Category: Delivering Smiles

The East Williston Summer Recreation program at North Side Elementary School in East Williston, NY was the latest stop during our Summer of a Million Smileswhere the 1800Flowers’ Creative Team creates crafts with kids. On Friday, August 3^rd the  creative team from 1-800-Flowers.com dropped by to make some crafts with the kids.

With different stations set up for each craft, the children created everything from butterfly clothespins to flower faces and keepsake smile doodles. Best of all, at the end of the day they were given one more surprise as we handed out smiley face gerbera daisies. Each of the happy campers was delighted to be a part of such a fun afternoon and expressed their thanks with big smiles and many thanks.

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On Friday July 13th, the 1-800-Flowers.com team visited local firehouses on Long Islandto deliver smiles and express our gratitude. Firefighters from Engine 275 Ladder 133 NYFD, Syosset FD, Valley Stream FD and Hempstead FD were greeted with Cheryl’s cookies and brownies. We also donated Mets tickets to each department member and their family.

In return, the firefighters gave us a full tour of the firehouse, including a rare opportunity to slide down the fire pole and ride in a fire engine—sirens and all! We were grateful to spend the day with these brave men and women, and think each of them deserves a smile every day for their hard work and dedication.

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In honor of the 4th of July, the 1-800-FLOWERS.COM team was excited to deliver smiles to our local veterans as part of Summer of a Million Smiles. Employees donated red, white and blue bouquets to deserving veterans at the Northport VA Medical Center inNorthport,NY.

Although the flowers were a beautiful touch, nothing seemed to please our veterans more than the smiles and handshakes they received when thanked for their service. Members of the 1-800-FLOWERS.COM family were delighted to have the opportunity to send a smile to these important members of our community. Employees not only thanked the veterans for their years of service and the sacrifices they have made, but also shared stories of family and friends.

1. Identify the Problem
   Wrapping your mind around whatever is getting you down will help you think about the problem in its entirety. When figuring out exactly what it is that is getting you in a rut, you’re more likely to resolve the issue!
2. Breathe
   Get that oxygen flowing! Take a deep breath in and follow that with a cleansing exhale. Slow breathing goes hand in hand with tranquility and serenity, so regulating your breathing can help you to reach a state of relaxation. Having control over your breathing means you have a heightened ability to gain composure over your thoughts and emotions.

3. Occupy Your Mind
Whether it’s getting wrapped up in a book, cleaning your house, or watching a television show- try to redirect your thoughts. Distracting yourself with an activity will greatly help subside your emotions. Letting your feelings take a back seat can be incredibly beneficial in that you won’t act on impulses and that your negative thoughts and emotions won’t eat at you. 

4. Write Your Feelings Out
Paper is a great listener- having a blank page as your outlet allows you to say anything you feel! This is a great way to get your anger out as well as think whole-mindedly without hurting anyone’s feelings. If you get your emotions out into the two dimensional world, you’ve managed to have broken through the thick emotional barricade.

5. Exercise However You Like Best
Do a quick workout. Use your bad mood to fuel yourself for something constructive! Not only will you utilize those negative emotions for something good, but you will also get that adrenaline pumping, lifting your spirits!

6. Speak to Someone Who Understands You
Once your thoughts have been collected, speaking to someone close to you is a great way to vent. Someone who knows you well will be able to understand where your thoughts derive from, and help smooth out the situation best. Hearing what others have to say about the situation can open your eyes to a perspective you may have never thought about otherwise, allowing you to think thoroughly about the subject at hand.  

7. Listen to Some of Your Favorite Music
Whatever it is you jam out to, blast your speakers! Listening to your favorite tunes can put anyone in a good mood. Sing your lungs out to your favorite song or dance the night away! These are both great ways to shake off that negativity and break you out of that bad mood. Remember, a bit of singing and dancing never hurt anybody!

8. Have Some Chocolate
Another secret to feeling good is hiding in your pantry, chocolate! Releasing chemicals and neurotransmitters, like endorphins and serotonin, this old remedy has been proven to chemically make you happier. From its satisfying sweetness and creamy texture to its chemical effects, you can’t seem to go wrong with this treat!

9. Put Yourself in Others’ Shoes
Whether you put yourself in the shoes of those less fortunate than you or in the shoes of the one you’re not happy with, a change of perspective is always a good thing. By seeing through another’s eyes, it helps you rationalize your problem as well as see where others may be coming from. There’s always another side to a story!

10. Smile!
Whatever it is that makes you smile, surround yourself by it. Simply thinking about what makes you happy is sure to bring a smile upon your face! It’s proven that physical behavior, such as facial expressions, influence mood, so remember to turn that frown upside down!

We would like to recognize the wonderful Mary Keaney, who was awarded a smile as part of the Imagine the Smiles program during 1-800-FLOWERS.COM’s Summer of a Million Smiles. Mary volunteers her time to not only her church, but at local nursing homes as well. She is also the treasurer of the Greenbriar Association.  Mary Thompson recognized the selfless time and care that Keaney puts into everything that she does. Thompson nominated Keaney for a smile, describing her as a, “one of a kind woman.” Tom Addalia, florist at the 1-800-FLOWERS.COM Addalia shop, was more than excited to be a part of Imagine the Smiles and delivered a beautiful and delectable Fruit Bouquet to Keaney as a thank you for everything she does for her community. Imagine the Smiles honors volunteer Mary Keaney and delivered her a smile. Congratulations Mary!

Do you know an everyday hero who deserves a smile sent his or her way? Nominate your hero at //on.fb.me/SendSmiles today and be a part of 1-800-FLOWERS.COM’s Summer of a Million Smiles!

For more on Imagine the Smiles, click here.

Working towards the commendable cause of providing dogs and cats loving homes, the Town of Hempstead Animal Shelter in Wantagh, NY deserved some smiles—and we were there to deliver them! In honor of the shelter’s Summer of Love, a special program offering free adoption, inoculations, spaying & neutering, and microchip insertion, the team from 1-800-FLOWERS.COM paid a visit to the shelter bearing a-DOG-able® flower arrangements.

As a way to show appreciation and further encourage adoption, these cute dog flowers were given to anyone who took home a pet that day. The impact each adoption makes means a world of difference to these animals. Remember, not only are adoptions saving lives, but they are providing the irreplaceable love a home and family can offer!

Artists, from the beginnings of time to modern day, know the power of the smile. Let us walk through some of the most famous smiles in art history. Learn, through these paintings and sculptures, what such a simple facial expression can really mean.

1)      The Mona Lisa, Leonardo Da Vinci (1503-1506)

What makes The Mona Lisa arguably the most famous painting in all of history? Many would say that it is her small, mysterious smile. The Mona Lisa has an intriguing smirk that catches the viewer off guard. What is she smiling about? Why does her gaze follow you wherever you seem to be viewing the painting? Why does her smile seam to appear and disappear as you move?  Much fascination surrounds The Mona Lisa and her smile. Scientists and art critics alike have analyzed and studied The Mona Lisa for her smile.

2)      The Laughing Cavalier, Frans Hals (1624)

This smug portrait of a cavalier seems to be where the alternate definition (condescending, proud, superior) for cavalier comes from. From his gaudy attire to his pompous facial hair, this medieval man oozes arrogance. It is unusual for a painting dating back to the 1600s to have such emotion written across the subject’s face.

3)      Portrait of an unknown man, Messina (1470)

This anonymous man instantly grabs the attention of any viewer. His face is quarter turned, but his eyes look directly at the viewer and supplement the sly smile of the subject’s mouth.  The painting may be a bit unnerving for some, as it appears that the man is laughing at the viewer.

4)      La Liseuse, Renoir (1874)

Nothing conveys better the absolute joy of reading a great book than this piece. The warm colors and the relaxed smile of this young lady pull the viewers into the painting and let them share in the happiness of the book that the subject is reading.

5)      Buddha

Buddha is an iconic image used by followers of the Buddhist religion. In most of the statues and paintings of Buddha, he has a simple, pensive smile on his face. This smile encompasses all that he represents: the ultimate goal of peace and enlightenment, the art of meditation, and the joy in simplicity.

6)      Yue Minjun’s Smile

Yue Minjun has the most famous smile in contemporary Chinese artwork. His enormous, maniacal grin graces the faces of all his paintings and sculptures. From his modern take on the statues from the tomb of China’s first emperor, to his piece with devil-horned clad subjects, all of his artwork smiles widely back at the viewer with the same self portrait of Minjun himself. To view some of his artwork and read more about Minjun, click here: NewYorkTimes.com.

7)      Archaic smile in Greek sculpture

This smile was characteristic of Archaic Greek stone sculpture of the second quarter of the 6^th century BC. The smile evokes a feeling of well being and brings the stone humans to life. Some archaeologists compare the unnatural smile to the staged smile in modern photographs. Whatever the reason for the abundance of smiles upon such statues in this time period can only be speculated.

8)      Andy Warhol’s Marilyn Monroe 

The iconic pop artist was not one to underestimate the power of the smile. This vivid piece marries the airy smile of one of the most famous female figures of the time with Warhol’s effective silkscreen printing technique that repeats the smile continuously with different colors. Marilyn’s smile changes as the colors change, despite the expression being the same in each print of her face.

9)      Mrs. Elizabeth Wurtz Elder and Her Three Children, Jacob Eichholtz (1825)

This piece of artwork is unique in that among the four figures in the painting, three of them are smiling. Both the mother and the girl on the left are smiling directly out at the viewer, freezing the viewer in their gaze. The child on the right has a carefree smile and is looking out towards the left. This piece encompasses the joy and innocence of childhood and the satisfaction of being a mother.

10)   The Turkish Slave, Francesco Mazzola detto Il Parmigianino (c. 1535)

The irony of such a title is that this woman is clearly not a slave. She wears elegant clothes, has rosy cheeks and soft skin, and has small, perfect curls peeking out underneath the embellished hat. Her innocent smile and far away gaze ads an air of mischief, as if she knows that she is not what it is said that she is.

If you liked this Smile Petal Talk article, check out related posts:
* 25 Smile Facts
* Imagine the Smiles: Nominate Your Every Day Hero
* Delivering Smiles and Cookies to Blood Donors

Every day, people have the ability to save lives by donating blood. With one pint of blood having the potential to save up to three lives, donors rightfully earn acknowledgement for their actions and selflessness.

On June 14, World Blood Donor Day, the caring team at 1-800-FLOWERS.COM paid a visit to their local New York Blood Center in New Hyde Park, NY, delivering smiles and cookies to blood donors. With the help of Cheryl’s, a sister company of 1-800-FLOWERS.COM, cookies were handed out to blood donors as a way to refuel post donation.

With all the good that people do, a small sign of appreciation can mean a lot. Be it a cookie or a smile, a little can go a long way.

Do you have someone in your life who has been an inspiration? Whether that special someone has helped you through tough time(s) or helped make you the person you are today, we want to hear your story about this everyday hero and thank them for you with a special flower delivery! 

1-800-FLOWERS.COM’s Imagine the Smiles program is part of our Summer of a Million Smiles initiative and allows you to honor and celebrate those extraordinary people by submitting your story about why these amazing folks deserve to be recognized. 

Submitting your stories is super easy with our Imagine the Smiles Facebook page.

Here’s how to nominate your hero in 5 easy steps:

(1)   Think of someone in your life that embodies the meaning of an unrecognized hero. This valued individual can be anyone from a teacher that has changed students’ lives, to local policemen and firemen that keep your neighborhood safe, to a best friend or relative that helped you through a very difficult time.

(2)  Visit the 1-800-FLOWERS.COM Imagine The Smiles Facebook page: //on.fb.me/SendSmiles

(3)  Login with your Facebook account.

(4)  Write your everyday hero story in the “Write your story…” section and tell us who they are, what they did that impacted your life, and why they deserve a special thanks (and a special flower delivery from us).

(5)  Click the “Enter Now>” button and you’re all set!

Check out some of our previous nominees that were sent a smile from 1-800-FLOWERS.COM!

Shirley, Kristin, and Linda, who work at the Head Injury Association, hold the enormous responsibility of helping head injury patients to overcome everyday challenges. They also were an integral part in fostering the new program in the new building.

 Deanna helps in supporting over 800 families throughout Long Island, NY to obtain high-quality childcare and a premier early childhood experience. She has worked alongside the Executive Director of Harbor Child Care for nearly a decade and is admired by staff, board members and families alike.

Nurse Erika C. was nominated by her husband, Chris C. “My wife Erika deserves a smile because she is a nurse in the ER of a local children’s hospital. She works tirelessly taking care of her young patients without complaint – not to mention she’s pregnant with our first baby! She is amazing and I love her!” A smile was delivered to this special woman during National Nurse Week.