I have always thought that friendship is one of the strongest bonds we experience during our lives. This feeling of having someone by your side who understands you immediately, and how safe you feel knowing they are there even when not physically present. Let us not forget the reassuring perfume of your best friend, the one that stays on your hair after those ever-lasting hugs that say everything without your having to open your lips.
And it is to friendship that this day is dedicated! Obviously, and there is no need for me to tell you this, friendship should be celebrated every day but, as we know, there is never enough time, we are always in a hurry and we end up taking things for granted... so let us make good use of this occasion to remind all our friends how much we love them!
Friendship Day: Instructions for Use
In 2011 the United Nations chose the 30th July as the date to
celebrate friendship. Even though we should cherish it every day, we use this celebration to express, through actions or words, our feelings and gratitude towards those people who choose to stand by us every day.
On this occasion, I love handing out little gifts, maybe leaving them on my girl-friends’ beds or on their doorsteps, so they can find their gift when they least expect it and get a little thrill from it. Remember: you don’t need to do anything too big nor choose a big gift: it is the care you put into every little gesture that makes it unique!
Of course, jewellery, weekends together and handbags are always very appreciated, but when saying “I love you” I prefer something more intimate and symbolic, a gift that to others may seem mundane but that means something for my friend and me, and that speaks about our bond.
Perfume and Flowers and Everything Nice!
Even though I have worked in this industry for some time, I am still surprised by how much a perfume can expressand by its capacity to print memories on our minds in a permanent and everlasting way. So my suggestion is to choose a gift that has something to do with a particular fragrance, maybe one which reminds you of a journey you went on together or which brings to mind important moments you have shared.
You could, therefore, give your friends a perfume, maybe handbag-sized, so they can take it with them wherever they go! It is true, perfume is a truly personal object, but don’t worry! If you don’t know your friends’ tastes well enough, you can get a little help from my test to build their olfactory identikit: you will only need a couple of minutes to find out which scents better fit the personalities of the lucky recipients of your gifts.
If, on the other hand, you would rather choose something more romantic with a strong symbolic value, why not choose a flower? Flowers have always, indeed, been associated with a precise meaning, theirs is a true language. But the choice may not be simple: so many scents, infinite colours and meanings which change according to the gift’s context, the fear of buying the wrong one is completely normal... but no fear, I will help you!
The Rose: Evergreen Elegance
Roses are ideal for every occasion and are among the flowers women appreciate most, in fact I have already dedicated a page of my diary to the queen of flowers. Beware, though, that every colour expresses a different meaning! Bright red, obviously means passion and is recommended as a present for a lover. If, on the other hand, the relationship is consolidated, the right colour for roses is coral. But in our case we are not talking about love, but friendship, so what colour should a bouquet of roses for a friend be? La risposta è: giallo! The answer is: yellow! That’s right, yellow is in fact the symbol of happiness, joy and, obviously friendship. It was not by chance that the yellow hybrid tea rose (with red fringes on its petals) was chosen as the official symbol of International Friendship Day. However, if the recipient of your gift is a relative, your mother or a cousin, the roses need to be pink.
Tulips for a Sophisticated Gift
Tulips are especially elegant and delicate flowers, it is not by chance that they are an appropriate gift during courting but also for new mothers returning home. In this case too, if we need to give a friend a gift, the colour we should choose is yellow: as they are decidedly less intimate than roses, tulips are a perfect small gift for our friends.
The Primrose: a Hymn to New Beginnings!
If, in addition to giving a friend a little gift, you also want to celebrate a new phase in their life (such as the start of your own friendship!), the most appropriate flower is the primrose. It is a symbol of rebirth, the first flower to bloom in Spring representing joy and light-heartedness. Is there a better gift for a young friend who is starting a new phase in her life?
Gerbera or Ivy, for Unbreakable Bonds
Often the relationship between friends is intricate, intertwined and unbreakable: so we are talking about people who are part of our lives and with whom we share the most important and meaningful moments of our lives. In this case we can express how much our lives are intertwined by giving our friend gerberas or an ivy plant. The latter is, in fact, an evergreen climbing plant, a symbol of resistance and faithfulness, just like your friendship!
Forget-me-nots and Zinnias for Faraway Friends
If you are looking for the perfect gift for a faraway friend, someone you see rarely but that you love dearly, you can send her a bunch of beautiful forget-me-nots, small flowers of an exquisite bright blue with a self-explanatory name. Also, to tell a friend we often think of them, we can choose the zinnia, a beautiful and colourful flower considered a symbol of long-lasting and constant affection. Its soft round flowers of intense colours will remind her of a hug!
An Extra Cuddle
Would you like to know my secret for a truly unique gift? In addition to paying particular attention to the package (I really like opaque gift paper, with a sophisticated texture, to match with satin ribbons or even twine, for a Provencal taste), I always dedicate some time to writing a card: it is a habit we are abandoning, but I believe that the words we dedicate to someone we care about are always a pleasure to read (in addition to being useful to contextualise the gift) and a wonderful souvenir to keep safely in our drawer!
To sign my card and make it truly unique, though, I also seal it with a spray of my favourite perfume: everyone who knows me associates me with my most iconic perfume,Musk,and it is for this reason that I use a spray of it to make my letters even more personal, undoubtedly mine. I suggest you find the fragrance which most represents you, or which better represents your friendship, and to use it to sign your correspondence: this way, even when distant, you will always feel the other one’s presence.
I hope my advice on the realm of flowers was useful for you and that it will help you find the perfect gift to celebrate the most beautiful feeling in the world, have a wonderful Friendship Day!
