the feast of the russian buttons

feb. 13 is the feast of the russian buttons.

i think i wrote a poem about this dem tradition. (if anyone of you has a copy, please post..)

anyway, it's a tradition we started on feb.13,1995. Peng, Ais, Leng and I were at a graviton overnight party at Ma'am Sto. Domingo's place at Fairview. We couldn't sleep. It was Feb. 13, we were young, in-love and were giddy at that thought that it was at the eve of that day of days, V-day. Tara suddenly had this idea of walking out to Fairview market to go out and buy a nice bouquet as a surprise for Ma'am Sto. who was generous enough to share her home again for an impromptu party. It was at the break of dawn and the V-day flowers just came in. They came in loads, all the flowers you ever knew existed, suddenly filled up Fairview market. Since we were highschool kids and can afford very little, we decided to make a bouquet of Malaysian mums, egg asters, baby's breath and russian buttons. That was the first time I ever saw russian buttons, and it was a nice introduction. It evoked a certain happiness and love in us, that after we saw how lovely the bouquet of wild flowers were (which cost us barely 200 pesos), we got excited and started making little bouquets for the people we love.

Hmmm..it's been 13 years..but i can still recall who gave who what..hehehe.. The rule was give one bouquet to your one true love. And it has to be only one bouquet. We vowed we were brave enough to go in the early morning of V-day, and personally hand-deliver it to the one we love. We made a pact, there was no chickening out. And so we did it.  The rush from that brave gesture was incomparable. Nothing beats a loved one's "i just woke up from sleep and here I find you in front of me with a bouquet in your hand" smile. Nothing really beats that.

And so every year, we try to go down at Fairview market to get that fresh pick of flowers on the night of Feb. 13. We happily wait the few hours after midnight to get the fresh batch of russian buttons. And surely, every bouquet meant something. Maybe for some, it was a different person every year, but the gesture still had that magic.

Even when we couldn't go to Fairview, we'd still find a way to buy flowers on that day. I know I did. And I know one dembud even had a dozen beautiful tulips, strutting down the chem pavillion to give one bouquet to a certain someone ;-) And another dembud keeping 3 blue roses for the boy she loved...Hahaha..those were the days..

So guys, don't forget the tradition this year. Please give bouquets to your husbands, boyfriends, girlfriends, whoever makes you feel special. Give a little love with flowers and celebrate the feast!

I think I'm exempt this year after 13 years..so please have one good day for me..;-)