According to the magic of numbers, since ancient times, there have been signs about the meaning of the number of flowers given:

• One is a shy sign of affection towards you.
• Two - an invitation to legitimize relationships, engagement.
• Three is a declaration of strong love.
• Five - wishes for happiness and good luck.
• Ten is a sign of admiration and adoration.
• Eleven - exchange of courtesies between spouses.
• Twelve is the anniversary number of flowers.
• Sixteen - honoring friends and relatives.
• Twenty-nine is a number symbolizing regret for a mistake and a promise of eternal fidelity and love.
• Thirty-six is ​​a desire for great happiness.
• One hundred and one flowers - the giver’s complete reverence for the object.

As can be seen from the symbolism of the number of colors, even numbers also have the right to exist. But also in the USSR nationalities and at all times even number It was customary to only bring flowers to the cemetery and “give” them to the deceased person. Although taking into account large number flowers, no one will count them, and 50 and 70 roses will look more effective than 5.

Citing the example of America or Germany, where even number flowers in a bouquet are considered absolutely acceptable, we note that these fears also have their own beliefs and numerical meanings. The Japanese, for example, bring four flowers to funerals, and Italians bring an odd number. The people of Israel do not bring flowers to the cemetery at all, but give bouquets of an even number to the living.

In Georgia, flowers are related to family, so a pair of flowers indicates the completion of the search for a match, and dead man a pair is useless - so it’s worth giving an odd number of them.

On this basis, it is clear that in countries former USSR There are different concepts on this topic.

But still, what is the reason, where did this come from? Russian states, i.e. Why can't you give an even number of flowers? live for people?

According to the opinion of the Magi in ancient Rus', an even number of something meant vicious circle, the end of the cycle, that is, death. A odd number, accordingly, foreshadowed movement, the search for an ending.

This is also due to the opinion “trouble does not come alone”, taking into account the number of elements in amulets, etc. Both esotericists and florists who communicate with flowers and make bouquets believe that the number of flowers exceeding ten is acceptable both in Russia and in the countries of the former USSR.

On this basis, we can conclude that the number of flowers in the bouquet does not actually matter, what is important is the mood of the giver and receiver.

Indeed, in addition to the number of flowers, their color, the moment of flowering, and the types of flowers given are taken into account. Each of these characteristics carries its own meaning and determines and even removes the significance of their number.

All signs and beliefs, as well as their strict observance, are controlled by the people around you. You can also give chamomile, which, in fact, means solar energy, that is, a wish for strength and prosperity, and rarely will anyone count them in a bouquet.

The magic of numbers concerns not only bouquets of flowers, but also the number of dishes on the table. After all, Old Russian beliefs were clearly divided: even is bad, odd is good.

Many people wonder: why do they put an even number of flowers on the grave and where did this tradition come from? There are several opinions on this matter:

1. Even in Ancient Rus', two flowers were placed on the grave of fallen soldiers who defended their homeland from enemy invasion.
2. According to pagan belief an even number is a symbol of evil and death. It’s not for nothing that they say “trouble does not come alone.” Perhaps this was the reason for the emergence of the custom of giving an odd number of flowers to the living, and an even number to the dead.
3. Many ancient cultures associated even numbers with completeness and completeness. In the case of a funeral, this may indicate the end life path. All odd numbers except 13 symbolized happiness, joy, movement and life.
4. The ancient Pythogoreans considered odd numbers to personify goodness, light and life, and unpaired numbers - death, grief, disappointment.
5. Two flowers are placed on the grave: one is intended for the deceased, and the second is for God or the guardian angel.
6. Some believe that an odd number of flowers is given to the living “up to a couple,” and since the person has died and thus becomes “married” to death, he is presented with an odd number.

Not in all countries is it customary to give people an odd number of flowers for their birthday or any other holiday. For example, in the USA, Europe and some eastern countries the birthday boy or hero of the day is presented with a bouquet with an odd number of flowers in the bouquet, without considering this something strange and frightening.

If there are more than ten flowers in the bouquet, then no attention is paid to their number (even or not).

Many people, going to a funeral, do not know which flowers are better to buy: fresh or artificial. Different ones are also placed on the grave. It all depends on a person's personal preferences. Of the fresh flowers, the following are considered mourning:

1. White chrysanthemums, which are often brought to deceased friends. This flower symbolizes openness, sincerity and friendship.
2. White lilies symbolizing purity. They are often placed on the graves of girls and young women.
3. Red carnations are appropriate on the grave of a person who was highly respected among his circle. These could be mentors, teachers and managers. These flowers express their respect. They are also placed at monuments dedicated to military actions.
4. Dark red roses are a symbol of sorrow and living blood. They are placed on the graves of tragically dead people.

There must be an even number of flowers in the bouquet. They need to be placed with the buds towards the head of the deceased.

Artificial flowers, rather than real ones, are much more popular. All because they for a long time retain their original appearance, but the living ones already wither and dry out on the second day, after which they look very untidy on the grave.

And in general, artificial flowers are traditionally considered mourning. You can decorate your grave with them at any time of the year. Today you can buy both a wreath and just a bouquet. It is worth remembering that wreaths are usually laid on the day of the funeral; it is not customary to bring them on the anniversary and birthday of the deceased.

What to plant in a cemetery?

According to Russian, French and, for example, Armenian traditions, an even number of flowers is brought to a funeral, but it is appropriate for a living person to give flowers only in an odd number.

In almost all of Europe, the USA and some eastern countries, everything is exactly the opposite; they give an even number of flowers, because it brings happiness.

Israelis only give an even number of flowers, but they don’t bring flowers to funerals. In Georgia they believe that everything connected with family values brings happiness, so two flowers (a pair) are a good combination, and an odd number of flowers are carried to the cemetery “so that the deceased does not take the pair with him.” The roots of these traditions and prejudices should be sought in the pre-Christian world. Each country (region) has gone through its own path of development and therefore such discrepancies and contradictions often arise.

Pagan beliefs interpret even numbers as symbols of death and evil. Remember the saying “trouble does not come alone”?

Many ancient cultures associated paired numbers with completeness, completion, in this case, the path of life. An odd number, on the contrary, is a symbol of happiness, success, luck. Odd numbers are unstable, they symbolize movement, life, development. Even numbers are a symbol of peace and tranquility.

For the ancient Pythagoreans, odd numbers were the personification of goodness, life, light, and they also symbolized the right side (the side of luck). The unlucky left side, and with it death, evil, darkness, were symbolized by even numbers. Is this where the famous “get up on your left foot” comes from, symbolizing a bad start to the day?

In ancient Rus', only those who died in war defending their homeland were given two flowers: “one to the deceased, the other to God.”

Nowadays it is customary to lay an even number of flowers to all the dead.

Gift bouquet in modern Russia obeys a simple rule: “odd up to a dozen,” that is, the number of colors matters if there are three, five, seven, nine or eleven. An even number of ten or fewer stems is usually brought as a sign of grief at mourning ceremonies. If there are twelve or more flowers in the bouquet, their number does not carry any meaning.

In sign language, each number has its own meaning, and this can be used to give the bouquet the correct meaning. So, if you give one flower, it means that the person to whom you give it is the only one for you. By giving three flowers, you can express your desire to go with your loved one to the ends of the world. Well, five means: “I love you.”

Few people know that seven flowers used to be given only on the day of engagement.

In Georgia, an odd number of flowers is placed only on the graves of the deceased, and an even number is given to the living. And in Germany, men present their lovers with bouquets of eight flowers. However, in Russia, eight or any other number of flowers divisible by 2 are taken with them exclusively to the cemetery, while those who are alive are entitled to an odd number.

The secret meaning of numbers

The tradition of giving bouquets to the living, consisting only of an odd number of flowers, has its roots in the distant past, when paganism still dominated in Rus'. Back then numbers were given great importance great value. Moreover, all even numbers symbolized the end of life, a certain completeness, a dead end, while odd numbers, on the contrary, suggested the continuation of the cycle, movement forward.

For example, the number 2 had a clear negative connotation. In this regard, the birth of twins in Rus' was considered a great misfortune. It was also not customary to eat eggs with two yolks and to light two candles at the same time. In ancient times, two flowers were also carried to the graves of soldiers killed in battle: one to the deceased, the other to his guide to the other world.

But the odd number 3 in Rus' symbolized spirituality. It is not without reason that in many pagan rituals one or another action had to be performed three times. Yes, and in Russians folk tales The troika appears constantly: three desires, Gorynych’s three heads, the crossroads of three roads, the distant kingdom, and so on.

According to S. Yu. Klyuchnikov, only one odd number, 13, was considered unlucky, which was called only “dashing one-eyed.”

Odd numbers took specific place and in Christianity. Examples of this include the holy trinity: Father, Son and Holy Spirit; 5 loaves of bread that fed 5 thousand people; 7 deadly sins, 9 angelic ranks. But the even number 666 personifies evil and is called the “number of the beast.”

People still believe that an even number of flowers given to a living person is fraught with misfortune or even death of the person to whom these flowers are intended. When talking about an even number of flowers, it is customary to say “gifted up to a couple.” That is, a deceased person finds his mate in the image of death, becoming her husband or wife.

What to do if you gave an even number of flowers?

Few people know that the number of flowers is only relevant in small bouquets. Florists even have an “odd to dozen” rule. That is, if there are more than 12 flowers in a bouquet, then their number no longer matters, and it is quite possible to give a living person 20, 30, or a million roses.

However, if you are still worried about the “wrong” number of flowers in the bouquet, then simply divide the bouquet into two or more parts at your discretion, so that each part contains an odd number of stems.