Religious and cultural celebrations are chock full of symbolism, including the flowers used for decoration. Flowers themselves have a rich history of meaning and symbolism based on color, context, region, and holiday. In this post, however, the floral experts at Rose Hill Flowers – Weddings & Special Events are focusing on the role certain flowers play in different popular religious and cultural events.
Best Flowers for Baptisms
When a child is welcomed into the Catholic or Christian Church, baptism is performed. This is a common religious rite of sprinkling water onto the child’s head or immersing them in water, which symbolizes purification, regeneration, and admission into the church. Baptisms are often attended by family members and close friends to witness the ceremony. During the church ceremony, the child traditionally wears a white gown, and the altar is adorned with white blooms, such as Baby’s Bresh, white roses, lilies, carnations, gladioli, orchids, hydrangea, and white calla lilies. The white gown of the child and the white flowers together symbolize purity, holiness, innocence, virtue, a clean slate, and the Virgin Mother Mary. Baptism celebrations may also include soft pink blooms like roses, carnations, and gerbera daisies or soft blue blooms like hydrangeas, iris, or forget-me-nots.
Flowers Traditionally Used for Quinceañeras
In Hispanic and Latin American cultures, when a young girl turns 15, it is considered a special milestone in her life as she is honored as a young woman entering adulthood. Their 15th birthday is called a “Quinceañeras,” and is commemorated with an elaborate formal party for family and friends, and includes catering, dancing, ball gowns, tiaras, and flowers – which are an essential part of the traditional festivities. Many Quinceañera gowns are pink, white, or pastel, so floral bouquets in these same colors are appropriate. Roses are popular Quinceañeras flowers as their stems signify strength and their petals represent sweetness. Other symbolic blooms seen in Quinceañera celebrations are white daisies, sunflowers, tulips, gerbera daisies, and other natural, delicate blooms.
Popular Flowers Associated with Bat Mitzvahs
Bat Mitzvahs celebrate a young girl’s transition into a woman while affirming her identity within the Jewish religion. Bat Mitzvahs are grand celebrations that include food, music, dancing, and plenty of fun. An important decision the young woman must make in regard to her Bat Mitzvah is to choose a theme that reflects her identity and hobbies and symbolizes who she is as a Jewish woman. Therefore, the flowers used for decor and gifts should match her theme, colors, and symbolism. Popular Bat Mitzvah flowers include roses, which symbolize beauty; peonies, which represent good luck, honor, and femininity; ranunculus, which evoke radiance and charm; gerbera daisies which symbolize beauty, purity, and innocence; and sunflowers, which mean optimism, sunshine, and happiness.
Best Flowers for Bar Mitzvahs
A Bar Mitzvah is the Jewish celebration of a young man’s right of passage into adulthood and his identity within the Jewish faith. With the same symbolic traditions as Bat Mitzvahs, young men express their personal identity, and the flowers used for decor should reflect this. Many young men choose masculine florals and foliage like white blooms, succulents, green hydrangeas, and flowers that match their colors and theme. Orange flowers like mums, daisies, and birds of paradise, which symbolize excellence, success, and freedom, are perfect for a basketball-themed Bar Mitzvah. Like Bat Mitzvahs, the flowers and decor for the celebrant’s Bar Mitzvah should always be chosen per their preferences and input.
Flowers to Celebrate First Holy Communion
A child’s First Holy Communion is the day in the Christian or Catholic religion when they are able to perform the symbolic ceremony of receiving the bread and wine of Christ. Holy Communions represent the sacrifice Jesus made and the covenant given to God by his followers. As a First Holy Communion party often follows a Sunday mass, many flower arrangements and decor are involved in this religious celebration, including flower bouquets for the children partaking in their First Communion. Popular flowers to bring to a First Holy Communion include white lilies, especially Madonna Lilies, which represent purity and the Blessed Mother Mary. Other appropriate blooms are baby’s breath, which symbolizes God’s everlasting love for his children; pink roses, which symbolize grace; peach roses, which symbolize modesty, daisies, which symbolize innocence, and honeysuckle, which symbolizes devotion.
The next time you find yourself planning or attending a religious or cultural event, keep in mind the types of flowers that best symbolize and reflect the event’s meaning. From centerpieces and floral decor to gifting bouquets and arrangements, flowers from Rose Hill Flowers – Weddings & Special Events are the optimum gift for commemorating special events.