Jan 16

Jan 16 How the Snowdrop Gets it's Name - it may not be what you think ..

Meaningful Flowers, Birth Month Flowers, Language of Flowers

Just like every month has a gemstone associated with it, every month also has one or two ‘birth month flower/s’. January’s birth month flowers are the carnation and the snowdrop.

Today’s focus is on the snowdrop.

Snowdrops are one of my favourite flowers. They are simple, pure, and elegant, and I love their symbolism.

One of the first flowers to bloom in the new year, in the language of flowers snowdrops have been given the very appropriate meaning of ‘hope’. They give us hope that the long, cold, dark, winter days are coming to an end, and hope for what a new, brighter season will bring us.

It’s commonly thought that snowdrops were named ‘snowdrops’ because of the way their pure white bloom pushes its way up through the snow. But they are actually named after earrings. Yes - earrings! This goes back as far as the 15th century when ladies often wore white, drop-shaped earrings, known as ‘ear drops’ . Do you see the resemblance between a ‘snowdrop’ and an ‘eardrop’?

This January as well as enjoying going for long walks spotting snowdrops out in nature, why not treat yourself - or someone with a January birthday to a pair of pearl earrings to remind them of their birth month flower.