Reporter's notebook: Gifts of love

Romance means different things to different people, and folks show their love in different ways. But on Valentine’s Day the common and practically requisite expression seems to be flowers, chocolate and teddies.

It may go without saying, but the Feb. 14 holiday is “one of the busiest days of the years” for florists, rivaled only by Mother’s Day, said local florist Sela Portillo. And unlike a non-perishable stuffed animal, flowers generally only stay perfect for so long. Ah, what a thing is love.

“We do have a lot of customers that come in even on (Valentine’s Day). They wait, sometimes when they get out of work,” she said. “We always have our refrigerator full till closing. We may even close late that day.”

Portillo said the most popular flowers for the occasion are roses and lilies.

Holding off to the last minute can be stressful, even risky. One may wonder if some wait so long because they’re not sure what to do.

“We had a guy come in very last minute (a few years ago),” said Donice Strickland, another local florist. “We still had a little tiny bit left in the cooler and he wanted two arrangements — one for his wife and one for his girlfriend.”

Strickland sold him two arrangements, she said. After all, business is business.

“We don’t go into details,” Portillo said. “We just give what they ask for.”

— Compiled by Staff Writer David Grieder