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Connectivity

Setting Goals

June 1, 2020

“Setting goals is the first step in turning the invisible into the visible.”
– Tony Robbins

Last week we talked about our ability to use the upcoming slower summer months productively, rather than letting them pass us by. We encouraged you to identify some summer goals and to start a list of tasks you want to complete in order to reach your goal.

We were thrilled with the outpouring of submissions about how you are going to spend your summer months and the lofty goals you had set. Carol Geary, we wish you luck on your summer garden. We also look forward to taking on new gardening projects. Stephen Chatwin, we admire that you want to get your yard fixed up so that your son has a safe place to play. Dan Fortuna, we are humbled that our letter made you step back to realize your goal was to be the best you can be. This is a lofty one and we all strive to be the best version of ourselves for our families, friends and communities. Continue Reading…

Connectivity

A Summer Unlike Any Other

May 22, 2020

The lazy days of summer. We think about lively beaches, outdoor concerts, cookouts with friends, sleepaway camps, family vacations and Fourth of July picnics and fireworks. Our thoughts turn this way each Memorial Day, which in addition to being a day of remembrance for fallen American military, is often celebrated as the unofficial kickoff to the summer.

Creating New Traditions

However, this year, it will be different. Many summer activities have already been canceled because of the pandemic. But, like all things in life, this summer will be what you make of it. It may require some creativity, but there is still fun to be had. You may not get to enjoy your annual family reunion or July 4th BBQ, but there are certainly other ways to enjoy our summer months. Continue Reading…

How-To's

Memorial Day Garland DIY

May 21, 2020

Here’s an idea for a festive Memorial Day garland made from things that you already have around your house. For example, who doesn’t have a ton of corrugated boxes from all the deliveries we’ve all been getting these days?  There are so many crafty things that you can do with the cardboard.

DIY Memorial Day garland to say thank you to American heroes

Continue Reading…

Connections

20 Inspirational Quotes for the Class of 2020

May 19, 2020
Graduation cap 2020

Honor your grad by sharing one of these inspirational graduation quotes as they journey through their rite of passage. Perfect for graduation cards, personalized gifts, or Instagram captions, these words of wisdom will solidify their big achievement, whether they’re moving up from middle school or graduating college.

Graduation cap 2020 Continue Reading…

Connectivity

Connecting with New Connection Communities

May 17, 2020

This week, we celebrate the launch of our 1-800-Flowers.com Connection Communities. This initiative has been a long time in-the-making, but, as we continue to adjust to this new normal, it’s more important than ever.

At 1-800-Flowers.com, we are always looking for new ways to further our mission: helping our customers express and connect with the important people in their lives. With this in mind, our friend, advisor, and board member, Adam Hanft introduced us to the founders of the award-winning self-care app, Wisdo. They have built a platform that helps foster relationships, through peer-to-peer support, of people who have experienced similar events in their lives.

After meeting the smart and hard-working Wisdo team, we were struck by how much their mission aligned with ours. We both wanted to connect people in ways that strengthens their relationships through good times and bad.

In partnership with Wisdo, we’ve designed eight curated digital communities where our customers can connect with one another around shared life experiences. We see these as a community of communities, connecting people who have been through something – whether joyful or difficult – with people who are going through it now. We’re are offering this community access at no cost.

This is a big step for us and we strongly believe it could not come at a better time with so many of us struggling with the disruption of this pandemic. As the New Yorker recently put it, social distancing measures are forcing us “to do the opposite of what we’ve learned to do over millennia to survive.” Separation from our loved ones, and all the wisdom and reassurance they can offer, can take a toll on our health and well-being.

Loneliness has been a major problem long before COVID-19 began plaguing our communities, but it’s of an even greater concern today. So, too, is the loss of a loved one and the struggle to repair a strained relationship or the challenges of taking care of an elderly relative. Whatever the situation, throughout life, all of us need help along the way. Our hope is that these dedicated 1-800-Flowers.com Connection Communities will become a hub for beneficial interactions in these challenging times and remain a source of support long after this challenging time has passed.

Many organizations talk about customer acquisition. At 1-800-Flowers.com, we believe in earning relationships. When we opened our first flower shop 40+ years ago, we were at the center of a little community. Today, we are at the center of a much larger, digital community – but our mission remains the same. We want to continue to be a source of support and advice for our customers, even if we can’t talk with them over a cup of coffee like in the old days. It’s our hope that our 1-800-Flowers.com Connection Communities will bring our customers closer together as we help support one another.

Please visit us here to join the hundreds of thousands already involved in the conversation:
https://www.1800flowers.com/connection-communities

All the best,

Jim & Chris

How-To's

Patriotic Decorations

May 11, 2020

Memorial Day celebrations may be different this year but you can still decorate your home in red, white, and blue.  Whether you’re celebrating virtually with friends and family, or having a barbecue with your household, these DIY patriotic decorations will help bring the American spirit to your home.

DIY Mason Jar American Flag Vase

mason-jar-stars-and-stripes
Seriously, is there anything you can’t do with a few mason jars? I took three small, clear mason jars and painted them in a stars and stripes tribute to Old Glory. One stem of blue hydrangea in each and you have a beautiful, fun, inexpensive centerpiece. You could paint a couple more while you’re at it and use them to hold cutlery or straws, or even tea lights, creating a festive look for evening festivities.

Continue Reading…

Connectivity

Happy Mother’s Day

May 10, 2020

This is Mother’s Day Weekend, one of the busiest times of the year for us. It’s a time to celebrate not just your own mother, but all of the moms, grandmothers, and surrogate moms who have inspired us and make us stronger every day. We would not be who, or where, we are today without them.honoring moms teachers nurses

Continue Reading…

Connections

How to Celebrate Virtual Graduations

May 1, 2020
graduation cap with flowers

Amongst the chaos of the COVID-19 pandemic, there is still room for celebration. All across the country, the class of 2020 is graduating! Many graduations have been moved to online platforms so that the accomplishments of high school and college graduates can be recognized – even if it is from your own living room. If it’s a daughter, son, cousin, or friend graduating, join in on the fun with these tips for a virtual graduation extravaganza! 
graduation cap with flowers

Zoom Party 

Zoom isn’t just for business meetings! Spend some time holding a Zoom Party for your graduate with all your friends and family. It is a great way to be able to get some social interaction into the day while in quarantine, and a great surprise for your graduate! It has been trendy to also include some sort of dress code or background for the zoom party so it feels like a real occasion. Some themes we’ve been loving are Roaring Twenties, Throwback Thursday, and Black Tie! It’s a party fitting for the tech-savvy Gen Z.  

Send A Gift 

As year-end traditions are being challenged, send a classic congratulations gift for the grad like! Simply send a gift straight to their door to let them know that you are proud of their momentous occasion. Deliveries are contactless so it is a great option to adhere to social distancing measures while still putting a smile on their face. These are some of our favorite gifts: 

Vibrant Floral Medley™ for Graduation 

Celebrate your grad with a bright, beautiful bouquet fitting for the spring season! The Vibrant Floral Medley showcases an arrangement of blooms in cheerful pops of orange, pink and yellow, with plenty of lush greenery mixed in. It is the perfect graduation bouquet to show them how proud you are of their big achievement. 

Star Graduate™ Dipped Strawberries 

Know a grad with a sweet tooth? These graduation themed chocolate-dipped strawberries say congratulations in the most delicious way.  Our scrumptious strawberries are dipped in rich chocolate and hand-decorated in a white chocolate drizzle, four of them displaying the numbers 2-0-2-0. The only thing wrong with these is they look too good to eat! 

Way To Go Grad™ Fruit Bouquet 

Stand out with a unique bouquet for your grad with the Way To Go Grad Fruit Bouquet. Fresh strawberries, pineapple, oranges, grapes, and melon dipped in decadent milk chocolate and white chocolate drizzle – our mouth is watering just thinking about it! Decorated with specially cut fruits that say “#2020” and a Congrats Grad balloon, it’s a gift they’ll never forget.  

Brunch at Home

Normally you get to go out to eat to celebrate after graduation, but you can still make the day special with a showstopper meal at home or delivered from your favorite local restaurant! Eggs, pancakes, fruits, mimosas we can go on and on! Making a special meal for your grad with their favorite foods is a personal way to celebrate their big day with them specifically in mind.  

Virtual graduations don’t have to be dull – make it unique instead! You may even want to keep some of these events as a new tradition for graduations.

Congratulations to the Class of 2020! 

Connections

Staying Busy & Connected, Petal Talk Chats with Norma

May 1, 2020

We were first introduced to Norma Gregorio when she received one of our birthday flower cakes from her family for her 88th birthday. Since they couldn’t be together in person during this time to celebrate, she sent them a video which made it’s way to Good Morning America.

We were so taken by this story, and Norma’s positive outlook on life that we wanted to chat more with her about how she is staying connected during this time. Thank you Norma for taking the time to share your story.

“L’avventura e’ dentro di noi” means “Adventure is within us”


“I’m often asked, “Aren’t you lonely living alone? Don’t you get bored? What do you do all day long?” And that’s when I am in a quandary because I have no good answers. I’m never bored. I’m never lonely. I’m always looking forward to tomorrow. Doing or planning something special or something different. Right now, I am looking forward to driving down to the shore in my son’s convertible, on a beautiful day with the top down. Just feeling the sunlight and the warm breeze on my face makes me appreciate the beauty of this world.

I just finished my crochet doily and my flower needle point. Now I’ll have to get myself another pretty needlepoint canvas. I do it because I find it relaxing and rewarding. It is just like life; we all start with a blank canvas and we all create our beautiful lives as the years pass. I also enjoy cooking, doing English and Italian crossword puzzles, reading and writing. I’ve written several books, but no one seem to want to publish them. But that does not stop me, no, I just keep on writing. I just finished writing a new story for a children’s picture book.

flowers needlepoint artwork by norma

Flower Needlepoint by Norma

Now, we have this virus cloud over us all. I do not allow it to enter into my everyday life. Even though I have been self-quarantined since the beginning of March, it will not change the feelings and the love I have for my family and friends nor will it surround me with a sense of fear. I call everybody on Skype and WhatsApp every week, both here and in Italy, and we talk and talk and talk. Conversation is the best medicine; it brings joy to your life and you touch the heart of the person you are talking to.

I know that when this pandemic is over, all humanity will be scarred, some more than others, emotionally, financially or physically.

We are all strong, with our love and hope for one another, we will all be winners.”

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