How did the sign appear to give exactly an odd number of flowers
Categories: Culture | History | Society
By Pictolic https://pictolic.com/article/how-did-the-sign-appear-to-give-exactly-an-odd-number-of-flowers.htmlDuring its history, humanity has accumulated many signs. There is a bias towards black cats and dislike of the number 13 and fear of women with an empty bucket. Many do not believe in these prejudices and simply ignore them. But there are signs that strictly observe everything and at the same time do not even think about their origin. One of them is the custom of giving an odd number of flowers.
The main version of the origin of this sign takes us back to the pre-Christian period. In Russia, pagan priests-magi associated even numbers with the end of the life cycle, with death. Odd numbers, on the contrary, were associated with life and prosperity and even served as amulets against dark forces.
Odd numbers were considered unstable, alive, symbolizing development and growth. The even ones were self-sufficient, dead, and associated with peace. Therefore, when people made offerings to the gods of fertility and luck, they brought an odd number of items. If things were intended for funeral rituals, then an even number was taken. The same principle was used when giving gifts or simply showing signs of attention.
But there is a nuance that calls into question the obsession of our ancestors on even and odd numbers. You can recall the old Russian custom of buying items by the dozen. So they bought everything, including flowers, at the end of the 19th century. It is known that a number that is a multiple of a dozen, that is, 12, is necessarily even. So what about pagan superstitions?
For some reason, it is considered that an odd number of flowers are given all over the world. But this is not the case and in many countries they do not pay attention to it. Moreover, in Japan, on the contrary, they try to present 6, 8 or 10 flowers to a woman or a hero of the day. In this country, even numbers denote harmony and they are very much loved. Especially often they give flowers to those who want to find a soul mate. It is believed that such a bouquet will help a person to find a couple.
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