Ask Emma

Question: For my birthday, my boyfriend sent me beautiful yellow roses. He is now studying out of state, and he couldn’t make it to visit with me. My grandma was staying with us at that time, and when she saw the roses, she told me they were bad news. She was surprised that I did not know that yellow flowers mean breaking up with someone, or leaving for good, and she also told me that a dozen (as well as any even number) also points to the end of relationships. She said, it was customary to give an odd number of flowers for any occasion except the funeral. I was upset, so my mom said that giving a dozen roses is now widespread, and it does not mean anything. She also said that the flower shop that delivered the roses could have picked the color, not my boyfriend. I don’t want to ask him over the phone if he meant to break up with me, but I want to know the answer. Should I wait until we see each other face to face?
Answer: I am surprised you took your grandma’s words so seriously. Whoever mentions funerals during birthdays should be extracted from good company, if you ask me. The truth is, there is symbolism in flowers, and yes, in some cultures even numbers in bouquets are being avoided, and yellow does mean parting. However, I’ve never heard about a young male who would know or remember such things. If your boyfriend is this extremely rare type, you’ll find out soon enough. He surely will let you know in a less coded way if your relationship is going nowhere. Moreover, you’ll be grateful that a twisted creep who tried to spoil your birthday with an old wife’s cipher is gone. Most likely, though, your boyfriend didn’t mean anything of the sort. He just picked the color he liked, and by remembering your birthday with flowers, genuinely expressed his feelings. I suggest you pick up the phone and sincerely thank him, if you haven’t done so yet.