New University Research Proves It Can Be Better to Give than to Recieve

(Camp Hill, PA) – Happy birthday, congratulations, thank you, I love you, thinking of you. Each day, millions of gifts are exchanged by people who want to send thoughtful regards to deserving friends and loved ones. According to research from Rutgers University, the presents we pick to convey our special messages say a lot about us. Rutgers University researcher Jeannette Haviland-Jones, Ph.D., director of the university’s Human Emotions Lab, explored what the gifts we choose say about who we are and whether they affect how we are perceived. The research reveals that those who send flowers, in comparison to other gifts, are viewed as successful, caring and emotionally intelligent people.

More specific findings include:

Both men and women who give flowers are perceived as happy, achieving, strong, capable and courageous people; Men and women come across as more emotionally intelligent; they give the impression they can effectively express their feelings and take time to understand the feelings of others; and Female floral gifters are viewed as more appreciative of beauty and nature. “Our findings show that you can influence and change what people think of you in a significant way through the gifts you give,” says Haviland-Jones. “That news is particularly important to those interested in enhancing friendships and romances, even business relationships.” Discovering the scientific power of flowers is not new to Haviland-Jones. Previous Rutgers University research conducted by her team found that flowers create instant delight and happiness, and increase enjoyment and life satisfaction. Specifically, upon receiving a gift of flowers, the female study participants responded with true smiles and reported positive moods that lasted for days. The presence of flowers also led to increased contact with family and friends. “Flowers have evolved to activate positive emotional responses from people,” says Haviland-Jones. “Each bloom has the potential to put a smile on our face and sway our opinion of a friend, colleague or loved one. That’s powerful.” M.J. Ryan, award-winning author of the Random Acts of Kindness book series and The Giving Heart, uses cutting-edge science to bring out the best in people. In her books, she teaches individuals how gratitude and generosity can result in greater happiness, health and feelings of human connectivity. “Gift recipients experience compelling connections with givers, and the positive link is particularly evident in the exchange of flowers,” says Ryan. “In my everyday work with individuals, CEOs and leadership teams at some of the world’s top global companies, I see the powerful implications of gratitude and appreciation.” According to Ryan, a simple call to the florist can make a big impact beyond conventional gifting occasions. Some of her favorite, unexpected gifting opportunities include surprise recognition for a job well done; an

“I miss you” gift for an out-of-town family member; and an advance “thanks for hosting us” gesture before visiting a friend’s house. “A successful person is not necessarily someone with a lot of money and material goods, but rather someone who is in tune with people and knows how to touch their hearts,” says Ryan. “I can think of no other item besides flowers that evokes such positive feelings and perceptions for both the giver and the recipient.”
Ryan has coupled her expertise on the power of gratitude with her love of flowers to create Random Acts of Flowers, a list of her favorite reasons to send a floral gift. “I see flowers as a way to capture special moments and emotions in life,” says Ryan. “People truly and fondly remember when they get flowers, and you will continue to feel thanked throughout your relationship long after you send them.” Here are Ryan’s Top 10 Random Acts of Flowers:
One Who Makes a Difference: Think of the carpool mom, scout leader, local volunteer or apartment doorman who makes an everyday difference in your life. A surprise bouquet is a convenient, informal way to say “Thanks for making my life easier.”

Wedding Arrangements: When asking a friend to join your wedding party or expressing thanks to a shower hostess, ask your florist to help make it special by delivering an arrangement in advance of the big day.

Best Friend Boosts: Send a celebrational bunch to a best friend who lands a dream job, a sibling who receives a promotion at work, or a friend who reaches a personal milestone. Show them you care about their success.

A Moment of Calm: Help someone dealing with a hectic time in their life relax with a tranquil gift of flowers. Your florist can give you ideas on soothing colors and styles, and help you deliver that “moment of calm.” The recipient will be impressed by your thoughtfulness.

Life Lessons: Surprise your child’s teacher or tutor with an eye-popping arrangement for his/her desk. Ask your child to put his/her favorite teaching moment on the gift card to make a memory that lasts a lifetime.

Lifeguard Reward: Send flowers to thank your baby-sitter or pet sitter as a surprise thank-you for safely guarding your most prized possessions.

A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood: Welcome a new family or delight an elderly neighbor who does not get out much with a colorful flowering plant or fresh flowers for their kitchen. It’s a great way to break the ice, meet a friend and show you care.

Fresh Squeeze: Don’t wait for Valentine’s Day to say “I love you.” Research shows that people like to receive flowers when they least expect it. Send a surprise floral hug to make your romance spontaneously blossom. Or, on your birthday, send flowers to your mom to thank her for all she’s done for you.

Delivery is in the Details: Show your appreciation to your hair stylist who always manages to fit you in during a pinch, or your doctor who spends those extra minutes to show he/she cares.
Declare You Care: Send a bouquet to celebrate a friend who has recovered from an illness or a new mom on her first day back to work. It will be a beautiful reminder of your support and friendship. “Flowers are the perfect expression of gratitude and appreciation, and they deliver a message with sincerity and care,” says Ryan. “The new research shows that these positive characteristics also are attributed to the giver. Giving flowers is an act of kindness, and the results are anything but random.”

# # # Research Methodology Jeannette Haviland-Jones, Ph.D., of Rutgers University, and her research team investigated the personal and perceived impact of gift-giving. The study recruited 150 ethnically diverse female study participants, who had a median age of 47. Participants studied 12 personal profiles (six men and six women), including contributions to work, charity and family, with the sole variable being the types of gifts they give – flowers, gourmet food or luxury items such as jewelry. Each profile was evaluated on positive and negative emotion, aesthetic appreciation, emotional intelligence and achievement. About Jeannette Haviland-Jones, Ph.D. Jeannette Haviland-Jones, Ph.D., is a professor of psychology at Rutgers University and the director of its Human Emotions Lab. An internationally recognized authority on the role of emotional development in human behavior and nonverbal emotional signals and response, Haviland-Jones has published several books on adolescence and emotion and is co-editor of the Handbook of Emotion, for which she won a Critics Circle Award. About M.J. Ryan Inspirational author and coach M.J. Ryan co-created the best-selling Random Acts of Kindness book series, The Happiness Makeover, This Year I Will… and several other books on giving and gratitude. An expert in human fulfillment and giving, she makes speeches and holds workshops throughout the country on positive emotions and enhancing quality of life. Ryan’s advice has appeared in more than 1,000 newspapers and magazines including USA Today, The Wall Street Journal, Family Circle and Cosmopolitan. Her television appearances include The Today Show and CNN.

VITAMIN F AND FLOWERS

Get Your Daily Dose of Vitamin F:Nature’s Remedy for Emotional Energy
Personal Fulfillment

Expert RevealsFlowers Fuel the Soul and Create Inspiring Spaces

(Camp Hill, PA) – From A to E, vitamins are responsible for strengthening our senses, bolstering our bones and invigorating our bodies from the inside out. Research proves that flowers, being dubbed by some as Vitamin F, help feed our need for serenity, inspiration, wellness, gratitude, love and optimism.Mind and matter are interconnected, according to personal fulfillment expert and best-selling author Jayme Barrett, as she points to university research studies linking flowers with happiness, creativity, compassion and tranquility. Barrett’s interiors expertise coupled with the floral investigations demonstrate that flowers hold an intrinsic, natural energy that, when used throughout the home, can create positive shifts in emotions, and lead to truly inspired living.“People and flowers both have a life force that needs oxygen to thrive, and light and water to live. And, when we are surrounded by nature, our emotions are calmed and harmonized,” says Barrett, who has applied the principles of Zen and feng shui to floral design. Her philosophy is that we can cultivate idyllic atmospheres by purposefully integrating flowers throughout our living space.In fact, research from America’s leading universities has cemented the connection that flowers have both scientific and emotional powers. As early as 2000, Rutgers University found that flowers create instant delight and happiness, and increase enjoyment and life satisfaction. Most recently, a Harvard University study introduced small bouquets of flowers into people’s morning routines and discovered that respondents immediately perked up, much like they would with a morning vitamin.“We need and deserve simple ways of creating homes where we feel happy and harmonious by disconnecting from the hectic pace of the world outside,” says Barrett. “Flowers are a wonderful way to ease the stress of everyday life and refocus our emotions more constructively.”So that anyone can introduce a range of positive floral energies in the home, Barrett shares a simple, do-it-yourself guide to creating Vitamin F arrangements. Her seven soul-stimulating energies include gratitude, wellness, inspiration and motivation, love and romance, new beginnings, serenity, and prosperity. Her floral formula factors in color combination, shape and significance, vase style, placement in the home and flower variety.
Barrett’s Blueprints for Mood-

Boosting Vitamin F

Gratitude: Reminds us to be grateful for the little blessings in life

Key Colors: A low, clustered arrangement in all shades of pink symbolizes opening the heart and making others more receptive to you.Vase Style: A glass container of any size is fitting, as its transparency exhibits openness.In the Home: To start and end the day counting your blessings, place this depiction of gratitude on a nightstand, dresser or in the kitchen.Suggested Flower Options: Ranunculus, alstroemeria, tulips, spray roses

Wellness: Evokes balanced feelings of mind, body and spirit

Key Color: Yellow is the primary color for this emotional energy, as it represents the sun, life force and health. Supplement a big burst of blooms with greens, which induce nature’s healing energy, and white, which reflects serenity.Vase Style: Choose an oval or round, terra-cotta, wood or bamboo container to replicate the Earth’s element, providing grounding and balance.

In the Home: Locate this energy in the living room or family room to enhance the space of relaxation, meditation and family connection.Suggested Flower Options: Gerbera, carnations, solidago, hydrangea (white or green), callas, pompons, chrysanthemums

Inspiration and Motivation: Infuses the soul with rejuvenating energy

Key Color: Red epitomizes motivation, fame, courage and power. Design an up-shooting spray that also includes sensuous, rich orange and fuchsia, which suggest enthusiasm and exuberance.Vase Style: A tall mirrored or shiny metal container of any kind will stoke inspiration. Mirrors boost positive energies and bring good luck, which will circulate through all endeavors.
In the Home: The home office is an ideal place to inject motivational energy — or the power of now. Anyone will feel encouraged to reach for the stars and live life to the fullest.Suggested Flower Options: Roses, callas, Asiatic lilies, snapdragons, hypericum

Love and Romance: Sparks intimate connections and blossoming love

Key Color: A tight bunch of flowers flush with burgundy and red embodies feelings of passion and romance. Incorporating lush pinks and peaches will help invite love and inspire kindness.Vase Style: A circular vase is the perfect shape for never-ending love.In the Home: Spark feelings of adoration during a meal in the kitchen or dining room. As you nourish your body, you will be dually energized by love and encouraged to show your affection throughout the day and night. Flowers are a great addition to the bedroom too.Suggested Flower Options: Stock, roses, alstroemeria

New Beginnings: Welcomes change with open arms and mind

Key Color: Stimulate joy, enthusiasm and excitement with a simple arrangement featuring the color orange. Complement it with white — the color of purity and freshness — and green, characterizing new opportunity and growth.Vase Style: A square, ceramic vase brings an earthy energy, proclaiming that while the sky’s the limit, it’s good to keep your feet firmly rooted on the ground.In the Home: Put the spirit of new horizons on display on a mantle or coffee table, where it will instill faith, creativity and endless possibility.Suggested Flower Options: Gerbera, carnations, Asiatic lilies, spray roses, alstroemeria

Serenity: Allows our minds to unwind and release tension, bringing a sense of calm to our lives

Key Color: Loosely arranged hues of blue, violet and lavender evoke serenity and will help clear the mind of stress. Blue represents the ocean and sky, while shades of purple invoke spiritual energy.Vase Style: A cobalt blue glass vase represents inner wisdom and will help add balance. The blue is yin (soft, curving, cyclical) and the glass is yang (straight, shiny, linear) for a perfect equilibrium.
In the Home: Setting this in the entryway will set the tone for tranquility as you step inside your home from the chaotic world outside.Suggested Flower Options: Hydrangea, delphinium, lisianthus, stock

Prosperity: Stimulates action and indicates success and richness

Key Color: Let red or deep purple dominate this abundant arrangement, intimating accomplishment and wealth. Accent with shades of gold, the preeminent color for good health and fortune.Vase Style: Select a metallic, perhaps golden container, representing a pot of gold.In the Home: Give your home a boost by placing this inspirational bouquet where you welcome guests or potential buyers.Suggested Flower Options: Lilies, roses, lisianthus, snapdragons

“We all strive to surround ourselves with positive energy, and nature is a powerful and proven tonic,” says Barrett. “Anyone can let Vitamin F fortify their home, whether it’s a refuge, haven, retreat or sanctuary.”

Jayme Barrett, the leading authority on inspired living and best-selling author, empowers individuals to design their lives for increased balance, energy and motivation. Barrett specializes in techniques for personal fulfillment, prosperity and integrated health. She has appeared on numerous national television shows and been featured in print publications. Barrett is also a recurring speaker and workshop presenter at Paramount Pictures, Warner Bros. studios, and for numerous corporations, retreat centers, resorts and nonprofit organizations around the world.

Pealer's Info Blog

This is the first post on the new Pealer's Flowers Information Blog! We will continue with our Wedding blog but thought that people might also be interested in what we do here at Pealer's on a regular basis and what new things we have in store! We will provide you with some great flower information based on new press releases and what is hot and trendy.

It's Jazzy June and we are running lots of great specials all month long. Roses are at great prices and so we can make a stunning vase that will sure to delight or stop by one of our stores and pick up a dozen of cash and carry roses.