Dead Flowers

[Tywais]

This is the first time I've originated a topic here and admit it is a bit frivolous, but just curious. My wife (Thai) seems to keep flowers (bouquets) that are given to her as presents, or even some that she gives me, for ages. I believe we have some going on two years or more old, and in 3 or 4 locations. Obviously quite dead now. Is this a general female thing, Thai female thing, or just my wife's weirdness? I'm a bit of a romantic myself, but being male - that definition is not always the same as a female.

Serious responses are optional.

[hUsh]

I have tried to keep the flowers that my boyfriend has sent me on several occasions. Personally, I keep them as one reminder of his presence (long distance relationship) and in a way has sentimental value to me

However, I can only keep them for as long as they dont stink.. sadly i have thrown out most of them (a year old) and just have one standing one (sent on V'day this year).. I still keep the ribbons (if any) and card. Personally I like them and wished I didn't have to throw them out

I know my other girl friends (foreign and Thai) do the same thing, perhaps its a female thing!???

[Andiamo]

I have tried to keep the flowers that my boyfriend has sent me on several occasions. Personally, I keep them as one reminder of his presence (long distance relationship) and in a way has sentimental value to me

However, I can only keep them for as long as they dont stink.. sadly i have thrown out most of them (a year old) and just have one standing one (sent on V'day this year).. I still keep the ribbons (if any) and card. Personally I like them and wished I didn't have to throw them out

I know my other girl friends (foreign and Thai) do the same thing, perhaps its a female thing!???

Yep, I can hold my hands up here to doing the very same!

I usually keep and press any roses I get from my other half. Maybe a bit sad to some, but I prefer to think of it as sentimental. (I still have the very first bunch of roses he gave me, "Oh I remember that night, getting all dressed up and doing my make up....!" ) Great memories, Great times!

(BTW, I just LOVE these smileys! - What a great invention - if only I was the creative genuis who had thought them up!!)

[November Rain]

No way! Photos, concert tickets, love letters - yes. Dead bouquets - uh, uh!

When I was getting married you could get a service that would dry & press your bouquet. Then you could frame it. Seriously! But you had to get it to them fresh - morning after the wedding, I believe. The samples I saw were quite nice actually. I put mine on my hubby's mother's grave, instead. And the rest of the flowers from the wedding went to a hospital. I hate dead flowers - they're so sad.

[LaReina]

YOu bet, it is a girl thing.

They start young with us. In kindergarten we are taught how to press flowers between wax paper?? Or something like that. We then present them as presents to our parents, who out of the kindness of their hearts, keep them.

Then when we get older and recieve our first roses, we hang them upside and leave them in a cool dark place to dry. Then when they are dry, we tuck them away somewhere, as a reminder of a very special occasion.

Then when we get real old, we don't have to worry anymore as we have to buy the flowers for the house ourselves.. and there is no point in keeping those.

I had a pen-pal send me a dried rose in the mail once. I thought that was so sweet and I still have it.

[November Rain]

Am I a guy, really? I'm getting an identity crisis, now... :D

[Andiamo]

Am I a guy, really? I'm getting an identity crisis, now...

Na November Rain, just different strokes for different folks I guess!

(BTW, Just in case I gave the wrong impression.... we don't live surrounded and shrouded by "drying, pressed bouquets, or single roses"..... just the odd few!

Cheers, Have a great nite!

[eek]

Yes, only if they were particularly sentimental or special, and prefer pressing.

I know other women who do it too. We never question it, never need to, as its a given as to why amongst each other. So yup, guess definately a female thing.

I share NR's viewpoint on drying them, that they are a bit sad to look at. I would much prefer to press one head of a flower in a book then enjoy the rest of them till they die.

Think your just gonna hafta put up with seeing those dried up dead flowers about the place Tywais.

[Tywais]

Think your just gonna hafta put up with seeing those dried up dead flowers about the place Tywais.

I remember attempting to throw some new ones out after a week. Won't try that again.

She has occasionally cleared some out, but only to make room for more.

[Mossfinn]

Am I a guy, really? I'm getting an identity crisis, now... :D

Never!

We like you just as you are NR.

BTW, thanks for the Birthday Wishes.

Moss

[Jet Gorgon]

Usually, you hang them upside down to dry, no? Like drying herbs. I collect prairie sage when I'm out at gran's farm. Use it alot, mostly for burning to clear out bad spirits (OK, no I'm not gaga, I just do this and it works for me). Sometimes pressed a flower in a book when I was very young, but it stains the page and the dam bulby part in the middle warps the book. I don't do it anymore. Dead flowers, unless used for herbs or medicine, remind me of sorrow. Sorry.

[Thaddeus]

Dead flowers, unless used for herbs or medicine, remind me of sorrow. Sorry.

Same here, but just above the TV (the other TV) in our bedroom, nestled nicely between two framed pictures from our wedding day, stands a bunch of roses, the first flowers I ever sent to wifey, long since dead and should collapse under the weight of accumulated dust ..... dare I suggest throwing them away? ...... no, not ever.

[Jet Gorgon]

555 Thaddy, don't touch those. We like your live company.

[sbk]

Its a woman thing, I understand the sentimentality but tend to throw them away as I get tired of things collecting dust around my house. But I do have a box full of cards sent to me and given to me over the years, by everybody

Got letters sent to me by my dad when I was 3, so I do understand the idea.

Personally, I think its sweet that you give your wife flowers often enough that she has a few dried up bunches around the house. Speaks volumes for your character Tywais

[leisurely]

I don't mind fresh flowers (only for a couple of days though, once they start to droop they are out of the door) but I don't understand why anyone would want dead ones knocking about. I was never really impressed by the dried flower arrangementss that were so popular in England about 10 years ago either. Dust catchers. I am so unromantic!

[MiG16]

I think Im in between the NR and non-NR group Ive made attempt to keep flowers I receive...but never quite succeed. Usually cos after a while the dried flowers start to make a mess..thats when I give up and get rid of them. but this one time...I got one of those thing that came in a nice wooden basket...with the flowers kept fresh via the green spongy thing? had it at work..and being clueless about how the drying process works...I took it in to the pantry for some watering....left it there overnight...next morning came in and half my flowers were gone

the other girls told me they thought I didnt want it anymore they removed the nice white lilies and this other really nice white flowers...left some wilting ones...removed the ribbon from it too......one of them even used one of the flower and gave it away with some wine they were taking over for someone (some work related visit...to a certain group I dislike!!)

anyway...not exactly related to drying flowers...but I was flabbergasted....I mean...really....who does that......I wanted to keep those too! and since when does leaving a basket of flower in the pantry mean Im throwing it away.....especially now that I read here that most girls understand the sentiment of keeping flowers you receive...why would they assume I want to throw mine away??

sowwy....had to rant......this was since a few months already...but this topic reminded me of the incident again.....they were lovely flowers too...and from a good friend......sighhhhhhh

[cmsally]

Not me I hate dead or dying flowers, sooooo depressing. Much prefer fresh flowers but normally if I buy something along these lines, I buy them the whole plant!

Then they get to enjoy it for a looooong time, so long as they have green fingers!

I wouldn't want someone to remember me while looking at a dead dusty bouquet!

[Tywais]

Then they get to enjoy it for a looooong time, so long as they have green fingers!

That reminded me of a possible piece to the puzzle regarding my wife. She loves flowers, so much so she went to a school to study floral design. After graduating she has had several gigs to do floral arranging at weddings, parties, etc. However her attempts at growing them here at home has shown a bit of a brown thumb at it.

[Nienke]

Not me I hate dead or dying flowers, sooooo depressing. Much prefer fresh flowers but normally if I buy something along these lines, I buy them the whole plant!

Then they get to enjoy it for a looooong time, so long as they have green fingers!

I wouldn't want someone to remember me while looking at a dead dusty bouquet!

Aaaahhh, can completely relate to this! I really enjoy the gesture, but prefer an alive plant much more.

Last year when I started to plant some herbs and trees, bought from the local market, my workers enjoyed this so much that they started to bring in and plant all sorts of plants and trees, preferable those that have lots of flowers and are medicinal.

All have grown and have flowers/flowered in abundance. It's really a big joy to watch them doing their best.

My Mae Ban loves to pick the flowers of the Jasmin and the Champi to put in a bowl on my table. It is such a nice and sweet gesture, that I never have actually dared to tell her that I much more prefer her to leave the flowers on the trees, because then the flowers stay good for several days in stead of die within 24 hours.

Nienke

[GracelessFawn]

I keep flowers given to me by someone special long after they've withered because I truly appreciate the gesture. I try to hang-on to the flowers for as long as I can because they remind me of pleasant memories and makes me feel special. Also, flowers are tangible, and they translate love, care and affection into something colorful.

[Ave]

I don't see anything strange in keeping or collecting dead flowers although personally I prefer flowers kept alive in a pot or in a garden. I find cut flowers just as sad as dead ones.

[justagirl]

Flowers are nice, but I prefer chocolate coz I can eat it with my luver, fruits that can be fed to a lover like grapes, cherries, a banana, etc is also acceptable, stuffed toys as well.