April showers bring May flowers. And if the employees at Sheffield’s Floral are right, the May rays will bring University students in to buy these flowers.
“There are always a lot more sales in the spring,” said Sheffield’s employee and senior English major Lori Schindler. “Plus Mother’s Day is probably tied with Easter as the second most popular floral holiday we have.”
Schindler is no stranger to Mother’s Day. The three-year veteran of the Washington Avenue flower shop knows the habits of the average son or daughter.
“We always get a lot of anxious last-minute shoppers,” Schindler said. “They usually come in on Thursday or Friday, but they get their orders in on time.”
But even these late-comers bring cheer to the employees of the shop.
“It’s neat to see people remembering their mothers,” said sophomore clothing design major Andrea Boese.
Since Sheffield’s is located close to campus, a large amount of their business comes from students. And because of the displacement of students from their hometowns to the University, most of the orders they receive for flowers are not for area residents.
“I think the farthest we’ve sent an order is to China,” Schindler said. “We send them all over — from around the United States, all the way to Europe.”
For freshmen at the University who are spending their first Mother’s Day away from their families, the prospect of what to do come May 9 leaves them with few options.
“I usually celebrate Mother’s Day at home,” said College of Liberal Arts freshman Abbie Jarman. “I guess this year I’ll just shoot for the flowers.”
But while flowers appear to be the preference of many, there are other options. Most are somewhat traditional.
“I’ll probably get (my mother) a card,” said College of Biological Sciences freshman Melissa LeClaire. “Or maybe a gift certificate.”
Other gifts have a little more of an original flavor to them.
“I’m getting my mom a beer mug,” said College of Liberal Arts freshman Rob Holly. “She collects them from every one of (her children’s) schools,” he added.
Some people receiving a shiny new Golden Gopher beer mug or a bouquet of flowers this spring won’t just be receiving them from their sons or daughters, Boese said.
“People come in and order things for their grandmothers, godmothers and stepmoms too,” she said.
The employees of Sheffield’s aren’t worried about anyone they put on their Mother’s Day list.
“It’s so sad,” Schindler said, “because we can just bring the leftovers home.”