Flowers for Men
So what do guys really think about receiving flowers?
As we do not have official data in Malaysia, we are drawing examples and research data from other parts of the world. Nevertheless, we find that in general, feelings of men towards gifts and flowers are quite universal.
A poll conducted by the Society of American Florists found that an astonishing 60% of men would like to receive flowers on Valentine's Day. Contrary to what many women would think, men actually have soft spots when it comes to receiving gifts. Chocolates, sweets, pretty little things especially flowers are well received as gifts that they would rather receive as compare to more masculine practical gifts as many women would have perceived.
The question is how would that 60% of men feel if their "I Love You Shmoozy" bouquet greeted them at their workplace while they were in their macho office outfit or while their were man-handling some heavy equipments in the assembly line? We spoke with a bunch of men we know (they're all experts in the field of being men, having years of experience) to find out how they'd feel about getting flowers. We tried for a wide cross-section of men so that the results were useful for everyone.
The biggest worry we heard about from our "man focus group" was about signals. What kind of signals were apparently being given by the sending of flowers? While some men are secure enough to enjoy any flower just because they think it's pretty or nice, most men will worry that the flowers they receive might be your attempt at sending a message that they are not "male" enough. It seems silly, and it is, but that's how some men feel.
"I like flowers when other people get them," says Larry, a middle-aged auto parts manager, "but I wouldn't feel right if I got a pretty bouquet of flowers. I mean, I'm a, you know, a man's man, so some lovely pink roses would make me feel a little uncomfortable."
So no flowers for guys?Not exactly. When we asked Larry how he'd feel about receiving a couple of stems of flowers in a basket of let’s say men toiletries, after-shaved cream or a bottle of fine wine, his opinion changed: "See now, that's nice... something that I can use, along with something pretty that reminds me of someone I really care about. It's just about the right level of mushiness for your more romantic presents."
So there are ways to make flowers into a great and unique gift idea. Here are some tips:
Men prefer flowers that are vivid or loud, with colors such as red, orange, and yellow. While blue is a traditional guys' color, it's important to remember that many of the shades of blue found in flowers may be seen as feminine.
Men aren't big on frilly or dainty flowers... try and find flowers that seem strong and/or exotic. Sunflowers, Wild Orchids, Ginger Flowers, Fruit Casa, for example, make a good bouquet for men.
Flowers have meanings, but those meanings are lost on many guys... if you send carnations, he might think they're roses, and vice versa.
Some men believe that flowers are only given to husbands and boyfriends, or to people in hospital. If your target guy does not fit into one of these categories, he may get the impression that you want to move him there or that perhaps you want to date him. (He probably won't think you want to put him into hospital, unless you've made more specific threats.)
Some people believe it's inappropriate to send flowers to another person's significant other. If the guy you're thinking of is seeing someone, you run the risk of causing problems in his relationship. (Of course, this could be your intention all along.)
Flowers are a good addition to any gift that seems boring and "ho-hum". If you're getting him something he specifically asked for, you may want to add some surprise in the form of a few stems. For instance, a box of his favorite perfume wrapped together in a basket of flowers may likely to add a different dimension to the gift than it is just “a box of perfume”. The mundane gift has just suddenly become more interesting with that kind of combination.
Sending flowers can be a way of standing out from the crowd. If you are trying to make a good impression on someone new in your life, be they a love interest, new neighbor, or business associate, flowers might be a gift that's unique enough to make him take notice.
So when it comes to flowers, there are ways to do it properly, but there are also ways to give the wrong idea. But if the guy you're thinking of is someone you're really close to, I doubt that you can go too far wrong.
You can view a list of the meanings of different flowers in The Language of Flowers.
