To be irritated by receiving flowers

[DappledThings]

Firstly let be clear I did politely thank the sender, I'm not terrible. But I was sent flowers in the post yesterday and my only reaction was annoyance.

I don't own a vase so had to find a jug big enough for them. Loads of random wrapping that makes a big mess, loads of water in the wrapping that I didn't know about so flooded the table, spilt half the packet of the food liquid stuff which is very sticky, couldn't cut through the thick stems with first pair of scissors and had to use a knife.

Then they last a little while and don't even look that nice, and once they are past their best there's smelly, slimy water to deal with a drippy bunch of dead plant matter to chuck away.

I would happily never be sent or given flowers ever again. Just me or anyone else not like them?

When people send me flowers I manage to get them into a vase without having any of the problems that you did. Perhaps these were joke flowers designed to piss you off?

If you receive a glitter bomb from the same sender in a few days you know that this person is not being kind...

Blimey the image of you dealing with the flowers is nothing but slapstick. Sounds like a Mr Bean episode.

Thanks, I'm here all week!

What adult doesn’t own a vase?!

I love flowers. I subscribe to a delivery service and get them every week, plus my dh buys me a bunch quite often. And I grow lots of sweet peas and dahlias to have in the house. I have a utility room full of vases, to the annoyance of my dh.

I’m hideously fussy about them though. A garish mixed bunch would be hideous to me & I’d rather go without.

I can totally see why people dislike cut flowers.

I know someone who sent a friend flowers and because the recipient didn’t want them, she gave them to her mother, told the sender she’d done so and upset the sender a lot as each time the sender drove past the mothers house, she could see them on her windowsill.

Maybe you could try that tactic? It’d get the point across and you’d never have to deal with flowers again.

When people send me flowers I manage to get them into a vase without having any of the problems that you did. Perhaps these were joke flowers designed to piss you off?

Nah, I'm just fairly incompetent in such things. Although I do think the water reservoir was unfairly hidden in coloured paper in this instance which was an additional hindrance.

What adult doesn’t own a vase?!
I did have one once. Not sure what happened to it.

@Winterwoollies

I’ll have them then. I love to receive flowers and very rarely do. You also sound quite clumsy, which might account for your annoyance. The sender sent them to you thinking you’d be delighted so I think you’re being ungrateful and unreasonable.

However, MNers seems to hate nice things like this that might slightly inconvenience them for two minutes, so I dare say I’ll be in the minority.

That sums it up. YABU! - and sound terribly clumsy if you cannot evenmanage a bouquet of flowers. Life is likely to get harder 😳😳😳

@bloodyhellsbellsx

What adult doesn’t own a vase?!

Probably someone who doesn't like flowers....similar to the OP maybe?

I feel like the real issue is that you don't get sent flowers often enough OP :D
If you did you'd be well versed in getting them sorted with minimal faff.

Are you Liz Jones???

I don’t own a vase. I’ve been sent flowers only once in my life. My mother likes flowers and cards, my daughter hates cards and flowers.

@Mooballs

Only on MN. Misery guts!

You beat me to it. Make sure to let the person who sent you them how much you hate them so they don’t make the same mistake again

I had to bail on a weekend with my friends and they sent me box flowers... followed by a sheepish message a few days later wondering if I'd received them. We had a good laugh about the fact their message of support turned into a personal errand to the post office.

I handed a woman a bunch of flowers at work on her last day, and their weird container wouldn't stand up - so she propped them up in an empty bin!

I'm a bit fanatical about only sending flower arrangements in water...

Might the flowers not have already been in a cellophane 'vase' given the flooding you say happened when you opened the gift!

There was a thread about gifts not long ago (probably more than one thread if you are bothered)

half the posters couldn't stand food hampers
decorative objects are a massive no
drinks are not well received..
the list goes on.

It's impossible to buy a small gift that will be universally enjoyed.
And still, there are people complaining about gift lists who save time, faff and ensure you get the right thing.

You can't win... and no giving gifts in many occasions is not acceptable either

OP you just need more practice with flowers, and get rid of them before they get rotten.

I have three vases. But I can guarantee that if someone sends me flowers but one of my vases will be the right size.

Also I'm rubbish at arranging/prepping a bunch of flowers so that they look good in a vase. They arrive looking lovely but by the time I'm done they're just a shambles.
I never know how much foliage I'm supposed to get rid of for a start. So I end up with it either rotting in the water or with stems that look bare.

But= not

(What do you think about fake flowers by the way OP? I have several bunches of high quality ones around the house - I get grumpy about having to take them from their vases for the real thing...)

Make sure to let the person who sent you them how much you hate them so they don’t make the same mistake again

Or I could do what I did do which is thank them and save my moaning for anonymous internet ramblings. Because I'm ungrateful but not rude.

I'd love not to get them again but I'm prepared to irritated again at some point for the sake of social harmony.

I do like them every now and again. I remember getting about seven bouquets after my first baby was born. I just cried and my sister had to do all of the stem cutting, vase finding etc. They looked lovely but I just couldn't deal with them after the trauma of childbirth and looking after a newborn.

I agree OP. I love plants and am a keen gardener but with cut flowers... you just watch them slowly die.

The last two times I've received a "gift" of flowers (in person) I've politely thanked them and taken them home and straight out to the garden wheelie bin.
(Both of them - from different people - a Huge armful of white lilies - no one had died!)

The pollen from one lily could kill my cats. 😺😭

No way would I be grateful for that! 🤬🤬

I'd much rather a box of chocs - which, if they weren't something I'd like, I could pass on to a food bank.

However, MNers seems to hate nice things like this that might slightly inconvenience them for two minutes, so I dare say I’ll be in the minority.

Noo I'm with you and luckily several other pp.

OP could you perhaps look at it as someone wanting to make a nice gesture, thinking of you. Maybe not your most wanted thing, but a nice thought .