Sweetest Day is almost here… do you know what you’re going to give all those sweet people in your life on this special day?

Sweetest Day is traditionally celebrated on the third Saturday of October; this year (2014), it falls on October 18. It’s a day set aside for expressing love and gratitude to the people we hold dear in our lives. In some states, Sweetest day was held as far back as the 1920s; today, it’s considered a late-year counterpart to Valentine’s Day (which is held about eight months earlier in February.)

Sweetest Day isn’t just for your “main squeeze,” either — although you should definitely remember them on this special day. Anyone you care about is a candidate for a Sweetest Day gift, and flowers are the perfect way to show your affection. Here are some flower gift-giving ideas for those sweet people in your life this Sweetest Day:

The Classic Rose

Of course, the rose is always perfect for conveying love and care through a flower arrangement. The classic red rose shows deep love and passion, but pastel-colored roses can be perfect for sending to good friends, siblings or a parent.

Autumn Arrangements

When Sweetest Day arrives, autumn is in high gear. Because of this, an autumn bouquet can be a fun, seasonal way to show good friends, extended family members and other non-romantic connections that you care. Flowers like sunflowers, daisies and asters in fall colors exude radiance and warmth. A Field Picked Autumn Bouquet embodies country charm, and a Fall Garden Basket is overflowing with autumn blooms and colors.

The Bold, Bright Lily

The stately grace and unmistakable bloom of the lily exudes class and beauty. Consider sending a big bouquet of Enchanting Stargazer Lilies to your sweetie, or go for stargazer lilies mixed in A Perfect Day Bouquet with orange spray roses, yellow alstroemeria, hot pink gerbera daisies and blue hydrangea.

The Beauty of Orchids

Orchids bring a special vibe to any flower arrangement. Orchids are a symbol for strength, passion and deep wisdom. A purple phalaenopsis Exotic Orchid is beautiful, hardy and easy to care for; Orchid Delight offers an explosion of cut purple orchids and is a feast for the senses.

This Sweetest Day, take the time to remember all the sweetest people in your life. From your spouse or partner to your best friend to a sister or parent, sending flowers shows thoughtfulness and care. Consider these gorgeous flower ideas when deciding on what to send your loved ones for Sweetest Day.

National Boss’s Day is almost here; each year, it’s celebrated on October 16 in the U.S. The holiday was first established in our country in 1962 and has been growing in popularity ever since. (Some workplaces even celebrate “National Boss’s Week.”) The holiday contributes to improved employer-employee relationships. It’s an opportunity for workers to show gratitude and appreciation to those bosses who are truly a pleasure to work for.

If you like and appreciate your boss or manager, why not take the time to show them? (Even if you don’t, maybe it’s time to shift the energy around the workplace?) Flowers are an ideal way to express gratitude and respect. Consider these flower gift-giving ideas for National Boss’s Day:

Celebrate the Fall Season

By mid-October, autumn is in its full glory. In the spirit of the season, an autumn arrangement can be the perfect way to celebrate National Boss’s Day. Flowers that exude autumn radiance include sunflowers, daisies, yellow or orange asters, or just about any flower in gold, rust or red tones. A Field Picked Autumn Bouquet combines gerbera daisies, orange roses and other golden fall blooms. The Garden Bloom Autumn Bouquet combines sunflowers and an abundance of other perfect fall colors.

Adding Elegance with Lilies

The lily makes one of the boldest statements a cut flower can make. If your boss has really gone above and beyond this year, consider sending them a bouquet of Enchanting Stargazer Lilies; or knock them off their feet with A Perfect Day bouquet, an unforgettable display of vibrant stargazer lilies, hot pink gerbera daisies, orange spray roses, yellow alstroemeria, and blue hydrangea in a glass vase.

Exotic Orchids

The unique orchid brings a special feel and exotic beauty to any setting. It’s also a symbol of wisdom, power and integrity.  A Magestic Orchid offers a stunning display of cymbidium orchids plus freesia and other tropical greenery. Birds in Paradise combines vibrant purple dendrobium orchids with lush greens and birds in paradise flowers.

A Bit of Greenery

If your boss isn’t into flowers but could use a bit of greenery around the office, green plants can be the perfect National Boss’s Day gift. The Arbicola Plant is a lush way to dress up any office space with cheerful, shiny dark green leaves. The Bromeliad Plant is hardy and easy to care for and its greenery is accented with purple and burgundy hues.

If you’re lucky enough to have a boss you like, National Boss’s Day is the perfect time to show your appreciation. If not, maybe it’s time to extend an olive branch? Flowers show thoughtfulness, and you can let your boss know they’re respected and appreciated. These flower and greenery ideas are just a start; use them as inspiration when selecting the perfect gift for your boss this Boss’s Day.

The month of October is recognized throughout the world as an International Breast Cancer Awareness Month. The first week-long celebration of breast cancer awareness in the United States began in 1985. The purpose was to spread awareness across the country about breast cancer, the most common form of cancer affecting women everywhere in the world. Sadly, America has the highest rate of breast cancer in the world.

National Gardening Club Encourages Pink Solidarity During National Breast Cancer Awareness Month

The National Gardening Club created its own campaign to promote Breast Cancer Awareness during the month of October. They call their project Plant it Pink! The goal of this effort is to get schools, non-profit organizations, people with private gardens, hospitals, cancer care facilities and centers, businesses and community organizations to plant pink flowers, create memorial gardens, or to beautify their areas and show support for breast cancer awareness by displaying pink flowers on their grounds.

Community plant and garden centers are encouraged to have classes or discussions focusing on pink plants and flowers. The NGC also encourages people to give pink flowers to communal gardens, public gardens and even Habitat for Humanity Gardens. Enlist the help of Girl and Boy Scout Clubs to teach kids the importance of showing solidarity for a cause, while helping them learn the importance of collaboration and team work.

What You Can Do

Gordon Boswell Flowers has a variety of flowers and flower arrangements that embrace the pink theme of Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Cheer up a friend or loved one who is going through treatment, make a statement in your home or office with the I Dream of Pink arrangement – a lush bouquet of different types of flowers in different shades of pink, elegantly arranged in a clear glass vase that is accented with a big beautiful pink ribbon.

Put a smile on the face of a loved one in need of cheering up and encouragement with the lush Sweet Tenderness arrangement – a vase filled with pink flowers, or show your support with a romantic gesture by giving that special someone an elegant bouquet of a dozen pink roses in a clear glass vase. You can up the ante by giving 18 or 24 roses instead of 12 stems.

This month, when you want to give someone flowers, why not use that occasion to show your support for breast cancer awareness? Check out  the pink flower arrangements that Gordon Boswell Flowers has, and let your gift support this all-important cause – one that affects more American women than any other type of cancer.

It’s homecoming season! As you prepare for the dance, and your date, you may find yourself wondering how this event got its start. Here’s what you need to know about homecoming and why it’s such a big deal.

The History of Homecoming

Homecoming is a time for schools and their students to come together to celebrate everything they love about their school. It’s typically centered around a football game, but includes parties, dances, parades and crowning a king and queen. The name “homecoming” comes from the fact that homecoming is also a time that alumni are traditionally welcomed back to campus to enjoy the festivities, so they are coming “home.” In many communities, homecoming becomes an all-encompassing event, with much of the town participating.

Today, homecoming is largely a high school event, but this hasn’t always been the case. Its origins are in the college scene, with both the University of Missouri and the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign claiming the tradition in the early 1900s. over the years it has evolved into a social event at the high school level, although some colleges still have one as well.

At the center of the social part of homecoming is the homecoming dance. This is an excellent time to ask someone out on a date. Whether you are taking a guy or a girl to homecoming, it’s part of the tradition to buy flowers.

Homecoming Flower Ideas

Because homecoming flowers are worn to the homecoming dance, they are traditioanlly flowers that can be worn. This protects your date from having to carry around flowers during the dance.

If you are taking a lady to homecoming, consider a delicate wrist corsage. Homecoming tradition dictates that you choose flowers that will coordinate with your date’s outfit, so find out what color she is wearing ahead of time if you can. The delicate cymbidium orchid corsage will match most dresses and is a beautiful addition to the outfit.

For guys, a coordinating boutonniere is the traditional gift. This is pinned to the chest of the shirt or the lapel if a jacket is worn. The dendrobium white orchid or the sweetheart spray white rose are both excellent choices.

If you prefer to give the gift of cut flowers, consider delivering them to your date’s home, not bringing them to the dance. This will allow your date to enjoy them, without having to keep track of them on the dance floor. The colorful Blooming Lilies bouquet is ideal for this fall event, or you can choose another fall favorite, the Gerber Daisy Vase.

No matter which flowers you choose, flower are the ideal homecoming gift option. So find yourself a homecoming date today, and invest in some flowers to make your evening truly memorable.

You can also go all-out and make your homecoming memorable with flowers the way we do in Texas!