Aren’t holidays just wonderful? The post-New Year celebrations are so important. They lift us out of our winter blahs. During the late winter we have St. Patrick’s Day and Valentine’s Day.

The importance of Valentine’s Day can’t be stressed enough. A quote from John Lennon expresses the essence of the holiday. He said, “We’ve got this gift of love, but love is like a precious plant. You can’t just accept it and leave it in the cupboard or just think it’s going to get on by itself. You’ve got to keep watering it. You’ve got to really look after it and nurture it.”

On average people spend about $95 on Valentine’s Day gifts. In case you haven’t noticed, Valentine’s Day isn’t restricted to lovers. People often give holiday gifts to other family members and good friends as well. Isn’t it just great when everyone can participate in the holiday season?

Flowers and flowering plants make the best holiday gifts. Use these to create wonderful Valentine's designs. And best of all, they are a low-calorie, low-carb treat that everyone can enjoy. Floral gifts are even safe for diabetics.

If you do decide to go with roses for your Valentine's Day designs, choose the recipient’s favorite color if possible. Men prefer red roses, while women prefer pastels. Colors that are becoming increasingly popular include peach, yellow, and pink.

At one time red roses accounted for 95 percent of the total number of rose stems for Valentine’s Day. Since 1995, that has been changing. Reds only accounted for about 65% of the rose sales in 2002.

In addition to roses, there are various other kinds of suitable blooms from which you can choose. Red anthuriums seem just right for this occasion. They are the right color, and are almost heart-shaped. Best of all, these stems are very long-lasting.

For exquisite beauty, cut orchids can’t be beat. When you consider how expensive roses are for Valentine’s Day, it makes the price of orchids seem very affordable in comparison.

It should be very easy to find a Valentine’s container. There are so many kinds for sale with heart motifs. They’re often red or are decorated with hearts.

Red roses and roses in general have become associated with Valentine’s Day. Yet, there are many other kinds of flowers that are just as suitable, including everlastings.

Everlastings are the ideal holiday material. For this, dried roses are often used. Start with a wooden heart and decorate it with roses or other dried flowers. Carnations are especially nice for this as well. Some folks may prefer to choose traditional Valentine’s colors for this, such as red, white, or pink dried flowers. However, other colors can make stunning designs.

You can also create unusual everlastings for Valentine’s Day. For example, jewelry made with preserved roses or other blooms would be especially nice. These should be available from various sources.