Celebrating Valentine's Day!

Hi neighbors. This Tuesday is Valentine's Day, are you prepared? If you think you'll just stop and pick up some flowers on the way home from work, you should know most florists run out of roses (the flower representing passionate love) a day or two before Valentine's Day. There is a language of the flowers, and if you don't know it you should learn it if you are in a relationship with a lady.

All types of flowers can mean things as different as "you don't interest me" to "elope with me," so you really ought to know which flowers mean what. Trying to find out the meanings can be confusing as the various websites I checked often disagree. I found one list that you might want to keep handy, which flowers to get for which wedding anniversary. Here's that list as posted on The Language of Flowers at http://thelanguageofflowers.com/romance.html.

The Romantic Language of Flowers Anniversary List: First, Red and White Roses -- Unity; second, White Carnations - Pride, beauty, living for love; Third, Bird of Paradise -- Magnificence; fourth, Alstroemeria - Devotion, friendship; fifth, Bonsai/Topiary -- Stability; sixth, Red Tulips - Declaration of love; seventh, Ivy Plant - Wedded love, fidelity, friendship; eighth, White Lilies - Purity, It's heavenly to be with you; ninth, Living Plant - Growth, everlasting; 10th Pink Rose - To my friend, perfect happiness; 11th White Daisies - Innocence, loyal love; 12th Sunflower -- Loyalty; 13th Stock - You'll always be beautiful to me; 14th Gladiolus - Remembrance, strength; 15th Stephanotis - Happiness in marriage; 16th Statice - Lasting beauty; 17th Red Carnation - Deep love, passion; 18th Porcelana Roses -- Admiration; 19th Bronze Mums - Joy, long-life, truth, wonderful friend; 20th Pink & White Roses - I love you still and always will; 25th Sterling Silver Roses - Love at first sight; 30th White Rose -- Purity; 35th African Violet -- Faithfulness; 40th Red Roses - Perfect love, respect; 45th Blue Iris - Faith, wisdom and health; 50th Yellow Roses - Joy, gladness and friendship; 55th Calla - Magnificent beauty; 60th Orchids - Love, beauty, mature charm.

You can rely on your local florists to know the language of the flowers if you can't remember. But, if you want red roses, you'd better hurry.

The next most popular Valentine's Day gift is chocolate -- for women or men! Even little boys and girls figure this one out early, with exchanges of small candy kisses or hearts.

Another gift little children stumble onto early in life is poetry. Even if you are past the "Roses are red, violets are blue" stage, poetry is always popular. Writing a song for your Valentine is also a great idea (based on your creative abilities of course.) If you're not feeling particularly creative between now and Valentine's Day, there are hundreds of love poems already written waiting in books at the library, or in Valentine's Day cards at stores.

Established couples often like going out for a fancy meal, dancing or to a movie for a date to celebrate Valentine's Day. Planning a date that reminds them of their own first date can be very romantic. Think of what you enjoyed doing when you first started dating your love. What did you two enjoy doing together? How about skating? Bowling? Going out to a burger joint to hang out with friends? These activities can be recreated even now.

If you have children and can't get a setter, or if a night out on a school night is out of the question, how about having supper delivered, renting a feel good family movie and telling your children how you two met. Talk about your dating, when you knew you were in love, what getting married meant to each of you and how important your family life is to you now.

Knowing how their parents fell in love and how they dealt with the challenges love brought them, can help children ask questions and learn skills to help them deal with their own dating situations.

Until the next time friends remember Valentine's Day is about expressing love to those you care for. It's a day that should be celebrated often within any family unit. Telling the people you love that you love them never goes out of style!