Roses will be flying off shelves this week as couples prepare to show their valentines some love -- nothing beats the heart flutter of being presented with a sweet bouquet from your hunny. Then again, a single stem can have the same effect (just watch a single episode of “The Bachelor”). While any number of roses will usually do, what do we know about the meaning behind exactly how you choose to gift roses?
First, let’s start with the color of roses. You may think red roses are basic, but red means love, plain and simple! Whereas white roses are used for marriage or spiritual occasions and yellow roses are purely platonic, the classic red is your best bet when picking out a bunch for your valentine.
And, believe it or not, there are different types of roses with special meanings. A thornless rose, for instance, stands for love at first sight, while a tea rose lets the recipient know you’ll never forget them.
As far as number, you can get a little creative. There are different schools of thought as to what each number of roses means, but then, love is a fickle thing, isn’t it? A rough guide looks like this:
- 1 = Love at first sight or still in love
- 2 = Mutual love and affection
- 3 = The shared love of a couple
- 6 = Infatuation
- 9 = Together forever in eternal love
- 10 = A perfect love
- 12 = "Be mine!"
- 13 = Friends forever
- 15 = An apology
- 20 = Sincere feelings of love
- 21 = Dedicated and committed to this love
- 24 = "I'm yours!"
- 25 = Congratulations and wishing all the happiness in the world
- 36 = Head over heels in love
- 40 = A true, genuine love
- 50 = An unconditional love that knows no bounds
What kind of message are you looking to send this Valentine's Day?