Donna Collins

Now that Valentine’s Day has come and gone, florists, gift shops and restaurants around the country have once again cashed in on this romantic celebration held each year on February 14, playing their part to fuel Cupid’s arrow all in the name of love.

 Shops decked out with huge red hearts, floral arrangements, love themed merchandise and colour coded decorations in the brightest of reds and white didn’t fail to impress. But it was the atmosphere in the streets, the shopping centres and the office blocks where the buzz was really happening. Women dressed in pretty red outfits,  matching shoes and red accessories, all turned up for the day, where any moment a gift hamper, a wazzup message from their sweetheart,  or even better a big bouquet of flowers from that someone special in their life would arrive.

Romance was in the air, and the hopes that sealing a relationship status filled with overtures of ever-lasting love, in the form of a bunch of red roses, a bottle of perfume or an intimate dinner with the best bottle of Champaign served,  would make a dream come true.

Many people were spoke to throughout the day, from shop assistants, to bank tellers, to people young and old chasing back to work from lunch - you name it to find out what they thought about the day, and if the feeling of romance was still kept alive. Most shared the sentiments that romance was here to stay. Some were excited to rush home to their significant other to see what Valentine gift awaited them, or to be wined and dined, whilst many ladies were just happy their men were doing the cooking and they had the “night off”.

There were those who had already received huge Valentine’s hampers delivered to them at work, making them feel very special, evidence that the guys were going all out to woo the ladies. Then there were those who said that romance should be kept alive in a relationship all year round, and not just wait for one particular day. 

One man, who had been married for 13 years, said that every day is Valentine’s Day in his house, whilst some said that they still like to treat their ladies on this special day to make them feel happy. A group of teenage boys scoffed at the whole idea of Valentine’s Day, adding that the ladies must step up their game if they want the guys to spoil them.  

Fortunately this was not shared by most men out there, because after speaking to ‘Blumenkorb’ florist, they confirmed this year was busier than last year, and that they delivered well over 200 flower arrangements throughout Swakopmund, orders that came through mostly from men for their ladies.

Florist Elaine Timbo who has been in the game for over 20 years, says Valentine’s Day will never go out of fashion and that flowers are and always will be an expression of love, which is why Valentine’s Day bouquets have captured the heart strings of couples throughout the ages in a way that you can’t put feelings into words.