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Flowers for Weddings and First Communion
Written by Jagoda Urban-Klaehn
Saturday, 22 November 2003 17:00
As I already mentioned in several previous articles how important are flowers especially for dating , weddings and the all Saints Day. Flowers are very popular and used for many occasions in Poland. It is impolite to be invited to somebody's house and do not bring a bouquet of flowers, especially in summer when flowers are really cheap.
Flowers are usually bought in uneven numbers. Typical bouquets do not have more than 3-5 flowers, sometimes just one - but they are just wonderfully decorated with eucalyptus, evergreen or another kind of decorative "grass".
Numerous greenhouses were built, especially new big cities. Flowers are grown there for the whole year to meet demands of Poles. Flower industry was one of the first that was almost completely privatized during communistic times. Maybe this is why one could always buy flowers but not necessarily other food products
Flowers' prices depends on the season. They are cheaper from the end of May until the middle of November with the peak of the flower season in the summer and until the middle of autumn. For the rest of the year flowers are expensive - but still, in big demand.
Flowers are very important during weddings. If you are invited for a Polish wedding - flowers are necessity. The most popular flowers for wedding bouquet for a young bride are white and red roses (just like Polish national colors) and kalia lily (white), sometimes white and red tulips.
First communion is a big celebration in the life of usually 8 years old children. Small girls wear white dresses - long or short depending on the region of Poland. They also carry white lilies as a symbol of their innocence (boys carry candles). Girls have garlands (crowns) from white flowers on their heads (see the photo on side). Although Poles love natural flowers, natural flowers are rarely used for this occasion- since communion is celebrated for weeks after it really happens. I had garland from alive Lily of the Valley (latin: Convallaria majalis, Polish: konwalia) but it faded after one day (not shown on this picture). Lily of the Valley is a typical May flower connected to May Days all around the world (especially in France) and the May is a first communion month in Poland.
Travel Facts and Trivia Polish Flowers - Funerals and other Occasions
Polish Flowers - Funerals and other Occasions
Written by Jagoda Urban-Klaehn
Monday, 24 November 2003 17:00
Fall flowers, especially yellow and white chrysantemum are a typical flower used for decoration of graves during All Saints Day celebrations in the beginning of November. Chrysantemum is my personal favorite, some yellow chrysantemum are just gorgeous!. Unfortunately - it is almost specifically used for All Saints celebration and for funerals. Because of that these flowers are completely inappropriate for any other occasions like birthdays or weddings. Also other fall flowers like asters are used for All Saints celebration, but not exclusively.
The most popular flowers for funerals are also chrysantemum and kalia lily (latin Zantedeschia aethiopica, Polish: Kallia or kalia). Check selection of Polish funerals flowers. The only time when Poles really use wreaths - is funeral or All Saints Day (maybe also Harvest Feast called in Polish dozynki which is celebrated in the countrysite in during Fall after harvest). For Poles - wreath at the front of the house - would mean that somebody die - whereas wreaths in the USA are used commonly for Thanksgiving.
Christmas does not have its flower in Poland, since this is a time when there are no any naturally growing flowers. So called Christmas decorations, Polish: stroiki, consist of the piece of branch of the coniferous tree decorated with pines and other decorations - like Christmas balls and candles. See Christmas stroik. Check Christmas articles.
The most popular flowers for every occasion are roses, carnation, freesia, orchids, gerber, tulips. When I was a child in 60-es and 70-es carnation (lat. Diathus, pol. gozdzik) were very popular, in 80-es they were partly replaced by freesia and orchids.
Poles decorate their houses with simpler and cheaper flowers - like jonquil, hyacinths, daisy, marguerites etc.
Of course the variety of available flowers and their prices depends on the season. In the past Poles celebrate so called "International Women Day" on 8th of March. This is not a good time to buy cheap flowers, yet, the sale of flowers was unusually high. The most popular and the cheapest flower for this day was definitively a carnation (clavel, in Polish: gozdzik). Since the Women's Day was replaced by Valentine's Day - carnation is not that popular anymore!
