Flowers - and maybe a beer - for Mom

Mother’s Day and flowers — they just go together.

Many people were out buying flowers on Friday. Vendors of potted plants and flower arrangements said there is always an uptick around this time of year.

“I think Mother’s Day is bigger than Valentine’s Day. Everyone has a mother,” said Linda Arndt of Arndt’s Flower Shop in Lehighton.

Carnations are the traditional flower of the day. Mother’s Day founder Anna Jarvis wore a white carnation in honor of her mother. The tradition also has roots in the Bible — as Jesus carried the cross, carnations sprung up where the Virgin Mary’s tears fell.

But Arndt said mothers aren’t too picky, just receiving flowers is a welcome gesture in itself.

“Mothers love to get flowers. They’re so pretty and colorful and remind you of spring. And they smell good,” Arndt said.

Employees at Arndt’s were working hard, especially with over 100 arrangements ordered to be delivered on Saturday.

At the Flower Tent in Lehighton, a lot of customers were buying hanging baskets for the holiday.

“They bloom all summer long,” owner Barbara Zehner said.

Between Mother’s Day and the spring planting season, business was brisk at the Flower Tent on Friday. Zehner said the planting season usually doesn’t pick up until after Mothers’ day, but it seems that with the never-ending winter, gardeners are a little more eager to get to work this year.

“People had spring fever a little early this year,” Zehner said.

Zehner and her daughter both own flower tents, so she said when it’s time for Mother’s Day, they gather with the other traditional gift for the holiday, food.

Many restaurants in the area were offering Mother’s Day specials for this weekend.

And for the mom who likes to split with tradition, a local beer distributor was offering $1 off all cases for the Mother’s Day holiday.

“Get mom what she really wants,” read the ad from Zigs beverage in Weissport.