Celebrate mom with flowers on Mother's Day

For most of us, it’s our loved ones who mean the most, but also often the people we quickly take for granted. On the second Sunday in February, we celebrate all mothers in Norway. Show how much you love and appreciate your mom!

Maybe you and your family usually give mom attention with breakfast in bed, homemade cake, greeting cards, drawings, and flowers?

The tradition of celebrating mothers was introduced in the USA as early as 1905. It was the American Anna Jarvis who wanted to honor her mother on the one-year anniversary of her passing. Anna Jarvis believed that "a mother is the person who has done more for you than anyone else has." The first major celebration of Mother's Day took place in a church in West Virginia, USA. Anna Jarvis decorated the entire church with flowers and handed out her mother's favorite flower, white carnations, to everyone who attended.

Over time, Jarvis was able to convince the American president to establish a national holiday to celebrate Mother's Day. The tradition spread to Europe and has since become a day where we celebrate moms with flowers of all kinds.

American behavioral researchers at Rutgers University in New Jersey have studied how humans emotionally react to receiving flowers. Over a period of ten months, the researchers observed how participants in the study responded, and they concluded that we humans react very positively to receiving flowers.

It turned out that all participants expressed genuine happiness when they received flowers. This reaction was evident across all age groups. The flowers also had a long-term positive effect on the participants' mood. The participants showed higher levels of well-being and life satisfaction. The presence of flowers led to increased contact with family and friends.

– "With ordinary common sense, we understand that flowers make us happy. Now science also shows that flowers not only make us happier than we previously thought, but they also have strong positive effects on our overall well-being," says Dr. Jeannette Haviland-Jones from the psychology department.

Giving a large bouquet of beautiful cut flowers creates an impression of generosity and kindness, spreading a warm atmosphere in the home. If you want to give flowers that last longer, potted plants are a great alternative. Orchids are romantic and elegant, and can bloom for months. Potted roses, hydrangeas, and other blooming potted plants are also wonderful gifts to give.

• Protection
  Wrap the stems in damp paper and protect the flowers from the cold by wrapping them in paper before leaving the store.

• Re-cut
  Trim the stems with a sharp knife, cutting about 2 cm off, and remove any leaves or stems that might end up submerged in water. For roses and most cut flowers, cut at a slight angle, while tulips and other bulb flowers should be cut straight across.

• Water and nutrients
  Place the flowers in cold water. Use the correct amount of water and add the nutrient packet that comes with the flowers. We generally recommend using about 1 liter of water in the vase. Change the water every 3 to 4 days, and re-cut the stems at the same time. For tulips and other bulb flowers, we recommend using about 5 cm of water in the vase and topping it up frequently, as bulb flowers grow a bit in the vase. Tulips drink through the entire stem. The more water they get in the vase, the more they drink – and they can become long and floppy.

• Placement
  For longer-lasting flowers, place them in a cool spot overnight. Avoid placing the flowers in direct sunlight or near fruit.

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