Sending flowers

[wallm]

So, other than obvious one like birthday, when should one send flowers to his lady in Ukraine? I am confused by all these different dates they use for Christmas, Women's day, etc. What is most important to them? New Years on 1/1 or Christmas on 1/7 or Women's day in March? Do Ukranians celebrate Christmas like we do here? Thanks.

[Boethius]

No.  Ukrainians celebrate Christmas on January 6 (Christmas Eve, bigger than Christmas) and January 7.  Flowers are not commonly given, nor are gifts.  Children receive gifts on St. Nicholas Day.  Christmas to Ukrainians is about a meal (traditionally 12 meatless/milk free dishes on Christmas Eve, some, such as kutya and broad beans, are traditional) with family.  Many Ukrainians go to midnight mass on Christmas Eve as well. 

New Year is a bigger holiday in Ukraine than is Christmas, probably a holdover from communist times.  Most Ukrainians will have a Christmas tree up before the New Year.  A lot of Ukrainians also celebrate the New Year of the Gregorian Calendar, which is January 14.  Typically, not much gets done in Ukraine between New Year's Eve and Epiphany/the Feast of Jordan.


Flowers are commonly given for International Women's Day, which is March 8.  You could also give flowers on a birthday.

[LAman]

Most important is Birthday followed by Woman's day....then Valentines day...then new years.... anniversary when met....then 1st day of month...mid month.....and finally every other day!!! Hope I didn't forget any.

[alex330]

Flowers are commonly given for International Women's Day, which is March 8.  You could also give flowers on a birthday.

This. And whenever you meet her after an absence. Picking her up from the airport for example.

[Bounder]

This. And whenever you meet her after an absence. Picking her up from the airport for example.

Wondering how this works in a specific situation where I am arriving hours before my lady and then going to meet her at the airport.  Should I try to find flowers somewhere?

We are staying at an airport hotel the first night and then transferring into the city with several pieces of luggage.  I thought that a bouquet of flowers could just be a hassle in this case or likely to get left behind at the hotel....

[alex330]

Wondering how this works in a specific situation where I am arriving hours before my lady and then going to meet her at the airport.  Should I try to find flowers somewhere?

We are staying at an airport hotel the first night and then transferring into the city with several pieces of luggage.  I thought that a bouquet of flowers could just be a hassle in this case or likely to get left behind at the hotel....

I would personally try my hardest to get her flowers for her arrival. But that's just me after a few let downs   

I suppose all RW are different and some may not care as much for flowers, but it is important to most I know.

[Larry1]

"New Year is a bigger holiday in Ukraine than is Christmas, probably a holdover from communist times.  Most Ukrainians will have a Christmas tree up before the New Year.  A lot of Ukrainians also celebrate the New Year of the Gregorian Calendar, which is January 14."

Isn't it January 14 in the old Julian calendar used in the Russian Empire before the Bolshevik takeover?  In the Gregorian calendar New Year's Day is January 1, isn't it?

[Bounder]

I would personally try my hardest to get her flowers for her arrival. But that's just me after a few let downs   

I suppose all RW are different and some may not care as much for flowers, but it is important to most I know.

I hope they are selling flowers at the airport, or the hotel....

[alex330]

I hope they are selling flowers at the airport, or the hotel....

Or have them delivered to the front desk? All I know was wife was very upset I did not bring flowers to greet her when she arrived. I was running late and it was a hassle. Never again, even if she is in town for one day she has flowers waiting.

[BillyB]

Do Ukranians celebrate Christmas like we do here?

My wife is Catholic so she celebrates Christmas Dec 25. Best you ask your lady when she celebrates.

If one gives flowers, make sure the amount is an odd number and yellow flowers is associated with funerals so best to leave that color out unless you're expecting the lady to die soon.

[wallm]

If one gives flowers, make sure the amount is an odd number and yellow flowers is associated with funerals so best to leave that color out unless you're expecting the lady to die soon.

Yellow...not necessarily true. I had been to the Opera House in Kiev with dates twice. I had seen ladies with bouquets of yellow roses both times. They seemed healthy or not headed to a funeral afterwards. 

However, I will stick to Red/Pink so as not to incur the wrath.

[GQBlues]

Giving flowers to your lady is always a good gesture at any time...

When I came home after my first trip to Russia, my wife being amongst one the gals I met, I sent her (and others) flowers as a gesture of appreciation for the time spent while there. FWIW, when the flowers where delivered to my (now) wife, she apparently talked with the person that delivered it. Soon after, she sent me an email thanking me for the lovely flowers. She really likes flowers, and she said she has something to tell me once we talked on the phone.

When we spoke, she first made sure I knew how much she appreciated the roses, then she proceeded to tell me that she spoke with delivery guy, got the company name, went to their website, and found out how much it had cost me for the gesture. She said she enjoyed our meeting in Moscow and was glad we had the opportunity to do so. She was looking forward to wherever/whatever progress our meeting takes us from there on in - then she said (pp - in her broken English))

"..I have idea how much this cost you. I understand maybe for you it is not about money. I appreciate. But please know, I know how much flowers if I buy this for me here. I just don't like you pay so much more for same flowers because you're foreigner. Please don't spend this money like this for me. It does not feel good for me knowing this."

YMMV.

[Trenchcoat]

I hope they are selling flowers at the airport, or the hotel....

Where are you going? In Kiev they have flowers sellers under Maidan Square (tube Station) that are more than decent enough. However, note also when you will arrive, if in the middle of the night then flower selling is likely to be hard to find. Also the arrival area in most airports in the Ukraine are not that large and facilities are limited even at Borispol near Kiev. You could just buy a single rose at home pack get florist to pack it with preserving feed and bung it in your hand luggage as a fallback - better than nothing I guess.

Consider also that most flower sellers will be in the city centre and some cities in the FSU may be hard to find them at all. In Nikolaev in the Ukraine I could not find any and this was in the summer strange for the centre of the dating 'Industry'. So as someone states if you get to go to hotel first then might be best to get a delivery done to the front reception from a reliable website online, give a decent amount of notice first and make sure reception know they are coming.

Main thing is consider that the girl you meet may not be the one, you may meet many like this during your search which could cost x amount in roses bought. Now roses in the Ukraine are cheap, I bought a whole bunch, the largest the flower seller did for a few quid. No way would I get a deal like that at home. To me the chemistry is what is important, getting wound up over exactness with flower arrangements isn't that important so long as you have something there. So no need to go overboard as if she's not the one then money wasted.

My own personal thoughts are that flowers should be for much later in a relationship. If you've just met online, skyped or whatever and Woman Day comes up (some girls out that way are oblivious to Valentines anyway) then no need to bother sending flowers or anything as you don't know if there is any chemistry there until you've met so it is just wasted money. Note online sellers will be a lot more expensive than buying the flowers yourself in the FSU, they cash in on foriegners not being aware of the good exchange rates. If your meeting a girl for anything more than a meet many interview then a small bunch will suffice. That is the way I would go with it now after my year at it.

[BillyB]

Yellow...not necessarily true. I had been to the Opera House in Kiev with dates twice. I had seen ladies with bouquets of yellow roses both times. They seemed healthy or not headed to a funeral afterwards. 

Times may be changing since many have adopted Western views on things.

However, I will stick to Red/Pink so as not to incur the wrath.

Yes, best to stick to those colors just in case you got a lady that embraces old school views.

[Bounder]

Giving flowers to your lady is always a good gesture at any time...

When I came home after my first trip to Russia, my wife being amongst one the gals I met, I sent her (and others) flowers as a gesture of appreciation for the time spent while there. FWIW, when the flowers where delivered to my (now) wife, she apparently talked with the person that delivered it. Soon after, she sent me an email thanking me for the lovely flowers. She really likes flowers, and she said she has something to tell me once we talked on the phone.

When we spoke, she first made sure I knew how much she appreciated the roses, then she proceeded to tell me that she spoke with delivery guy, got the company name, went to their website, and found out how much it had cost me for the gesture. She said she enjoyed our meeting in Moscow and was glad we had the opportunity to do so. She was looking forward to wherever/whatever progress our meeting takes us from there on in - then she said (pp - in her broken English))

"..I have idea how much this cost you. I understand maybe for you it is not about money. I appreciate. But please know, I know how much flowers if I buy this for me here. I just don't like you pay so much more for same flowers because you're foreigner. Please don't spend this money like this for me. It does not feel good for me knowing this."

YMMV.

GQBlues, without a doubt, you struck gold in finding your special lady.  She definitely sounds like a keeper; I'm glad you kept her 

[GQBlues]

GQBlues, without a doubt, you struck gold in finding your special lady.  She definitely sounds like a keeper; I'm glad you kept her 

Thanks Bounder. yes, she is. That was almost 12 years ago.