What is Petal It Forward?
Started as a goodwill initiative by The Society of American Florists, every year for the last eleven years, thousands of floral industry members in all 50 states have organized their teams on one day in October to take part in Petal It Forward. Participants hand two flowers or bouquets to an unsuspecting stranger, urging them to keep one and share the other with someone else. It’s a powerful way to illustrate the positive health benefits of giving and receiving flowers.
On Wednesday, October 14 The DVFlora team went to West Chester, PA to hand out bouquets with Kati Mac Floral Designs. This year we handed out over 700 bouquets, and we walked away with countless stories and reminders of how a small gesture can make someone’s day.
Throughout the day, people shared with us where they were headed and who they planned to share their flowers with. One person was celebrating their birthday, while another was already on their way to bring a friend lunch and now had flowers to go along with it. Someone stepped out of their office to pick up bouquets for their coworkers, while college students grabbed flowers on their way to class.
One moment in particular that stood out was an overheard conversation between two people after we had handed one of them two bouquets. She immediately spotted a former classmate, approached them and said, “I don’t know if you remember me, but I wanted to give you these.” It was a simple, unexpected gesture that captured the spirit of Petal It Forward beautifully.
Each interaction was a little different, but they all showed how easily flowers can become the brightest part of someone’s day. Whether they were celebrating a special occasion, surprising a friend, or simply sharing something unexpected with the people around them, every bouquet had the potential to spread joy. And that’s what Petal It Forward is all about: spreading kindness, one bouquet at a time.
