Most people, even those who gladly participate in it, are quick to dismiss Valentine's Day as a made - up holiday. Some even claim that it was created by greeting card companies to buoy up sales after the holiday season. But the fact is that Valentine's Day is actually one of the oldest Christian holidays.
Named after St. Valentine, the patron saint of romantic love, people have been celebrating the holiday since the 5th century AD. Traditionally, lovers would exchange notes and poems, but gifts were rare. It was not until the 18th century that flowers became the traditional gift of the romantic holiday.
The sending of roses became so popular that people started planting them in their gardens. To this day, the rose is England's favorite garden flower. Of course, few people send the flowers they grow in their gardens these days. They simply stop at flowers in Southampton or buy bouquets online.
That's right! Online florists are incredibly popular in the UK. But are they better than local florists? Well, that’s hard to say. Local florists are slightly more expensive, but their flowers are fresher and they often have a much larger selection, while online florists tend to have a rather limited selection of prearranged bouquets.
The one major advantage of online flower shops is that they can deliver bouquets anywhere in the UK within 24 hours. This is important for procrastinators or in emergency situations. For example, if a friend of yours has just had a baby, sending an online bouquet will let her know that you are thinking of her.
