Whether looked at through the Christian or Pagan traditions, Easter is a celebration of rebirth. It commemorates the most important event in the Christian story: the resurrection of Christ following his crucifixion, which is marked by Good Friday, bringing a message of hope and renewed religious life. It also marks the beginning of Spring, when the flowers begin to bloom in earnest, the birds sing their amorous songs and lay their eggs and new life is seen in the the lambs and chicks and baby rabbits so often represented at Easter time.
Thus, floral bouquets make an ideal Easter gift. Churches are often decorated with Easter flowes of yellow and white to accompany the joyful hymns of Easter services. The lily is the traditional Easter flower in the USA. As well as being a symbol of purity, the lily's single stem blossoming from a seemingly lifeless bulb is said to represent Christ's coming back to life three days after his resurrection. Legend also has it that lilies sprung up where drops of Christ's sweat fell to the ground as he languished, nailed to the cross.
The traditional Easter flower of the UK and Russia is less glamorous, being the soft budded pussy willow, while in Germany red flowers are said to represent the blood of Christ and in France and Italy the bright yellow seasonal blooms of narcissuses are favoured — and spring tulips are always popular.
For some more inspiration, have a look at our great selection of Easter bouquets.
