebrating a long friendship or shared accomplishment can renew and strengthen relationships with friends and family.

Don't let personal milestones go by uncelebrated. Be sure to note upcoming events like graduation, new baby, new home, new job, promotion or well-deserved retirement on your calendar. Be sure to add new occasions as they occur. Personal milestones such as a first recital, finishing an important work project, quitting smoking, losing weight or passing the bar exam deserve a gift of recognition. A personalized gift adds to the sense of accomplishment and increases the enjoyment of a job well done.

Americans Weigh In on Saying “I'm Sorry” and “Thank You”

For most Americans, it is harder to say, “Thank you” than “I'm sorry.” According to a February 2006 poll by International Communications Research, nearly two-thirds of respondents (65%) believe that saying “I'm sorry” is easy, while about the same number (67%) of Americans can remember a time when they were not properly thanked for a favor or act of kindness.

With the word “etiquette” defined as socially accepted behavior, Rebecca Cole, co-host of Discovery Channel's Surprise by Design and author of Flower Power, believes that expressing all kinds of emotions should be easy, especially for those who can't find the words.

“In the 21 st century, with so many different ways to communicate without even using words – email, voicemail, text messaging – it's amazing that people don't routinely acknowledge the kindness of others in one way or another,” said Cole. “A simple ‘thank you' or ‘I'm sorry' can go a long way. Better yet, sending flowers helps you convey any message with added sincerity.”

Deciphering the Etiquette Dilemma

According to the Society of American Florists, the national trade association for the floral industry, five of the most common reasons people send flowers are to say thank you, I'm sorry, congratulations, get well and express sympathy. Cole shares her secrets for sending these sentiments.

Thank You

According to Cole, ask your florist for an arrangement conveying a casual, hand-picked feeling, to say thank you with a very personal touch. In addition to a beautiful statement of thanks, the accompanying note card can say everything that is too hard to say in person.

I'm Sorry

Flowers are the traditional gift to get out of the doghouse because they easily make the statement, “I was wrong.” To apologize with sincerity, ask your florist for a nostalgic arrangement, using a blend of delicate warm and cool lavenders and pinks. Having opened the door to forgiveness, follow the delivery up with a phone call.

Congratulations

A bouquet of bold, contrasting colors is a fun-loving, playful way to say “Congratulations,” “Welcome home,” or “Great job.” You can even get creative with the container. For example, if a friend just got a new job, ask your florist to put the bouquet in a fun pencil holder or something that represents the occasion.

Sympathy

It's never easy comforting someone who has lost a loved one, but flowers can say what is often difficult to ex press in words. Flowers are usually sent to the funeral home to provide warmth and beauty to the service. If a service is not planned, grief experts recommend sending condolences to the bereaved person's home.

Get Well

Choose a serene color scheme of light shades of green, misty blues and other cool hues to provide a moment of calm and let someone who is ill know you're thinking of them. When sending flowers to a hospital, it's helpful to have the name of the hospital, the patient's name and room number ready for your florist. It's also good to know the hospital's flower policy. Your florist will know about the hospitals in your area.

More Floral Savvy

Studies show the power of flowers on our happiness and well-being and that people who give flowers are considered to be thoughtful and sophisticated. Here are quick tips from Rebecca Cole on showing your sophisticated side:

+ Send flowers to a hostess before you arrive for a party or event, and choose a color palette that will mix with her décor.
+ Do your best to tailor a gift to the recipient, whether it's her favorite flower, color or even matches her eyes.
+ “Just because” is the best reason to send flowers! Try sending flowers in the middle of an ordinary week for the ultimate impact.
+ Get to know your florist. Having someone who knows you and your tastes will make expressing any emotion much easier.

Basic Rules For Sending Flowers

2008-06-02T08:35:00.000-07:00

Flowers play an important role in our lives, they accompany happiness and joy, celebration and mourning, love and death alike. They work well for congratulations as well as for expressing regret or gratitude: flowers actually never fail if you know how and when to send them. There are some basic rules anyone needs to follow when she or he intends to send flowers; here are some tips about the best ways to make such an offering a happy gesture.

When we send flowers on someone's birthday, they are a great joy for the one receiving them; even if we're not there in person, a colorful, scented bouquet clearly sends the "Happy Birthday" message. However, there are levels of formality that need to be kept in mind when you want to send flowers: how well do you know the person, what age is she and so on? Surely you wouldn't send red roses to your mother-in-law, for instance, due to the romantic charge of such flowers.

Make sure that the personal card you write when you send flowers matches both the occasion and the addressee. The design of the bouquet should be closely connected to the nature of the occasion and to the message as well: be witty and sparkling for unique cases when you want to impress someone; send flowers such as red roses, irises, or orchids after a nice date for instance or as a "thank you" sign for help in a crisis moment.

The variety of occasions when we send flowers is nearly infinite, extending to almost all life sectors: from acquaintances and family members on a hospital bed to job promotions, college acceptance, baptizing and so on. We send flowers to friends, family members, business partners or even opponents; they are actually the most adequate of gifts, the attention hardly anyone would ever ignore or refuse.

Very often we send flowers when we actually cannot attend a special social occasion in person, either for subjective or objective reasons. Flowers, definitely make the elegant and proper way of making an excuse, and they often save our honor in difficult moments; sending flowers is actually a social ritual that goes beyond differences of culture or geographic area, it is a politically correct way of dealing with the others in a variety of contexts. Not just decoration items, flowers are friends, instruments and door openers in very many situations; consequently we should never underestimate their potential.

Visit our shop to see wide variety of flower arrangements for all of the occassions NamHaFlorist.com

Online Florists - Fast, Safe, Guaranteed

2008-05-21T20:51:00.000-07:00

Sending flowers to a distant loved one now-a-days need only be a few clicks away. Online florists cater for local, national and international flower givers.

From a gallery of pictures, choosing flowers for the right occasion is made so easy. However, there are some important things to consider when choosing flowers. Apart from where will you be sending the flowers, may it be at the recipients home, work, or just to some place special, other things to consider are what flowers capture best your sentiment and occasion.

Flowers are not just beautiful plants of creation, but also are a wonderful way to express your feelings and show that you care. Brightening someone's day with flowers is a very special gift one can receive.

Flowers say it all: Valentine's Day, Birthday, Father's Day, Mother's Day, Anniversary, Sympathy, Get Well, Thinking of You, Thank You, Funeral, Token of Love, Congratulations, New Baby, Wedding, Christmas, or just because ... after all, do you really need a reason to send someone flowers?

Online florists make it easy for you to send flowers and beautiful gift arrangements almost anywhere you wish. Making someone feel special with a bouquet of flowers, online florists have made it possible for the person who is in your heart, no matter where in the world they may be. You are thousand miles away from your loved one in Vietnam right now. Sending flowers via online florist seem to be the best way to save your wallet (compare to buying an airplane ticket to Vietnam.)

Florists online - fast, safe, guaranteed. http://www.namhaflorist.com . Your one stop store where smart people shop.

Flowers For A Man

2008-05-20T19:09:00.000-07:00

Too many women still deny the men in their lives, the pleasures of receiving a beautiful arrangement of flowers. Yet a recent survey of men found that 60% of those surveyed would love to have received flowers, especially on Valentine's Day. We florists have known for years that men love flowers and finally there is an increasing trend to send men flowers for their special occasions.

Men too are buying them more and more for themselves, as they discover the look of bright and beautiful flowers for their homes and offices. All of us like to feel special so next time you have an opportunity to spoil a man try sending him flowers.

Of course there are some useful guidelines for you to follow so here are a few handy hints. Generally the pastels and more traditional feminine designs are better avoided for the majority of males but a contemporary or exotic style with bright powerful colours is always a good start.

Don't forget men like fragrances too so discuss your choices with the florist when you place the order. You may even prefer to send a nice plant until you have determined his reactions. Remember florists are problem solvers. You do not need to have specific flowers or designs in mind, just have a clear idea of what you want to achieve.

Women should not assume that men do not like receiving flowers, for the research proves otherwise. Men enjoy no reason at all surprises almost as much as women, though tickets to a sporting match most probably rate fairly well too.

FAQs

2008-05-16T16:16:00.001-07:00

Question: What cities does NamHaFlorist deliver to?
Answer: We deliver to all 61 cities/provinces through out Vietnam.

Question: What are the delivery fees?
Answer: * For orders to center of Saigon (HCMC), the shipping and handling cost is FREE.
* For orders to some Districts surrounding Saigon (HCMC) (such as District 2, District 7, District 9, Binh Chanh, Binh Tan, Cu Chi, Hoc Mon, Tan Phu, Thu Duc), the shipping and handling cost is 4 USD.
* For orders to other cities, the shipping and handling cost is 6 USD.
Please see our Delivery Info page for more information.

Question: Does NamHaFlorist offer same day delivery to Vietnam?
Answer: Yes, we do. Cut off time for same day deliver is 12PM Vietnam time. When orders are received after 12:00 PM (Vietnam time), we will do our best to get your order prepared and delivered that day, but if we could not, we will deliver the following day.

Question: What is the additional charge for same day delivery to Vietnam?
Answer: There is no additional charge.

Question: What is NamHaFlorist's delivery hour?
Answer: We will do everything possible to accommodate a delivery time you have requested, such as morning, afternoon or evening delivery. Our delivery time is between 7AM to 10PM Saigon, Vietnam time.

Question: I need to place a rush order for funeral flower to Vietnam. How do I do it? Is there an additional charge?
Answer: Please contact us via phone 503-475-6915 or email namhaflorist@yahoo.com so we could make sure that your rush order will be delivered in time. There will not be an additional charge for your rush order to Vietnam.

Question: Can I place an order for delivery some time in the future?
Answer: Yes. During checkout, you choose the date that you want us to deliver. It is the best practice to order in advance for the best quality. You can order up to 3 months in advance if you wish.

Question: Which products need to be ordered in advance?
Answer: Cakes, roasted pigs, travel packages, theme park vouchers.

Question: What kind of flowers to Vietnam does NamHaFlorist have?
Answer: We do have fresh flowers such as rose, carnation, lily, gerbera, calla, mum, orchid, etc.

Question: What kind of gift to Vietnam does NamHaFlorist have other than flowers?
Answer: We are more than just flower to Vietnam. We do have cake to Vietnam (such as birthday cake, wedding cake, cream cake, moon cake), gourmet basket to Vietnam (such as wine, fruit, chocolate, tea, cheese, cracker, cookie, roast pig, roast duck, roast chicken, etc.), gift to Vietnam (such as restaurant voucher, theme park voucher, buffet voucher, spa voucher, fashion shoe voucher, cloth voucher, travel voucher, perfume, teddy bear, toy, fomula, etc.)

Question: I would like to send a gift to Vietnam, which is not offered on NamHaFlorist site. Can NamHaFlorist accommodate for such special request?
Answer: Yes. You are welcome to request special personalized gift to be delivered to Vietnam. We can accommodate for most requests, as long as item is locally available. Please contact us via phone 503-475-6915, or email namhaflorist@yahoo.com, or chat with us, or visit Your Special Request page for custom ordering.

Question: Can I customize my order? Where can I enter special instructions?
Answer: The products on our website may be slightly modified by request, but cannot be guaranteed. For example, if the product you select has pink roses and you prefer red roses, you may add this modification in the "Message to Seller" box when check out. Our florist will try to match your request as closely as possible, but custom requests cannot be guaranteed.

Question: Will my flower or gift to Vietnam be delivered with a message? Does NamHaFlorist charge for greeting card?
Answer: Yes. We do offer FREE greeting card with your order. During payment, you can input a message for the recipient in the box "Message to Seller". We will then transcribe your message in a FREE greeting card and send it to the recipient along with your gifts.

Question: Is there a limit to how long my message can be? Can it be translated to Vietnamese?
Answer: We ask that all messages are below 255 characters, to ensure that they fit neatly on the greeting cards. We do offer FREE translation to Vietnamese. Just indicate the translation request in the box "Message to Seller".

Question: Can I send an order anonymously?
Answer: We respect the privacy of our customers. We will only ever disclose the contents of the message card to the recipient. If you do not include your name on the card (which can be even be left completely blank if you wish), the recipient will not know who the flowers are from. If the recipient should contact us to enquire, please rest assured that we will not disclose your personal details and will reiterate to the customer that we can only disclose the contents of the customer specified message card.

Question: How do I write a special note on the cake to Vietnam?
Answer: You could write your special note in the box "Message to Seller" when making payment. Our cake decorators will put your special note on the cake.

Question: Which payment methods does NamHaFlorist accept?
Answer: We accept all major credit cards (Visa, Mastercard, American Express, and Discover) via PayPal, money order (normally it will take 3-4 days for money order to be received, so please plan accordingly), and Western Union.
If you need further assistance in making payment online, contact us for assistance at: namhaflorist@yahoo.com, 503-475-6915, or chat online with us.

Question: Why does NamHaFlorist need my credit card billing address?
Answer: PayPal procedures for the approval of a credit card purchase requires that we get an exact match between the "billing address" provided us by the purchaser and the "billing address" on file with the issuer of the credit card. This is done to protect both you and us from credit card fraud.

Question: Is it safe to use my credit card online?
Answer: Yes. PayPal will handle processing your credit card with SSL (secure socket layer) technology. We do not have your credit card information at all.

Question: Can I place my order over the telephone?
Answer: Yes. You can contact one of our representatives via phone 503-475-6915.

Question: Will I be charged for sale tax?
Answer: There is no sale tax.

Question: How do I know if NamHaFlorist web site received my order?
Answer: You will receive a confirmation email in which will list out the item number, delivery date, recipient name, recipient address, and phone number.

Question: How do I know if my order has been delivered to Vietnam?
Answer: We will send you a notification email with the delivery photo (this photo service is available only in Saigon - HCMC for now.)

Question: Does NamHaFlorist charge for the delivery photo?
Answer: No. Delivery photo is FREE and available in HoChiMinh City for now. It is an optional service with the recipient's permission.

Question: Will the item ordered look exactly the same as given in the picture?
Answer: We guarantee that the product you order will be the same one on the website. However, we can not guarantee the same color, variations, and designs within the product - depend on seasonal availability and individual difference in artistic expression of our florists and cake decorators.

Question: How can I contact NamHaFlorist?
Answer: You can contact one of our representatives via phone 503-475-6915, or e-mail namhaflorist@yahoo.com, or use live chat.

If none of these FAQs has successfully answered your question, or if you need further help, please contact us at: namhaflorist@yahoo.com or call 503-475-6915.

We thank you for choosing our services.
ThanhTrúc

History Of Mother's Day

2008-04-11T15:33:00.000-07:00

Origin of Mother's Day goes back to the era of ancient Greek and Romans. But the roots of Mother's Day history can also be traced in UK where a Mothering Sunday was celebrated much before the festival saw the light of the day in US. However, the celebration of the festival as it is seen today is a recent phenomenon and not even a hundred years old. Thanks to the hard work of the pioneering women of their times, Julia Ward Howe and Anna Jarvis that the day came into existence. Today the festival of Mothers day is celebrated across 46 countries (though on different dates) and is a hugely popular affair. Millions of people across the globe take the day as an opportunity to honor their mothers, thank them for their efforts in giving them life, raising them and being their constant support and well wisher.

Earliest History of Mothers Day
The earliest history of Mothers Day dates back to the ancient annual spring festival the Greeks dedicated to maternal goddesses. The Greeks used the occasion to honor Rhea, wife of Cronus and the mother of many deities of Greek mythology.

Ancient Romans, too, celebrated a spring festival, called Hilaria dedicated to Cybele, a mother goddess. It may be noted that ceremonies in honour of Cybele began some 250 years before Christ was born. The celebration made on the Ides of March by making offerings in the temple of Cybele lasted for three days and included parades, games and masquerades. The celebrations were notorious enough that followers of Cybele were banished from Rome.

Early Christians celebrated a Mother's Day of sorts during the festival on the fourth Sunday of Lent in honor of the Virgin Mary, the Mother of Christ. In England the holiday was expanded to include all mothers. It was then called Mothering Sunday.

History of Mother's Day: Mothering Sunday
The more recent history of Mothers Day dates back to 1600s in England. Here a Mothering Sunday was celebrated annually on the fourth Sunday of Lent (the 40 day period leading up to Easter) to honor mothers. After a prayer service in church to honor Virgin Mary, children brought gifts and flowers to pay tribute to their own mothers.

On the occasion, servants, apprentices and other employees staying away from their homes were encouraged by their employers to visit their mothers and honor them. Traditionally children brought with them gifts and a special fruit cake or fruit-filled pastry called a simnel. Yugoslavs and people in other nations have observed similar days.

Custom of celebrating Mothering Sunday died out almost completely by the 19th century. However, the day came to be celebrated again after World War II, when American servicemen brought the custom and commercial enterprises used it as an occasion for sales.

History of Mother's Day: Julia Ward Howe
The idea of official celebration of Mothers day in US was first suggested by Julia Ward Howe in 1872. An activist, writer and poet Julia shot to fame with her famous Civil War song, "Battle Hymn of the Republic". Julia Ward Howe suggested that June 2 be annually celebrated as Mothers Day and should be dedicated to peace. She wrote a passionate appeal to women and urged them to rise against war in her famous Mothers Day Proclamation, written in Boston in 1870. She also initiated a Mothers' Peace Day observance on the second Sunday in June in Boston and held the meeting for a number of years. Julia tirelessly championed the cause of official celebration of Mothers Day and declaration of official holiday on the day. Her idea spread but was later replaced by the Mothers' Day holiday now celebrated in May.

History of Mother's Day: Anna Jarvis
Anna Jarvis is recognised as the Founder of Mothers Day in US. Though Anna Jarvis never married and never had kids, she is also known as the Mother of Mothers Day, an apt title for the lady who worked hard to bestow honor on all mothers.

Anna Jarvis got the inspiration of celebrating Mothers Day from her own mother Mrs Anna Marie Reeves Jarvis in her childhood. An activist and social worker, Mrs Jarvis used to express her desire that someday someone must honor all mothers, living and dead, and pay tribute to the contributions made by them.

A loving daughter, Anna never forgot her mothers word and when her mother died in 1905, she resolved to fulfill her mothers desire of having a mothers day. Growing negligent attitude of adult Americans towards their mothers and a desire to honor her mothers soared her ambitions.

To begin with Anna, send Carnations in the church service in Grafton, West Virginia to honor her mother. Carnations were her mothers favorite flower and Anna felt that they symbolised a mothers pure love. Later Anna along with her supporters wrote letters to people in positions of power lobbying for the official declaration of Mothers Day holiday. The hard work paid off. By 1911, Mother's Day was celebrated in almost every state in the Union and on May 8, 1914 President Woodrow Wilson signed a Joint Resolution designating the second Sunday in May as Mother's Day.

History of Mother's Day: Present Day Celebrations
Today Mothers Day is celebrated in several countries including US, UK, India, Denmark, Finland, Italy, Turkey, Australia, Mexico, Canada, China, Japan and Belgium. People take the day as an opportunity to pay tribute to their mothers and thank them for all their love and support. The day has become hugely popular and in several countries phone lines witness maximum traffic. There is also a tradition of gifting flowers, cards and others gift to mothers on the Mothers Day.

Special Deals

2008-04-04T09:28:00.000-07:00

We just have modified our store to have 2 special areas: DEAL OF THE WEEK and MONTHLY SPECIAL.

DEAL OF THE WEEK: Every Sunday night, we will introduce you to a special gift item that is worthwhile to pay attention at - our special sale item.

MONTHLY SPECIAL: Every month we will introduce you to 1 of our best seller category or new category just being added to our store.

Per serveral requests from our lovely customers, we have added a new category BEAUTY & STYLE. This category contains Pierre Cardin clothing, fashion shoes, Spa, Victoria Secret underware, and Vera underware gift certificates.

We valued your ideas. Please let us know what would you like to see more at Nam Hà Florist. We will continue to update our store from time to time. Please visit our store frequently for new update.

Thanh Trúc

The Meaning of Flowers

2008-03-10T09:03:00.000-07:00

A
ACACIA - Concealed Love, Beauty in Retirement, Chaste Love
AMBROSIA - Your Love is Reciprocated

AMARYLLIS - Pride, Pastoral Poetry

ANEMONE - Forsaken

ARBUTUS - Thee Only Do I Love

ASTER - Symbol of Love, Daintiness

AZALEA - Take Care of Yourself for Me, Temperance, Fragile Passion, Chinese Symbol of Womanhood

B
BACHELOR BUTTON - Single Blessedness
BEGONIA - Beware
BELLS OF IRELAND - Good Luck
BITTERSWEET - Truth
BLUEBELL - Humility

C
CACTUS - Endurance
CAMELLIA (PINK) - Longing for you
CAMELLIA (RED) - You're a Flame in My Heart
CAMELLIA (WHITE) - You're Adorable
CARNATION (GENERAL) - Fascination, Woman Love
CARNATION (PINK) - I'll Never Forget You
CARNATION (RED) - My Heart Aches For You, Admiration
CARNATION (PURPLE) - Capriciousness
CARNATION (SOLID COLOR) - Yes
CARNATION (STRIPED) - No, Refusal, Sorry I Can't Be With You, Wish I Could Be With You
CARNATION (WHITE) - Sweet and Lovely, Innocence, Pure Love, Woman's Good Luck Gift
CARNATION (YELLOW) - You Have Disappointed Me, Rejection
CATTAIL - Peace, Prosperity
CHRYSANTHEMUM (GENERAL) - You're a Wonderful Friend, Cheerfulness and Rest.
CHRYSANTHEMUM (WHITE) - Truth
CHRYSANTHEMUM (YELLOW) - Slighted Love
CROCUS - Cheerfulness
CYCLAMEN - Resignation and Good-bye

D
DAFFODIL - Regard, Unrequited Love, You're the Only One, The Sun is Always Shining when I'm with You
DAISY - Innocence, Loyal Love, I'll Never Tell, Purity
DANDELION - Faithfulness, Happiness

F
FERN - Magic, Fascination, Confidence and Shelter
FIR - Time
FLAX - Domestic Symbol
FORGET-ME-NOT - True Love, Memories
FORSYTHIA - Anticipation

G
GARDENIA - You're Lovely, Secret Love
GERANIUM - Stupidity, Folly
GLADIOLI - Give Me a Break, I'm Really Sincere, Flower of the Gladiators
GLOXINIA - Love at First Sight

H
HEATHER (LAVENDER) - Admiration, Solitude
HEATHER (WHITE) - Protection, Wishes Will Come True
HOLLY - Defense, Domestic Happiness
HYACINTH (GENERAL) - Games and Sports, Rashness, Flower Dedicated to Apollo
HYACINTH (BLUE) - Constancy
HYACINTH (PURPLE) - I am Sorry, Please Forgive Me, Sorrow
HYACINTH (RED OR PINK) - Play
HYACINTH (WHITE) - Loveliness, I'll Pray for You
HYACINTH (YELLOW) - Jealousy
HYDRANGEA - Thank You for Understanding, Frigidity, Heartlessness

I
IRIS - Fleur-de-lis, Emblem of France, Your Friendship Means so Much to Me, Faith, Hope, Wisdom and Valor, My Compliments
IVY - Wedded Love, Fidelity, Friendship, Affection

J
JONQUIL - Love Me, Affection Returned, Desire, Sympathy, Desire for Affection Returned

L
LARKSPUR (PINK) - Fickleness
LILY (WHITE) - Virginity, Purity, Majesty, It's Heavenly to be with You
LILY (YELLOW) - I'm Walking on Air, False and Gay
LILY (CALLA) - Beauty
LILY (DAY) - Coquetry, Chinese Emblem for Mother
LILY (EUCHARIS) - Maiden Charms
LILY (TIGER) - Wealth, Pride
LILY OF THE VALLEY - Sweetness, Tears of the Virgin Mary, Return to Happiness, Humility, You've Made My Life Complete

M
MAGNOLIA - Nobility
MARIGOLD - Cruelty, Grief, Jealousy
MISTLETOE - Kiss me, Affection, To Surmount Difficulties, Sacred Plant of India
MONKSHOOD - Beware, A Deadly Foe is Near
MOSS - Maternal Love, Charity
MYRTLE - Love, Hebrew Emblem of Marriage

N
NARCISSUS - Egotism, Formality, Stay as Sweet as You Are
NASTURTIUM - Conquest, Victory in Battle

O
OLEANDER - Caution
ORANGE BLOSSOM - Innocence, Eternal Love, Marriage and Fruitfulness
ORANGE MOCK - Deceit
ORCHID - Love, Beauty, Refinement, Beautiful Lady, Chinese Symbol for Many Children
ORCHID (CATTLEYA) - Mature Charm

P
PALM LEAVES - Victory and Success
PEONY - Shame, Happy Life, Happy Marriage
PETUNIA - Resentment, Anger, Your Presence Sooths Me
PINE - Hope, Pity
POPPY (GENERAL) - Eternal Sleep, Oblivion, Imagination
POPPY (RED) - Pleasure
POPPY (WHITE) - Consolation
POPPY (YELLOW) - Wealth, Success
PRIMROSE - I Can't Live Without You
PRIMROSE (EVENING) - Inconstancy

R
ROSE (BRIDAL) - Happy Love
ROSE (DARK CRIMSON) - Mourning
ROSE (HIBISCUS) - Delicate Beauty
ROSE (LEAF) - You May Hope
ROSE (PINK) - Perfect Happiness, Please Believe Me
ROSE (RED) - Love, I Love You
ROSE (TEA) - I'll Remember Always
ROSE (THORNLESS) - Love at First Sight
ROSE (WHITE) - Innocence and Purity, I am Worthy of You, You're Heavenly, Secrecy and Silence
ROSE (WHITE AND RED MIXED) - Unity, Flower Emblem of England
ROSE (WHITE-DRIED) - Death is Preferable to Loss of Virtue
ROSE (YELLOW) - Decrease of Love, Jealousy, Try to Care
ROSEBUD - Beauty and Youth, A Heart Innocent of Love
ROSEBUD (RED) - Pure and Lovely
ROSEBUD (WHITE) - Girlhood
ROSEBUD (MOSS) - Confessions of Love
ROSES (Bouquet of Mature Blooms) - Gratitude
ROSES (Single Full Bloom) - I Love You, I Still Love You

S
SMILAX - Loveliness
SNAPDRAGON - Deception, Gracious Lady
SPIDER FLOWER - Elope with Me
STEPHANOTIS - Happiness in Marriage, Desire to Travel
STOCK - Bonds of Affection, Promptness, You'll Always Be Beautiful to Me
SWEETPEA - Good-bye, Departure, Blissful Pleasure, Thank You for a Lovely Time

T
TULIP (GENERAL) - Perfect Lover, Frame, Flower Emblem of Holland
TULIP (RED) - Believe Me, Declaration of Love
TULIP (VARIEGATED) - Beautiful Eyes
TULIP (YELLOW) - There's Sunshine in Your Smile

V
VIOLET - Modesty
VIOLET (BLUE) - Watchfulness, Faithfulness, I'll Always Be True
VIOLET (WHITE) - Let's Take a Chance

Z
ZINNIA (MAGENTA) - Lasting Affection
ZINNIA (MIXED) - Thinking (or In Memory) of an Absent Friend
ZINNIA (SCARLET) - Constancy
ZINNIA (WHITE) - Goodness
ZINNIA (YELLOW) - Daily Remembrance

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How To Keep Flowers Fresh Longer

2008-03-09T16:19:00.000-07:00

Cut flowers make us feel good. They help us celebrate special events and communicate emotions by saying thank you, get well, I'm sorry, and I love you. Then there's the special joy of receiving flowers, whether it's a red rose from the local florist or a fistful of dandelions from your daughter. Flowers, especially the intention behind them, mean so much. Unfortunately though, flowers wilt. Do you ever feel delighted to receive beautiful flowers only to feel a little depressed as you watch them fade? While you can't bring cut flowers back to life, here are some tips for keeping them looking fresh longer.

How to Lengthen the Life of Your Arrangement

A little extra care can make a big difference for any size flower arrangement or fresh flower bouquet.

Most floral arrangements last 4-7 days or longer, depending on the flowers used and the care they receive. The Society of American Florists provides these tips for longer-lasting, more vibrant flowers:

For floral arrangements:

Keep the vase filled (or floral foam soaked) with water containing a flower food provided by your florist. Flower foods make flowers last longer but it is important to follow the mixing directions on the flower food packet. Most packets are to be mixed with either a pint or a quart of water. Flower foods should not be diluted with more water than is specified on the packet.

If the flower food solution becomes cloudy, replace it entirely with properly mixed flower food solution. If possible, re-cut stems by removing one to two inches with a sharp knife. Be sure to use a sharp knife or clippers that will not crush the stems. Immediately place the stems into solution.

Keep flowers in a cool spot (65 to 72 degrees Fahrenheit), away from direct sunlight, heating or cooling vents, directly under ceiling fans, or on top of televisions or radiators. (Appliances like televisions give off heat, which causes flowers to dehydrate.) Most flowers will last longer under cool conditions.

For loose bunches or boxed flowers:

Keep your flowers in a cool place until you can get them in a flower food solution. Don't forget how important it is to follow the mixing directions on the flower food packet.

Fill a clean (washed with a detergent or antibacterial cleaning solution), deep vase with water and add a flower food from your florist. Remove leaves that will be below the waterline. Leaves in water will promote bacterial microbial growth that may limit water uptake by the flower. Re-cut stems by removing one to two inches with a sharp knife. Place the flowers in the vase solution you've prepared.

If you purchase loose flowers for your own arrangements you should also consider these tips:

When selecting flowers, look for flowers with upright, firm petals and buds beginning to open. Yellow, spotted or drooping leaves are signs of age.
When using woody stems and branches (such as quince, forsythia or lilac), cut the stem with sharp pruning shears. Place them in warm water containing fresh flower food to promote flower opening.

No-nonsense ways to keep cut flowers longer

- Use plain, lukewarm water for most cut flowers, but use cold water for bulb flowers, such as daffodils, hyacinths, and tulips.

- Change the water every 2 days -- don't just top it off. This is the single most effective thing you can do to keep your flowers looking fresh.

- Keep flowers out of direct sunlight, and move them to a cool place at night.

- Give daffodils their own vase -- daffodil stems give off a compound that is toxic to other flowers.

- Keep cut flowers away from fruit, which releases a gas that causes flowers to age faster.

Put a penny in the vase: Wives' tale or real solution?

If you don't like to use chemicals to prolong the life of your cut flowers, there are "natural" alternatives. Some methods work better than others. Here's one for you: does a penny and an aspirin tablet placed in the vase water really do any good? Some say the combination does keep flowers fresh longer. The theory is that the copper acts a fungicide and the aspirin makes the water more acidic. Here are more food + acid combinations:

* Add one part lemon-lime soda (not diet) to 3 parts water. Then to each quart of this solution, add 1/4 teaspoon bleach. Thereafter, add 1/4 teaspoon bleach after each 4 days of use.

* To 1 quart water add 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, 1 tablespoon sugar, and 1/2 teaspoon bleach.

* Add 2 ounces Listerine mouthwash per gallon of water. Listerine contains sucrose (food) and a bactericide. Listerine is acidic and is said help water move up the cut stem.

Plant Care Tips: Green Thumb Not Required

Not only are green and flowering plants a great enhancement to any home or office decor, they are also beneficial to your health. The results of a study by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) show that common houseplants are powerful, natural air cleaners - all the more reason why you want to keep your plants healthy with the proper care.

Most plants come with care instructions specified for the type of plant. The Society of American Florists provides these additional general guidelines to keep most green houseplants thriving:

Keep plants in medium-light locations - out of direct sunlight. Natural light is best, but some plants can also thrive in office fluorescent light. Most flowering potted plants should be placed in areas with the most light in order to maintain good flower color and promote the maximum number of flowers to open. Foliage plants will do well under lower light levels and can be placed in areas providing reduced light.

Plant soil should be kept moist at all times. Plants should not be allowed to dry out or wilt. Be careful to avoid overwatering - do not allow plants to stand in water. Avoid wetting plant leaves.

Avoid excessive heat or cold. Plants should be kept in a cool spot (between 65 to 72 degrees Fahrenheit) for best performance. They should be kept away from direct sunlight, heating or cooling vents, directly under ceiling fans, or on top of televisions or radiators. (Appliances like televisions give off heat, which causes plants to dehydrate.)

May your flowers bring you joy--for a long time.

Mẹo Giữ Hoa Tươi Lâu

Nếu biết cách chăm sóc, hoa hồng và một số loài hoa khác có thể tươi nguyên đến hơn 4 ngày mà vẫn không bị rụng cánh hoặc héo úa. Một số mẹo vặt của những chuyên gia cây cảnh sẽ giúp hoa của bạn tươi suốt những ngày xuân.

Để tránh cảnh hoa héo úa rụng cành sớm, trước hết phải chọn hoa thật tươi để mua. Với hoa hồng, cần chọn mua những hoa không bị nở toét. Nếu mua cả đóa, nên loại những hoa có dấu hiệu héo úa ra khỏi đóa vì chỉ cần 1 hoa héo có thể sẽ ảnh hưởng đến các hoa xung quanh.

Rửa bình hoa thật sạch trước khi cắm hoa. Khi cắt bớt cành để trang trí, nên nhúng vào nước, dùng kéo để cắt, khi cắt phải dùng kéo thật bén để không làm rộng các vết cắt trên cây hoa. Cần cắt bỏ hết các lá phần cành hoa cắm vào bình nước và thường xuyên cắt bớt phần cuối gốc cành tiếp để tránh lá tiếp xúc với nước gây thối rữa.

Thay nước hoa mỗi ngày vào lúc sáng sớm và chiều tối, buổi tối nên mang ra ngoài sân để hoa được hứng những giọt sương mai.

1 lít nước bình hoa có thể pha 2 muỗng canh nước cốt chanh, 1 muỗng canh đường, nửa muỗng cà phê thuốc tẩy. Cũng có thể dùng nước súc miệng Listerine pha vào nước cắm hoa theo tỉ lệ 60g Listerine/5 lít nước.

Một số chuyên gia còn cho biết, nghiền nát 1 viên vitamin B1 hòa vào nước cắm hoa sẽ giúp hoa tươi lâu hơn.

Cần tránh ánh nắng chiếu trực tiếp vào hoa và chưng bình hoa nơi thoáng mát, xa quạt máy để hoa không bị héo vì mất nước. Nếu muốn giữ hoa ở hình dáng ban đầu, không nở xòe ra và rơi rụng cánh, có thể dùng keo xịt tóc, cầm bình xịt cách hoa khoảng 30 cm phun hướng lên.

Mong những cánh hoa tươi đẹp mang niềm vui đến cho quý vị.

Sưu Tầm

Valentines Day Gifts

2008-01-29T09:34:00.000-08:00

If your partner lives far away from you, you might be searching for some nice long distance romantic gift ideas. Look no further. We are at your service with a number of ideas for long distance gifts. Given below are some ideas for Valentine gifts for people living far:

* Buy a white T-shirt for him. Apply a red lipstick and plant kisses all over the t-shirt. Put it in a box, wrap it nicely and send it to him through courier.
* Sending a bouquet of flowers or some other gift through the Internet is another good option.
* Buy 365 toffees for your partner. Wrap each toffee with a nice paper. On the inner side of the paper, write one thing that you really like about him/her. Send these toffees to him/her, with the condition that he/she will have only one toffee a day.
* Prepare a collage with pictures of all those memorable moments both of you have spent together. On the bottom of the collage, write a message for him/her. Send the gift after wrapping it nicely.
* Record a Video or Audio CD telling your partner how much you love him/her.
* Prepare a notebook with as many pages as the number of days you will not be seeing each other. On each page, write a love letter for each day that he/she will be away. This way your partner will have letter for each day you are not with him/her.
* Prepare a box with small little things that will remind your partner of you like the lipstick you use, the perfume you apply, etc. Ask him/her to take one thing out of the box each day.
* Send your partner a watch as a Valentine's Day gift. Attach a note saying, "Now, whenever you look for time, you will think about me."
* Write some nice poems for your partner describing your feelings for him/her.
* Last but not the least, the bestest gift for your love one can only be "YOU". So, plan and holiday and give your partner a surprise by visiting him/her at his/her place.

Valentine Messages

- Trip over love, you can get up. Fall in love and you fall forever.

- Love looks not with the eyes, but with the mind .

- The lover is a monotheist who knows that other people worship different gods but cannot himself imagine that there could be other Gods.

- We are all a little weird and life's a little weird, and when we find someone whose weirdness is compatible with ours, we join up with them and fall in mutual weirdness and call it love.

- Love helps us to communicate with God.

- Sometimes we make love with our eyes.

- Love is like a butterfly. It goes where it pleases and it pleases where it goes.

- Love is like a fire. Whether it is going to warm your hearth or burn your house down, you'll never know.

- Draw a circle, not a heart, around the one you love because a heart can break but a circle goes on forever.

- To the world you might be one person, but to one person you might be the world.

Express Your Love In Different Languages

Languages On This Valentines Day!

English - I love you
Afrikaans - Ek het jou lief
Albanian - Te dua
Arabic - Ana behibak (to male)
Arabic - Ana behibek (to female)
Armenian - Yes kez sirumen
Bambara - M'bi fe
Bangla - Aamee tuma ke bhalo aashi
Belarusian - Ya tabe kahayu
Bisaya - Nahigugma ako kanimo
Bulgarian - Obicham te
Cambodian - Soro lahn nhee ah
Cantonese Chinese - Ngo oiy ney a
Catalan - T'estimo
Cheyenne - Ne mohotatse
Chichewa - Ndimakukonda
Corsican - Ti tengu caru (to male)
Creol - Mi aime jou
Croatian - Volim te
Czech - Miluji te
Danish - Jeg Elsker Dig
Dutch - Ik hou van jou
Elf (from The Lord of The Rings, by J.R.R. Tolkien)- "le melin"
Esperanto - Mi amas vin
Estonian - Ma armastan sind
Ethiopian - Afgreki'
Faroese - Eg elski teg
Farsi - Doset daram
Filipino - Mahal kita
Finnish - Mina rakastan sinua
French - Je t'aime, Je t'adore
Frisian - Ik hâld fan dy
Gaelic - Ta gra agam ort
Georgian - Mikvarhar
German - Ich liebe dich
Greek - S'agapo
Gujarati - Hoo thunay prem karoo choo
Hiligaynon - Palangga ko ikaw
Hawaiian - Aloha Au Ia`oe (Thanks Craig)
Hebrew - Ani ohev otah (to female)
Hebrew - Ani ohev et otha (to male)
Hiligaynon - Guina higugma ko ikaw
Hindi - Hum Tumhe Pyar Karte hae
Hmong - Kuv hlub koj
Hopi - Nu' umi unangwa'ta
Hungarian - Szeretlek
Icelandic - Eg elska tig
Ilonggo - Palangga ko ikaw
Indonesian - Saya cinta padamu
Inuit - Negligevapse
Irish - Taim i' ngra leat
Italian - Ti amo
Japanese - Aishiteru
Kannada - Naanu ninna preetisuttene
Kapampangan - Kaluguran daka
Kiswahili - Nakupenda
Konkani - Tu magel moga cho
Korean - Sarang Heyo
Latin - Te amo
Latvian - Es tevi miilu
Lebanese - Bahibak
Lithuanian - Tave myliu
Malay - Saya cintakan mu / Aku cinta padamu
Malayalam - Njan Ninne Premikunnu
Mandarin Chinese - Wo ai ni
Marathi - Me tula prem karto
Mohawk - Kanbhik
Moroccan - Ana moajaba bik
Nahuatl - Ni mits neki
Navaho - Ayor anosh'ni
Norwegian - Jeg Elsker Deg
Pandacan - Syota na kita!!
Pangasinan - Inaru Taka
Papiamento - Mi ta stimabo
Persian - Doo-set daaram
Pig Latin - Iay ovlay ouyay
Polish - Kocham Ciebie
Portuguese - Eu te amo
Romanian - Te iubesc
Russian - Ya tebya liubliu
Scot Gaelic - Tha gra\dh agam ort
Serbian - Volim te
Setswana - Ke a go rata
Sign Language -, \, / (represents position of fingers when signing'I Love You')
Sindhi - Maa tokhe pyar kendo ahyan
Sioux - Techihhila
Slovak - Lu`bim ta
Slovenian - Ljubim te
Spanish - Te quiero / Te amo
Swahili - Ninapenda wewe
Swedish - Jag alskar dig
Swiss-German - Ich lieb Di
Surinam - Mi lobi joe
Tagalog - Mahal kita
Taiwanese - Wa ga ei li
Tahitian - Ua Here Vau Ia Oe
Tamil - Nan unnai kathalikaraen
Telugu - Nenu ninnu premistunnanu
Thai - Chan rak khun (to male)
Thai - Phom rak khun (to female)
Turkish - Seni Seviyorum
Ukrainian - Ya tebe kahayu
Urdu - mai aap say pyaar karta hoo
Vietnamese - Anh yêu em (to female)
Vietnamese - Em yêu anh (to male)
Welsh - 'Rwy'n dy garu di
Yiddish - Ikh hob dikh
Yoruba - Mo ni fe

The History of Valentine's Day

2008-01-28T09:44:00.000-08:00

Every February, around the world, candy, flowers, and gifts are exchanged between loved ones, all in the name of St. Valentine. But who is this mysterious saint and why do we celebrate this holiday? The history of Valentine's Day -- and its patron saint -- is shrouded in mystery. But we do know that February has long been a month of romance. St. Valentine's Day, as we know it today, contains vestiges of both Christian and ancient Roman tradition. So, who was Saint Valentine and how did he become associated with this ancient rite? Today, the Catholic Church recognizes at least three different saints named Valentine or Valentinus, all of whom were martyred.

One legend contends that Valentine was a priest who served during the third century in Rome. When Emperor Claudius II decided that single men made better soldiers than those with wives and families, he outlawed marriage for young men -- his crop of potential soldiers. Valentine, realizing the injustice of the decree, defied Claudius and continued to perform marriages for young lovers in secret. When Valentine's actions were discovered, Claudius ordered that he be put to death.

Other stories suggest that Valentine may have been killed for attempting to help Christians escape harsh Roman prisons where they were often beaten and tortured.

According to one legend, Valentine actually sent the first 'valentine' greeting himself. While in prison, it is believed that Valentine fell in love with a young girl -- who may have been his jailor's daughter -- who visited him during his confinement. Before his death, it is alleged that he wrote her a letter, which he signed 'From your Valentine,' an expression that is still in use today. Although the truth behind the Valentine legends is murky, the stories certainly emphasize his appeal as a sympathetic, heroic, and, most importantly, romantic figure. It's no surprise that by the Middle Ages, Valentine was one of the most popular saints in England and France.

While some believe that Valentine's Day is celebrated in the middle of February to commemorate the anniversary of Valentine's death or burial -- which probably occurred around 270 A.D -- others claim that the Christian church may have decided to celebrate Valentine's feast day in the middle of February in an effort to 'christianize' celebrations of the pagan Lupercalia festival. In ancient Rome, February was the official beginning of spring and was considered a time for purification. Houses were ritually cleansed by sweeping them out and then sprinkling salt and a type of wheat called spelt throughout their interiors. Lupercalia, which began at the ides of February, February 15, was a fertility festival dedicated to Faunus, the Roman god of agriculture, as well as to the Roman founders Romulus and Remus.

To begin the festival, members of the Luperci, an order of Roman priests, would gather at the sacred cave where the infants Romulus and Remus, the founders of Rome, were believed to have been cared for by a she-wolf or lupa. The priests would then sacrifice a goat, for fertility, and a dog, for purification.

The boys then sliced the goat's hide into strips, dipped them in the sacrificial blood and took to the streets, gently slapping both women and fields of crops with the goathide strips. Far from being fearful, Roman women welcomed being touched with the hides because it was believed the strips would make them more fertile in the coming year. Later in the day, according to legend, all the young women in the city would place their names in a big urn. The city's bachelors would then each choose a name out of the urn and become paired for the year with his chosen woman. These matches often ended in marriage. Pope Gelasius declared February 14 St. Valentine's Day around 498 A.D. The Roman 'lottery' system for romantic pairing was deemed un-Christian and outlawed. Later, during the Middle Ages, it was commonly believed in France and England that February 14 was the beginning of birds' mating season, which added to the idea that the middle of February -- Valentine's Day -- should be a day for romance. The oldest known valentine still in existence today was a poem written by Charles, Duke of Orleans to his wife while he was imprisoned in the Tower of London following his capture at the Battle of Agincourt. The greeting, which was written in 1415, is part of the manuscript collection of the British Library in London, England. Several years later, it is believed that King Henry V hired a writer named John Lydgate to compose a valentine note to Catherine of Valois.

In Great Britain, Valentine's Day began to be popularly celebrated around the seventeenth century. By the middle of the eighteenth century, it was common for friends and lovers in all social classes to exchange small tokens of affection or handwritten notes. By the end of the century, printed cards began to replace written letters due to improvements in printing technology. Ready-made cards were an easy way for people to express their emotions in a time when direct expression of one's feelings was discouraged. Cheaper postage rates also contributed to an increase in the popularity of sending Valentine's Day greetings. Americans probably began exchanging hand-made valentines in the early 1700s. In the 1840s, Esther A. Howland began to sell the first mass-produced valentines in America.

According to the Greeting Card Association, an estimated one billion valentine cards are sent each year, making Valentine's Day the second largest card-sending holiday of the year. (An estimated 2.6 billion cards are sent for Christmas.)

Approximately 85 percent of all valentines are purchased by women. In addition to the United States, Valentine's Day is celebrated in Canada, Mexico, the United Kingdom, France, Australia, and other countries.

Valentine greetings were popular as far back as the Middle Ages (written Valentine's didn't begin to appear until after 1400), and the oldest known Valentine card is on display at the British Museum. The first commercial Valentine's Day greeting cards produced in the U.S. were created in the 1840s by Esther A. Howland. Howland, known as the Mother of the Valentine, made elaborate creations with real lace, ribbons and colorful pictures known as "scrap".

Special thanks to American Greetings.

Lunar New Year (Feb. 07, 2008) - Tết Mậu Tý

2008-01-09T20:33:00.000-08:00

TẾT is celebrated on the same day as Chinese New Year. It is celebrated from the first day of the first month of the Chinese calendar (around late January or early February) until at least the third day. Tết shares many of the same customs of its Chinese counterpart. Many Vietnamese prepare for Tết by cooking special holiday foods and cleaning the house. On Tết, Vietnamese visit their families and temples, forgetting about the troubles of the past year and hoping for a better upcoming year. Tết traditionally marks the coming of Spring, so Spring (Xuân) is sometimes used interchangeably with Tết in Vietnamese.

Vietnamese people usually return to their families during Tết. Some return to worship at the family altar or visit the graves of their ancestors. Others return to where they grew up. Although Tết is a universal holiday among all Vietnamese, each region and religion has its own customs.

Tết can be divided into three periods, known as Tất Niên, Giao Thừa, and Tân Niên, representing the preparation before Tết, the eve of Tết, and the days of and following Tết, respectively.

Tất Niên
Preparations for Tết start months before the actual celebrations. People try to pay off their debts in advance so that they can be debt-free on Tết. Parents buy new clothes for their children so that the children can wear them when Tết arrives. Because a lot of commercial activity will cease during the celebrations, people try to stock up on supplies as much as possible.

In the days leading up to Tết, the streets and markets are full of people. Everyone is busy buying food, clothes, and decorations for their house. If someone lives far away from home, they will try to come home to celebrate Tết with their family.

Vietnamese families usually have a family altar, to pay respect to their ancestors. During Tết the altar is thoroughly cleaned and new offerings are placed there.

Traditionally, the three kitchen guardians for each house (Ông Táo), who report to the Jade Emperor about the events in that house over the past year, return to heaven on the 23rd day of the last month of the Chinese calendar. Their departure is marked by a modest ceremony where the family offers sacrifices for them to use on their journey. Often, Vietnamese families smear honey over the mouth of the image of Ông Táo, to allow him to say only sweet things about the family.

In the days leading up to Tết, each family traditionally cooks special holiday foods such as bánh chưng and bánh dầy. Preparations for these foods are quite extensive, and cooking them can take several days. Family members often take turns to keep watch on the fire overnight, telling each other stories about Tết of past years.

Giao Thừa (New Year's Eve)
Each home is thoroughly swept and decorated with flowers and offerings for ancestors by the night before Tết. At midnight, many families traditionally light firecrackers to welcome the New Year, though this practice was banned since January 1, 1995 due to safety reasons. In the morning, actual Tết celebrations begin.

Tân Niên
The first day of Tết is reserved for the nuclear family. In big cities, the streets are usually empty as most people stay at home or leave the city to visit their close relatives in the countryside. Children receive lì xì (red envelopes containing money) from their elders. Usually, children dress up in their new clothes and give their elders the traditional Tết greetings before receiving the money. Since the Vietnamese believe that the first visitor a family receives in the year determines their fortune for the entire year, people never enter any house on the first day without being invited first. The act of being the first person to enter a house on Tết is called xông đất or đạp đất. Usually, a person with a happy demeanor or who had experienced good luck during the previous year is invited first into the house. In some instances, any person with names such as Phúc (happy), Tài (wealth), Lộc (luck), will be invited to perform this act of xông đất. However, just to be safe, the owner of the house will leave the house a few minutes before midnight and come back just as the clock strikes midnight to prevent anyone else entering the house first who might potentially bring any unfortunate events in the new year to the household.

Decorations
Traditionally, each family displays a New Year Tree called cây nêu, consisting of a bamboo pole 5 to 6 meters long. The top end is usually decorated with many objects, depending on the locality, including good luck charms, origami fish, cactus branches, etc.

At Tết every house is usually decorated by hoa mai – Ume (in the middle and southern parts of Vietnam) or hoa đào – Prunus persica (in the northern part of Vietnam) or hoa ban (in the mountain areas).

In some cities, a kumquat tree is a popular decoration for the living room during Tết. Its many fruits symbolize the fertility and fruitfulness that the family hopes will come in the coming year.

Vietnamese people also decorate their homes with bonsai and flower tree such as hoa cúc, vạn thọ meaning great age, mào gà in Southern Vietnam and thủy tiên, hoa bướm in Northern Vietnam.

They also hang up Đông Hồ Painting and thư pháp (calligraphy picture).

Greetings
The traditional greetings are "Chúc mừng năm mới" and "Cung chúc tân xuân" (Happy New Year). People also wish each other prosperity and luck. Common wishes for Tết include:

* Sống lâu trăm tuổi (Live up to 100 years): used by children for elders. Traditionally, everyone is one year older on Tết, so children would wish their grandparents health and longetivity in exchange for mừng tuổi or lì xì.
* An khang thịnh vượng (Security, good health, and prosperity)
* Vạn sự như ý (May a myriad things go according to your will)
* Sức khoẻ dồi dào (Plenty of health)

Food

In Vietnamese, to celebrate Tết is to ăn Tết, literally meaning "Tết eating", showing the importance of food in its celebration. Some of the food is also eaten year-round, while other dishes are only eaten during Tết. Also, the food is usually vegetarian since it is believed to be bad luck to eat meat on that day. These foods include:

- Bánh chưng and Bánh dầy: essentially tightly packed sticky rice with meat or bean fillings wrapped in banana leaves. Bánh chưng (rectangular) and bánh dầy (circular) are symbolically connected with Tết and are essential in any Tết celebration. Preparation is time-consuming, and can take days to cook. The story of their origins and their connection with Tết is often recounted to children while cooking them overnight.

- Hạt Dưa: roasted watermelon seeds, also eaten during Tết.
- Củ Kiệu: pickled vegetables.
- Mứt, including mứt dừa, which is sweetened coconut: These dried candied fruits are rarely eaten at any time besides Tết.
- Cầu Dừa Đủ Xoài - In southern Vietnam, popular fruits used for offerings at the family altar in fruit arranging art are the custard-apple/sugar-apple/soursop (mãng cầu), coconut (dừa), papaya (đu đủ), and mango (xoài), since they sound like "cầu vừa đủ xài" ([We] pray for enough [money] to spend) in the southern dialect of Vietnamese.

This year 2008 is the year of the RAT. The rat is the first of 12 animals associated with the Chinese calendar. According to legend, the animals raced across a river to determine their order in the cycle. The rat crossed by riding on the back of the ox, jumping ahead at the last minute to win the race.

Eventhough you are far away from your family, relatives, loved one during Tết this year, there is still a way to stay in touch. We would love to deliver the token of love for you. Please visit our store NamHaFlorist to select the special lucky gifts for your relatives and/or friends in Vietnam. We would like to take this opportunity to thank you for supporting us in the past year. And for our friends, who are not our customers yet, we hope you will give us a chance to provide our excellent service to you in the near future.

We wish you and your family a happy, healthy, and prospereous year!!!

ThanhTrúc

Teacher's Day

2007-11-06T14:40:00.000-08:00

November is here and every store on earth is doing something for the Christmas holiday race: decorations, new items, ... But yet, have you planned your November special day? In US, we have ThanksGiving in November. For the Vietnamese in Vietnam, November 20th is the Teacher's day.

Vietnameses are raised in the culture believing that "Without teacher, you can't do anything successfully!", "When you learn even half of a word from a person, that person is called your teacher." Due to respect, please visit our website www.namhaflorist.com to select a special gift for your teacher. For this Teacher's day, our tradition gifts would be flowers. However, nowadays other gifts such as chocolates, cakes could be appropreated as well.

Join us to celebrate Teacher's day - November 20th!!!

ThanhTrúc

New Online Contact

2007-10-04T14:43:00.000-07:00

This new "online contact" function is really helpful. Some of our customers have special gifts in mind that we don't have in our catalog. All they need to do is contacting us via email or online contact. This is the special request from one of our customers.

The dog is so cute. It sure brought a big smile to the recipient's face.

ThanhTrúc

Trung Thu 2007

2007-08-31T09:46:00.000-07:00

Hàng năm, tới ngày rằm tháng Tám âm lịch, trẻ con khắp nước Việt Nam được người lớn cho rước đèn, ăn bánh trung thu và múa lân thật là vui. Ngày lễ ấy gọi là Tết Trung Thu, hay là Tết Nhi Đồng.

Tục vui Tết Trung Thu có từ thời Đường Minh Hoàng bên Trung Hoa, vào đầu thế kỷ thứ tám (713-755). Về sau Tết Trung Thu lan rộng sang các nước láng giềng và thuộc địa của Trung Hoa. Sách sử Việt không nói rõ dân ta bắt đầu chơi Tết Trung Thu từ bao giờ, chỉ biết hàng mấy trăm năm trước, tổ tiên ta đã theo tục này. Ngay từ đầu tháng Tám âm lịch, chợ búa bắt đầu có màu sắc Trung Thu. Lồng đèn, bánh nướng, bánh dẻo đã được bày bán la liệt trong các cửa hiệu rực rỡ ánh đèn. Ngoài các loại đèn giấy, bánh kẹo còn có các con giống đầu lân, mặt ông địa bày bán đầy các chợ. Ngày xưa, những nhà giàu còn bày cỗ Trung Thu để khoe tài nấu nướng của các cô con gái tới tuổi lấy chồng. Đúng vào ngày rằm, các thành phố lớn như Hà Nội, Huế, Sài Gòn đều có múa sư tử, múa lân rất náo nhiệt.

Tết Trung Thu, chúng ta lại có dịp cùng người thân trong gia đình đoàn tụ, quây quần bên mâm trà cỗ bánh, chia sẻ những niềm vui. Vì thế, tình yêu gia đình lại càng thêm khắng khít. Bánh trung thu tượng trưng cho sự đoàn viên, là thứ không thể thiếu vào mỗi mùa Trung Thu. Cũng trong dịp này người ta mua bánh trung thu, trà, rượu để cúng tổ tiên, biếu ông bà, cha mẹ, thầy cô, bạn bè, họ hàng và các ân nhân khác.

Ngày nay, có một số không nhỏ người Việt định cư rải rác ở nhiều quốc gia trên toàn thế giới. Dù không có cơ hội về đoàn tụ với gia đình, người thân, và bạn bè nhân dịp Trung Thu nhưng mọi người vẫn có thể gởi biếu nhau những chiếc bánh trung thu đoàn viên. Quý vị có thể đến với MOON CAKES để chọn những phần quà tặng trung thu đầy ý nghĩa gửi biếu ông bà, cha mẹ, thầy cô, bạn bè, họ hàng, và các ân nhân. Với đội ngũ nhân viên nhiệt tâm, chuyên nghiệp và khả ái, chúng tôi sẽ mang đến tận nhà người thân của quý vị niềm vui và ý nghĩa của lễ Trung Thu. Trân trọng kính mời!

ThanhTrúc

Áo mới

2007-08-30T11:33:00.000-07:00

NamHaFlorist.com vừa khoác lên mình chiếc áo mới để chào đón quý khách và bạn bè: namhaflorist . Thiết nghĩ mình nên lướt qua logo một tí nhé. Có người hỏi tại sao lại Nam Hà? Vì Nam Hà là quê Nội của Trúc. Ba của Trúc đã dùng tên Nam Hà đặt cho cơ sở thương mại của gia đình trước năm 1975. Và rồi bây giờ Trúc tiếp nối hoài bão thương mại của Ba. Chữ f trong logo là biểu tượng hình dáng của nước Việt vì dịch vụ tặng hoa tươi và quà về Việt Nam, đưa đến tận nhà xuyên dài suốt Bắc Nam. Những cành hoa đơn giản nhưng trang trọng vươn cao đầy sức sống đón ánh mặt trời. Hy vọng áo mới sẽ mang đến hương sắc mới cho mọi người.

Chân thành cám ơn quý khách đã xử dụng dịch vụ của chúng tôi. Những ai chưa từng là khách hàng của NamHaFlorist, hy vọng một dịp nào đó trong tương lai gần chúng tôi sẽ được hân hạnh phục vụ quý vị.

ThanhTrúc

Tri Ân trước thềm năm mới

2006-01-24T11:41:00.000-08:00

"Bác già rồi làm gì có tiền mà gửi cho chúng nó ở bên nhà ..." - Đó là lời than vãn của một cụ già trong nhà thờ mà tôi thường sinh hoạt. Điều này làm tôi nghĩ ngợi rất lâu. Và đó cũng là nguyên nhân đầu tiên giúp tôi có ý định tạo dựng NamHaFlorist.com

Các cụ không thể gửi bạc trăm về cho con cháu bên nhà vào những dịp lễ Tết hay sinh nhật, kỷ niệm ... thì các cụ có thể gửi cái bánh kem, vài cành hoa cho các cháu vui, gọi là chút quà nước ngoài :) Rồi tiếp theo đó là con heo quay bữa giỗ, chai rượu mừng đám cưới, sui gia gửi biếu nhau tí quà Tết (đâu thể biếu tiền phải không quý vị). Các anh các chị thì tặng nhau những đoá hồng xinh xắn để nói lên bao điều con tim muốn nói. Vậy là namhaflorist được ra đời vào tháng 10, sau 6 tháng chuẩn bị từ website đến hệ thống làm việc. Cám ơn anh SongVinh, út Khương đã nhiệt tình giúp đỡ về kỹ thuật cũng như mỹ thuật.

Sau hơn 1 năm với nhiều buồn vui, namhaflorist tồn tại được đến ngày hôm nay là niềm an ủi cho tôi rất nhiều. Ông bà ta có nói buôn bán là "làm dâu trăm họ". Làm dâu một họ chắc cũng nhiêu khê rồi mà làm dâu đến trăm họ coi bộ cái ải này rất khó qua. Rõ ràng là 9 người 10 ý. Có những người khách hơi khó tính, nhưng cũng có rất nhiều khách dễ thương vô cùng. Khi khách hàng vui lòng, tôi cũng mừng. Và khi khách trở lại lần thứ hai, thứ ba, ..., thứ bảy ... thì tôi như hét mừng: Thành công rồi đó! Để làm vui lòng khách hàng, NamHaFlorist.com phải cần có nhiều yếu tố: Giá cả phải chăng, phục vụ tận tình, sản phẩm chất lượng, ... Khách đặt quà vui vẻ đâu có đủ, mà người nhận quà hài lòng nữa thì mới đủ vế, tròn câu.

Cám ơn tất cả mọi người: người giúp đỡ về kỹ thuật, người giúp đỡ về mỹ thuật, quý khách, người nhận quà, nhân viên cắm hoa, nhân viên giao quà, ... Xin ghi nhận nơi đây lòng biết ơn chân thành. Mong được tiếp tục cùng buồn vui, phục vụ mọi người trong những tháng ngày sắp đến.

ThanhTrúc

Vietnamese New Year

2006-01-24T10:13:00.000-08:00

January 29th is Vietnamese New Year. Being thousand miles away from home, what to do to show your love? Please visit namhaflorist to select the perfect gift for your loved one to celebrate this biggest holiday of the year. We do have lots of traditional gifts available. From now until January 28, for every order of $34.95 and above to Saigon we will include 3 FREE roses.

NamHaFlorist.com wish you and your family a happy and prosperous New Year!

Something Nice from Malaysia

2006-01-24T10:12:00.000-08:00

I'd like to give a hearty and sincere thanks for the incredible effort that Truc has put in to help me send my regards to my significant other in Can Tho. It was a rush job and involved a lot of communication on both ends but she managed to pull it off within 24 hours without a hitch. NamHaFlorist was helpful and answered all my queries and kept me informed of the process every step of the way until final delivery. If you need the goods, NamHaFlorist is the real deal with fast delivery and fair prices. Thanks again! (K.Tan - Malaysia)

Feed back from Minesota

2006-01-24T10:06:00.000-08:00

Dear Truc, Thank you for your help. You guys are great, especially you. You have such a great customer service skill. I definitely will shop from you again & again & again. Keep up the good work. I love your pricing too. (B. Talley - Minesota)

A Beautiful Petal

2005-10-20T11:53:00.000-07:00

Thanks very much for your flower delivery. I spoke with P. today and she said she was very happy to receive the flowers. Which makes me happy. I will definetely use your service in the future.

Sincerely,
A. Ernst

A nice comment from our customer

2005-10-19T15:16:00.000-07:00

We're happy to hear from our family getting the cake today. Thank you for making my family happy and the cute pictures. We'll order from your company more in the future.

By the way, I think I want to order the gift to my parents on Tet holidays so hope your company will have many kinds of Tet gifts with good price at that time.

Thank you,
V.Nguyen Stewart

Flowers and gifts to Vietnam in 24 hours

2005-10-19T14:27:00.000-07:00

Welcome to NamHaFlorist.com , where you could send fresh flowers or gifts to Vietnam in 24 hours; including FREE personalized greeting card. We have a huge selection of flowers, gifts, wines, teddy bears for all occasions: Anniversary, birthday, love and romance, thank you, congratulation, new baby, holidays, sympathy, etc ... For the recipient in Saigon, we have FREE digital picture service as well.