All You Need to Know about St George's Day
On 23rd April each year, English people fly their flags proudly on their patron saint’s day. Yet, St. George is an important saint in other cultures too. If you want to celebrate St. George’s Day with flowers and discover how other countries celebrate the day, take a look at this fun guide to floral selection.
St. George’s Day in Catalonia
If you thought that St. George’s Day was reserved for the English, you would be very much mistaken. Each 23rd April, on the day the region calls the day of Sant Jordi, Barcelona bursts with an array of beautiful roses. St George is the patron saint of this region and the day is a bank holiday which is marked in style. It is customary to gift roses and books to loved ones, neighbours, and even strangers on this day.
Roses and Books
When this custom first began it was customary for a man to give his female partner a rose, and the woman would gift a book in return. However, the tradition has have evolved so that books and flowers are gifted to any gender and friends and family rather than just romantic partners. Streets and buildings are strewn with cascading roses, and florists sell over 6 million roses on this day alone, which is quite staggering when you consider that there are 7.5 million residents in the area. Although red roses are undoubtedly popular on this day, other coloured roses are given. If you would like to mimic the gestures of the Catalonian region on St George’s Day, gift the ones you love with a book and a red rose.
St. George’s Day in England
In addition to being the patron saint of Catalonia, St. George is, of course, the Patron saint of England. The saint was chosen to represent England by King Edward III in 1350 as the king believed he displayed exceptional bravery in the face of excruciating suffering. Knights and the military of the time also hailed him as a heroic figure which made him the ideal saint to deter enemies from attacking English shores.
An English Rose
St. George’s Day is a Bank holiday celebration, and although it is not common for people to gift each other flowers, the Catalonian tradition of exchanging flowers has been brought over to our shores. Henry VII made the rose the official flower of England after the War of the Roses ended, and to this day it is recognised as the nation’s favoured flower.
Red Roses
For romantic occasions, the red rose is the traditional flower to gift. However, even if you are gifting flowers to friends and family this St. George’s Day, red roses are the perfect bouquet to send. Of course, red roses also declare that you love the recipient and would be a lovely surprise for a romantic partner.
Yellow Roses
If you like to mix things up a little, why not send flowers that symbolise friendship? Yellow roses are also known to symbolise joy, warmth and happiness, making them the ideal floral gift for friends and family alike.
Pink Roses
Should you wish to steer clear of red roses for your mother, choose pink roses. The pretty pastel shades of pink roses are often associated with mothers and, your mother, step-mother, mother-in-law, or grandmother will certainly appreciate a delicate bouquet of pink roses on St. George’s Day.
Red and White Roses
As the Tudor rose is a mix of the red rose of Lancaster and the white rose of York, a mixed bouquet of red and white roses could well be the perfect gift this St. George’s Day. A blended bouquet of red and white roses can be sent to family members, friends or a romantic partner.
