valentine flowers - Holiday Greetings Raise Ire

There’s a compelling article floating around the web these days titled, “Happy Holidays and Other Four-Letter Words.”  In it, the author (Jennifer McGrail) opines why holiday greetings have become so polarizing valentine flower, of late. Her bottom line (which coincidentally, I happen to agree with) asserts that, where holiday greetings are concerned, it behooves us to focus more on the spirit/intent and less on the actual semantics.

Her piece actually got me perseverating on the subject. So much so, that it led me to querying my Facebook friends in an attempt to solicit their opinions too. I posted:  “What camp are you?  Do you say, ‘Merry Christmas’ or ‘Happy Holidays?’ And why?” The post generated 46 impassioned valentine flower

valentine flower - Grand celebration with Mickey & his 50 friends

MANILA, Philippines - For many kids who grew up in the ’90s, the Christmas holidays won’t be complete without a trip to the Big Dome to watch their favorite Disney characters dance, jump, twirl and skate on ice while munching on popcorn and sipping fruit juice slushies from Disney-themed tumblers. Almost every year since 1990, Disney On Ice has charmed everyone from all ages and from all walks of life.

This year, local celebrities and their children — all certified Disney fans — couldn’t resist trooping to the Smart Araneta Coliseum to watch the latest and never-before-seen ice extravaganza, Disney on Ice presents Let’s Celebrate!

Kumare Klub TV host Christine Bersola-Babao says that the Disney characters continue to be loved by everyone because they are classic, universal and ageless. And her love for the Disney characters has rubbed off on her kids Anya, 6, and Nio, 1. “We’re a Disney family. Who isn’t? We’ve been watching Disney on Ice when it’s shown here. You’re planting happy memories in a child’s mind every time you bring them to Disney on Ice. And every year it changes. There’s something new,” she shares.

Fellow host Chiqui Roa-Puno, who has also seen different Disney on Ice shows with her kids, shares the same sentiment. “Anything Disney we get excited about. Even my bigger boys and for my husband Rob and I, we just love how their faces light up and how excited they still get. This is my youngest Sabrina’s first time. So we love it. And the show this year is very nice. They’re very personal,” she says.

During the show, Chiqui’s daughter, Sabrina, 5, got a nice surprise when one of the Disney princesses, Jasmine, came over to where they were seated to give a pretty valentine flower to the awestruck — yet delighted — little girl. “We thought the highlight was seeing Tinkerbell outside, getting ready to come in. But then when Jasmine came over to give her valentine flower — that was the best part. She told me, ‘She’s so nice to me, mom,’” Chiqui adds.

Other celebrities are raring to catch Disney On Ice presents Let’s Celebrate! in its last few days at the Big Dome this season. “Our girls Kylie, 16 and Kerry, 14 both love Belle from Beauty and the Beast. Both of them can relate to Belle whose nose is always stuck in a book and oblivious to the world around them. I’ve always encouraged them to watch Mulan, who for me is one of the best role models for women in fiction ever. If they were to choose a Disney character’s party to attend it would still be Belle’s, because they say it would be awesome to have a scene like Be Our Guest with Lumiere, Clocksworth, Chip and all the others. It would just be the best party ever,” says Kaye Tinga.

Maxine Eigenmann and her young son also have their own favorites. “My son Sandro loves Buzz Lightyear because he’s like a superhero. He says his wings are so awesome plus he can fly. He likes Buzz because he’s the best friend of Woody and he’s such a cool toy!” Maxine also shares her dream Disney princess parties. “If I would attend a Disney character’s party it would be Ariel’s. I’ve always been curious about the world beneath the sea. I would also love to meet Cinderella and hopefully borrow her glass slippers; a party held under the sea by a mermaid who sings would be most definitely be one would not want to miss,” she adds.

Book-loving Christine, on the other hand, enjoyed the Royal Ball featuring the Disney princesses. “My favorite is Belle. In my second life I want to be her. I like Belle’s personality. She likes to read books — like me, and I write books. And I like her gown. Siguro kapag nag-golden wedding anniversary kami ni Julius, yung gown ko siguro yung gold gown niya. And then next is Ariel. Super like ko si Ariel, kasi I think it’s every girl’s fantasy to be a mermaid,” Christine says.

James Yap, who also watched the show with son Bimby and Joshua admitted he wasn’t familiar with a lot of Disney characters before. He has since been converted into a Disney fan, thanks to his Disney-loving four-year-old son. “Ang favorite kasi ni Baby James si Mickey Mouse, so favorite ko na rin yun,” James says.

Disney On Ice presents Let’s Celebrate!, is a series of 18 shows featuring a medley of holidays and celebrations throughout the world, presented by Mickey Mouse and 50 of his friends. Produced by Feld Entertainment, the show includes 10 colorful, romantic and high-energy acts, including a Very Merry UnBirthday Party with Alice and the Mad Hatter; a Halloween party with Jack Skellington and the Disney Villains; a Hawaiian luau with Lilo and Stitch; and a Valentine’s Day Royal Ball with the Disney Princesses, introducing a new Disney Princess, Tiana. With the help of Mickey’s Digital Global Destinator, the show will also transport you to far-off places so you can witness events such as the Mardi Gras in New Orleans, the Chinese New Year in China, and the Carnival in Brazil.

Disney on Ice presents Let’s Celebrate! started its holiday shows at the Smart Araneta Coliseum on Christmas Day, and will continue its run until Jan. 3, 2012. You can still catch the grandest and happiest show this season. Ticket prices are P1,500 (Patron VIP/Lower Box VIP,  P1,200  (Patron Regular/Lower Box Regular), P950 for Upper A Premium, P675 for Upper A Regular, P370 for Upper B and P150 for General Admission. Special discounts are available for Visa Cardholders and family bundles. Tickets are available through Ticketnet (911-5555).

Disney On Ice presents Let’s Celebrate! is presented by the Araneta Center, Smart Araneta Coliseum, Lactum, Meralco, Philippine Airlines and TV5, Manila Bulletin, Fox International, Summit Media, Disney Junior, Inquirer.net, 99.5 RT, Magic 89.9, Jam 88.3 and Wave 89.1, Holiday Inn and H.M. Transport.

Valentine Flower - Talegaon Rose Farmers Dictate Price Terms To Traders

PUNE: Rose growers from Talegaon near Pune, the largest hub of rose cultivation in the country, are now waking up to the benefits of collective action. Last year, they decided to come together against the system of handing over their produce to traders and getting to know the price two months later. Now growers fix valentine flower prices daily and traders have to purchase them at this rate.

Talegaon, also an automobile hub with big brands like General Motors having a base here, is known as the largest area growing exportable roses in the country. The Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation has set up a floriculture park in Talegaon and the region sends millions of roses to the EU and Japan every year for the Valentine's day. Though the enterprising farmers here grew and exported the best of roses, when it came to selling their valentine flower in the domestic market, they were helpless as any other Indian farmer.

The rose growers had to hand their produce over to traders and would get to know the price only after the flowers were sold. They had to believe the auction rate the trader would tell them. But exactly a year ago, the farmers decided to change the system of marketing in their favour. They held a meeting of flower growers in the region and decided to fix the rate of the flowers they grew.

Now, top 2-3 rose companies in the region decide the rates on a daily basis and pass on the information to other growers through SMS. "We are selling flowers in Talegaon under this system. We did face some problems initially. But there is more demand for flowers in the market than supply. So traders had to accept the system," said Shivaji Bhegade, president, Pune District Floriculture Association.

This system is still restricted to Talegaon. Growers elsewhere are skeptical about uniting themselves. "It will need a high level of co-operation of all farmers for this system to succeed. But if does, it would be the best possible system of marketing for any grower," said Megha Borse, president, Maharashtra Floriculture Assocation and director, National Horticulture Board.

As compared to farmers elsewhere, Pune farmers are getting a higher price for their flowers.