Make Someone Smile Week 2016

Last year through this initiative, we delivered over 25,000 Be Happy Bouquets to people who deserved a little something extra to smile about. This happy face mug filled with white and yellow daisies combined with yellow roses makes for a perfect surprise. We’re expecting to cheer up even more people this year once the celebrations get underway. Why? Because here at Teleflora, we love making people smile!

Here are a few ways that you can make your loved ones (or strangers) smile this week:

Send An Unexpected Flower Bouquet

Do you have a friend who’s just been through a breakup? Have a Be Happy Bouquet delivered to her apartment. Is your husband feeling restless at work? Send a Be Happy Bouquet to the office for him. These cute arrangements are sure to put a smile on anyone’s face, especially when they’re a surprise. If you aren’t able to send flowers, you can even send a simple “thinking of you” greeting card to your friends or family back home who you haven’t seen in awhile. The smallest gesture to let someone know that he or she is on your mind can be all it takes to make a smile.

Tell Someone How Much You Care

If you feel like your love has been going unspoken recently, it might be time to say how you are feeling. While you might think it is obvious how you feel, it can never hurt to remind that special someone out loud. Nobody ever gets tired of hearing that they’re loved or appreciated. Whether you say it to your partner when you wake up in the morning, or give your parents a call to tell them how great they are, make a point to verbally express those little feelings that are always considered common knowledge. Trust us, they’ll love to hear it.

Smile at a Stranger

A smile is the best thing you can catch from someone else. According to Psychology Today, a smile is actually contagious. When someone flashes you their pearly whites, in most cases, you automatically smile back at him or her. A small gesture like smiling at someone at work or on the train can brighten up a stranger’s mood. This is because smiling activates feel-good neurotransmitters like dopamine, endorphins and serotonin in the brain. So go ahead, smile at everyone this week. Even if people think you’re being weird, they’ll get over it as soon as they try it and their smile starts sending happy messages to their brain.

Pass Out Compliments

Many people are hesitant to say something nice to someone they don’t know very well. However, have you ever been annoyed or put off by someone complimenting you? Didn’t think so! If you think your coworker did a good job on his presentation, tell him! If you think the woman in line in front of you is wearing a cute pair of shoes, let her know that you like them. Too often we spend our day in our own heads, only acknowledging the people we have to talk to. Not only will shelling out some compliments give you an excuse to interact, but you’ll also brighten up someone else’s day.

Check out our 2012 Make Someone Smile Week video to show how our local florists participate!

These are only a few ways to spread happiness this week. If you have some ideas, let us know! And don’t forget, you never know who might be falling in love with your smile…so show it off this week.

Coupons for Flowers

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Tis the Season: New Holiday Traditions to Start This Year

Piles of presents and gingerbread cookies may make your family smile during the holidays, but it’s actually treasured traditions that warm the heart year after year. It’s never a season too late to start brand new holiday traditions and create memories your family can fondly look back on for years.

Childhood Traditions

The most special holiday seasons are the ones during childhood when you believed in Santa and Christmas magic was real. Part of the Christmas spirit as parents is to reflect on your Christmas traditions when you were children and re-create the same magic for your own kids. It’s truly the little moments that matter most during the this special time of year. Warm your home with these Christmas traditions that your little ones will remember forever.

• Christmas Lights Tour: Pick a night to bundle up and discover the beautiful Christmas lights of nearby neighborhoods and parks. Play favorite Christmas tunes in the car as your family tours streets lit-up with glowing homes, trees and outdoor decorations. Pack marshmallow-topped hot cocoas to-go and other sweet treats like Frosted Snowman Chocolate Dipped Double Stuff Oreo Pops or Christmas Cake Pops to enjoy as you drive past one enchanting display after another.
• DIY Decorating: No Christmas decoration or tree ornament is as meaningful and original as the ones handcrafted together as a family. Make a homemade garland out of strung popcorn or snowflakes crafted out of felt. HGTV.com offers 20 homemade holiday ornaments and decorations ideas made out of things like oranges or cookie cutters.
• Caroling at Grandma’s: Kids can’t help but sing along to jolly Christmas carols. Warm Grandma’s heart and take the kids caroling at her house — “Over The River and Through the Woods” is a great tune to lead the way. And you can really make Grandma smile. Bring over homemade cookies.
• Table Setting: If you’re hosting Christmas dinner this year, involve the kids with decorating the table setting. Ask them to choose their favorite holiday centerpiece and what accents they’d like to include, such as acorns, holly or ornament favors. The kids will love to be part of the decorating process and feel valued by sharing their input.
• Sending Holiday Spirit: Share the virtue of thoughtful giving and send a beautiful holiday bouquet to a long-distance loved one who may be alone at Christmas. Your kids can also choose a new toy or book to donate to a charity like Toys for Tots.
• Snowman: Be ready for the first big snowfall with snow clothes and a snowman decorating kit. Building a snowman creates cherished memories, especially on a white Christmas. After the snow day, warm up with cups of hot cocoa and flannel PJs.

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Related Coupons in December 2015:

• eBay redemption code
• Teleflora 40% off
• Popcorn factory free shipping and 30% off

New Traditions

Throughout the years, Christmases can inevitably change. The kids go off to college, move away from home and everyone’s living in different cities. Make Christmas the one time of year the whole family is together. Rather than invite everyone to fly home, make the week of Christmas the time of year for an annual family vacation. Plan a trip for the family to cozy up in a cabin at a lodge in snowy Lake Tahoe or escape the cold weather at a beach in the Caribbean.

If a vacation away from home feels too unconventional, host a family reunion weekend or holiday bash to reunite all of the extended family members. Of course, traveling can be expensive, but faraway loved ones can still spend time together on Christmas Eve or Day through virtual platforms like Google Hangouts or Skype Group Video Chat.

Neighborly Traditions

Get into the spirit of the season with a friendly neighborhood Christmas lights display contest. (A contest is also fun motivation to finally string those lights and hang up the wreaths outside before December 25th.) Invite neighbors to participate, provide prizes and designate three judges to determine first-, second- and third-place winners. Then, end the Christmas competition with a neighborhood potluck where everyone can indulge on sweet treats like Jolly Holiday Chocolate Covered Strawberries and cheers with gourmet wine.