Meaning of Roses on Valentines Day

Roses mean a lot of things to different people. The traditions and history of the roses given on Valentine’s Day have been studied for hundreds of years. There are many different colors to choose from and they all mean something different. So before giving roses to someone on Valentine's, you may want to know exactly what the color symbolizes.  

The History

During the 1700s Charles the second of Sweden told a woman how he felt by using a rose instead of words. The system was so well thought out, it is said a whole conversation could take place with roses instead of words. The word "love" was most used because of the longstanding relationship between love and the rose. This was based on a number of old legends.

The Legend of the Rose

There are quite a few legends associated with the rose. Among them is the popular thought that the rose was the favorite flower of Venus, the Goddess of love. Another legend is Cupid spilled a bowl of sweet nectar he was carrying to the Gods, and where the drops fell, roses grew. One of the most popular, however, was the tale of Rodanthe. Rodanthe was a young maiden so savagely pursued by a group of young men they broke down her door to get to her. This so enraged the Goddess Diana that she turned the maiden into a rose and all of her suitors into thorns.

Colors

The color of rose sent on Valentine’s Day tells the true feelings. Red means undying love, whereas pink is associated with sweetness. An orange rose means lust, and a lavender rose symbolizes falling in love at first sight. Yellow stands for friendship, and a peach rose represents best friends. A black rose, of course, signifies the end of a relationship.

Number

The number of roses also tells the recipient about the giver's true feelings. The numbers can stretch on, and the more roses sent, the deeper love is said to be.