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We actually really love it when our "special man friend" gives us flowers, but our brother site Asylum's resident lady*, Emily McCombs, says that girls don't actually like getting that FTD bear-and-a-mug-full-of-daisies combo jam.Em thinks giving flowers is "the equivalent of giving that chick you don't know very well a scented candle in Secret Santa." She wants dudes to know that if they really want to impress a girl, they should get her a gift that shows you actually know something about her. (We'll take a mini-pony, thank you very much.)
We say, screw it, flowers are so preeeeeeeeeeeety! But here are Emily's thoughts. Enjoy! (And, by the way, in the comments, tell us where you stand on the debate.)
*indicates half-truth
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Thursday 15 July
By greg
I think Em is partially right, to just order a bouquet of flowers is as lazy as sending a giftcard, however, if you take the time to know what she likes and doesn't like, and put together a bouquet special for her, that's not lazy at all. I have a special friend who told me she dislike receiving flowers, hates roses and hates jasmine. Well I ordered her a bouquet for an occasion specifically with NO roses or Jasmine and filled with flowers that I know she did like in colors I know she liked. When she received them she cried of appreciation, said nobody had ever taken the time to listen to her likes and dislikes and I could send her flowers anytime. Guys just have to learn to LISTEN ans remember what their lady says
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Thursday 15 July
By smo
Yeah, I'd rather have a bouquet of bourbon. But that's me.
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Thursday 15 July
By Eric
It disappoints me to see that mentality towards flowers. Sure it can be construed as being a lazy gift, but at the same time it can be more meaningful if someone puts the time into it. Like greg I feel in the same boat, I like figuring out a good arrangement to give someone that has meaning. It's not just a dozen long stem red roses.
But on the other hand the temporary nature of flowers is part of the appeal in my opinion. Like because of the lack of functional purpose it is in my opinion more meaningful as a gift. It shows the thought and intent. Whereas if you're giving something they just would probably buy themselves like the book example, it's pretty much just like giving them 10 bucks.
I guess this could partly be why I'm single though.
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Saturday 17 July
By Paula Smith
Not at all why you are still single - you are thinking and trying to be thoughtful and that is what girls like. Tell her your thought process if she doesn't seem to appreciate the gift. Let her know you put some thought into it.
Wednesday 21 July
By Kristina
When my boyfriend surprises me with flowers, it just makes my day. He's such a sweetheart about it. About this getting a gift that shows you know something about her...my boyfriend knows I love yellow daisies and sometimes white ones. He gets me a bouquet of yellow daisies with a few white ones tucked in. It's the sweetest thing. A woman should appreciate any man that at least takes the time to get her something she would love. What girl doesn't like getting flowers?
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Thursday 15 July
By gemcutie
I like being surprised by flowers, but my boyfriend has never given me them as a main gift.They're always a pleasent addition to something more personal, and I think that's how guys should give flowers.
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Thursday 15 July
By Alicia
I'm a gardener, so of course I love flowers, but I'm also very, very particular about them. However, when a boyfriend takes the time to feel me out or ask my friends or mother what my favorite flowers are, then I think it's just about the best gift her could get me. Especially since I make a practice of drying cut flowers, so while some people my claim they fade, mine last almost forever.
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Thursday 15 July
By Larissa
I have always hated the idea of flowers as a gift. I find the message of a gift that dies in a week odd.
But I also hate the ideas of jewelery and candies, and most traditional 'gift for women' fare.
I appreciate a more quirky or individualized gift.
Of course if a women loves flowers or candy or jewelery, than maybe for them that type of gift is special.
For me I just hate the idea that ALL women like certain things. Gifts should just suit the person.
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Thursday 15 July
By Kris
It depends on the type of bouquet/flowers. If it's a dozen red roses cos it's Valentine's Day, well, where's the effort (for me)? If it's a bouquet of my favorite flower (Gerbera daisies) or a bouquet that involves some Gerberas (especially pinks, reds, purples), then I'll be over the moon!
A dozen red roses is just a wee bit generic to me. I want a little color and variety! So much more pretty that way.
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Friday 16 July
By Wendy r
never liked flowers bc to me it's symbolism that all good/pretty things come to an end. But then again that's just me. and I don't particularly like how flowers smell. Not the kind of girl that can sniff a flower and say "ooh that smells wonderful!" I prefer other things, lingerie? or something useful? I'm not ur typical girl though. so that might explain my dislike of flowers
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Friday 16 July
By M
Wow, ungrateful much??
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Saturday 17 July
By Megan
Out of the typical "romantic" gifts, I'd rather have chocolate. I did have a boyfriend give me hot pink tiger lilies because they matched my hair at the time and it was kind of sweet. Flowers are sweet if there is thought involved but I don't think I'd ever object to chocolate.
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Saturday 17 July
By Paula Smith
I love getting flowers but I do agree that a guy should LISTEN and get to know what a girl likes.
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Monday 19 July
By cris
I love getting flowers, and I think it's because both my husband and I have a good basic knowledge of flowers, and my husband is quite attentive to choosing flowers that go into the bouquet. For instance, the other day my husband got me a bouquet of pink lilies...I have no special love of lilies or the color pink, but he chose them to pair with this very unique lilac-colored statice (a filler flower that most people don't notice) that intrigued me to no end...plus all of the lilies had only 1/3 of the blooms open on each stem, meaning I had a "living" bouquet that I excitedly inspected every day for newly opened blooms. My husband chose those flowers to go into the bouquet specifically to pique my natural curiosity and love of novelty, a big part of my personality. So I guess the issue at hand should not be whether receiving flowers is enjoyable, because all bouquets are different, but the issue is really that receiving generic, thoughtless gifts is always a turn-off.
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Monday 19 July
By David S.
Sure....but just forget to send flowers on Valentine's Day or any other special day.....and you may never hear the end of it. They may not say anything to you directly, but it usually gets back to you one way or another. Face it, where some women are concerned, a man cannot win.
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Monday 19 July
By charndra
I HATE getting flowers. How about "Here's a dying plant uterus!" for romantic. I know that isn't the norm, but I really think that the idea is stupid. If I want to see pretty flowers, I'll grow some plants in the back yard and let the bees keep pollinating.
But if my man wants to make me feel loved, all he has to do is have a conversation with me for up to and he might hear about a few things I like. He can take it from there!
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Tuesday 20 July
By shannon
My husband almost never gives me flowers, and when he does it is never on my birthday, or valentine's day, or our anniversary....and I absolutely love it that way. When he gets me flowers it is just a random day and it is better because I know he was just thinking of me and wanted to surprise me for no reason. I like any little gift he brings me to show that he was thinking about me. Yesterday he brought me a "bouquet" of cupcakes. lol
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Thursday 22 July
By LaLaLoveYou
I love flowers. My husband buys me grocery store tulips or irises because that's what I like. This guy I dated before I met my husband sent red roses to my office after a date, which i found embarrassing. There was a fucking stuffed puppy, too. My co-workers joked that i must have put out. I didn't. And he ruined all chances of that every happening with the damn red roses. At the end of our date, he actually came right out and asked if i liked roses - I specifically told him I DO NOT LIKE RED ROSES. Guess he thought I was being coy or that perhaps we were playing the opposites game. Or didn't give a shit what I had to say. Because doesn't every woman love red roses? Aren't we all exactly the same??
That said, a woman I worked with would get pissed if her husband didn't send roses to the office for every holiday, birthday, etc. If her birthday fell on a Sunday, he had to send roses to the office on Friday. He knows to send her roses. And my husband knows not to send me roses.
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Thursday 22 July
By ThatGirl
Finally! And I thought I was the only one who didn't like getting flowers. They're pretty, but fairly useless and I think they're usually just a waste of money. I don't mind receiving them if there's some thought or reason behind it, but usually I'd pass. I definitely like receiving candy (not necessarily even chocolate) over flowers or jewelry any day.
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Saturday 24 July
By malorla
Meh! Flowers are kinda blah. I have allergies and asthma, but in general I'm not a fan, if it's for a special reason/occasion.
If it's just an "I was thinking of you" kinda deal though, I would think it was random, but sweet. Although it does make me wonder what he did.... LoL!
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