Let’s step back a moment to our series about Valentine’s Day celebrations, and talk about chocolate beer.

No, really; chocolate beer.

If you're short on ideas for what to send this Valentine's Day, a gift basket makes for a wonderful night in.

Kansas City, Missouri recently went crazy for a new beer, Boulevard Chocolate Ale. It ran out just as soon as stores got it in. There must be some kind of a beer grapevine in the city, because that magical beer was harder to come by than snow in a Florida July. You can just imagine what was going through everyone’s minds: “Wow, my boyfriend would really love that. Well, maybe I would really love that, too.”

The special beer was (is?) produced by Boulevard Brewing Company in conjunction with Christopher Elbow, fine purveyor of chocolates. In the end, shops had to put limits on per-person sales and the marriage of fine chocolates and fine brew couldn’t happen fast enough.

Now, we’re not suggesting that you go to Kansas City to pick up your chocolate brew. Actually, if you look around, you can find a few companies that make a version (it’s quite nice, actually). At this time of year, you might be out of luck—sort of like leaving your Valentine’s Day purchasing to the last minute. But you know, you can always pick up a nice case of local beer and pair it with some chocolates.

We at daFlores are not fine purveyors of beer, though we do have some other gifts and solutions. You can also always pair a bouquet with chocolates and wine, for example, for a different take on the Valentine’s Day question.

Just like the chocolate beer of Kansas City, it’s getting late in the day and supply can’t always meet demand. Order in the next couple of days, though, and daFlores’ expert florists will move heaven and earth to get you your flowers for Valentine’s Day. And when they come, they’ll be every bit as satisfying, fresh and wonderful as you’d expect from daFlores.com.

Valentine’s Day is just one week away! It’s not too late to order beautiful, fresh flowers from daFlores, but if you want to be certain that you’re getting exactly what you ordered, now is the time to take care of business. We can deliver gifts and flowers to homes, hotels and office buildings, so no matter where your loved one is this Valentine’s Day, we can find him or her for you.

It's not too late to send flowers and gifts in time for Valentine's Day 2012!

Let’s take a look at why daFlores is your best choice for Valentine’s Day flowers and roses in 2012:

• We only work with experienced florists who’ve had 10 years or more of experience
• We’ve been in the business of bringing smiles since the year 2000
• We personally visit all our florists to make sure they meet our standards
• We’re a leading flower delivery company in the Americas, and we have a widening network in Europe and Asia, too
• All our florists commit to fresh flowers daily, which means we guarantee your flowers will stay fresh for at least a week.

And then there’s our legendary customer service:

• Our friendly team is on call to answer questions about Valentine’s Day and other flowers, 24 hours a day, seven days a week
• We have bilingual (Spanish and English) customer service and country-specific phone numbers
• We offer telephone, live chat and email customer service
• We’ve translated our website into a number of different languages to help you and your loved ones order
• We have a 100 percent satisfaction guarantee on Valentine’s Day flowers and more. If you and your loved one are not delighted, we’ll work with you until the problem is fixed.

To order Valentine’s Day flowers for your loved one in 2012, pick the country where flowers will be delivered, click the Valentine’s Day button or “occasion” drop-down list, and browse through our gorgeous roses and flowers. You won’t be disappointed!

A new book explains the science of kissing, we hear. Author and noted scientist Sheril Kirshenbaum, has actually taken the trouble to catalog the physical and chemical responses in the body to a romantic (or passionate) kiss… and then to write a book about it. “The Science of Kissing: What Our Lips Are Telling Us” will be published just in time for Valentine’s Day.

Whether you're the artsy kind, the scientific, or a bit of both, flowers bring joy on Valentine's Day.

We know that kissing is important, because that’s what Valentine’s Day is for. We didn’t know that there was a book about it, though. The body might do one thing for a romance, but the fire still needs to be stoked. That’s why we have flowers that you can send to your loved ones, and why the letter X signifies a kiss.

There’s more to a kiss than hormones, beating hearts and biology. There’s an emotional aspect too, which is why sending Valentine’s Day flowers and gifts is such an important thing. Call it the art of the kiss, if you like! If you’re trying to kindle or keep alive a romance, you need to look at the whole story, not just the nuts and bolts. On the other hand, we know people for whom science and learning is the biggest adventure of all. If that describes you and your loved one, you could pair up beautiful flowers with a beautifully wrapped copy of the book.

The joy of all this is that everyone’s different. And you know best what your loved one will adore. At daFlores, we’ve seen romance in every shape and form, and we’re proud to be the facilitators of wonderful kisses. It’s our job to bring you and your loved ones smiles and, whether that means an intriguing book about kisses or the kisses themselves… we wish you joy. And we’re tickled pink that the publication date coincides with Valentine’s Day.

Valentine’s Day brings a new diversion to Facebook, namely Angry Birds. The famous Smartphone game has a new venue, and it’s all being done just in time for Valentine’s Day. Because, after all, nothing says “I love you” more than round birds throwing piglets. Or maybe it’s the other way around.

On Valentine's Day, you can settle in for a fun game of Angry Birds...with wine, chocolates and flowers from daFlores.

There’s something really hilarious about the concept of the Angry Birds game, not to mention the timing of its release. In our look around the Internet for Valentine’s Day ideas this year, this is one that really stands out, and on so many different levels. In Britain, an “angry bird” would mean your girlfriend or wife whom you didn’t treat properly on Valentine’s Day.

Obviously, if you have an angry bird of that kind on your hands, you didn’t look to daFlores.com for your Valentine’s Day needs. With a network of florists across the Americas and parts of Asia and Europe too, there’s no excuse to not send the freshest, most beautiful flowers on Valentine’s Day.

Of course, games are fun to play with your sweetie, too. Chances are this game will have teams, so you can play on Facebook with your loved ones. And when you’re done playing, don’t forget to check out the daFlores.com Facebook page, too. We have our very own app where you can send virtual flowers to anyone you want. Valentine’s Day can be as serious as you make it, but it can also be a fun and light-hearted way to show your affection.

No matter what you end up doing on February 14, we hope you have a fun and wonderful day. And when it comes to fresh flowers that are guaranteed to last a week, turn to the family-owned company daFlores for 24-hour service, great selections and happiness this Valentine’s Day.

It’s now less than two weeks to Valentine’s day, and time is running out for you to organize your wonderful surprise. Don’t believe the nay-sayers when they parade out their “news” that flower deliveries belong to the past: Every year, this is our busiest time and our florists have the numbers to prove that people still love flowers on Valentine’s Day!

Don't be afraid to think outside the box this Valentine's Day. Tropical flowers and sunflowers work too!

From delightful roses to pretty lilies and fiery tropical flowers, daFlores sends these and more for Valentine’s Day. Think outside the box or go traditional; we can add boxes of chocolates and bottles of wine, not to mention balloons and more, to your thoughtful gift of a flower delivery on February 14.

But, now that we’re in February, it’s time to get moving on this adventure. Sit down for a few minutes, pick the country where your flowers will go, and use our handy Valentine’s Day button or drop-down “occasion” to see our suggested picks for that region. You won’t regret taking care of business early.

If you order now, there’s still plenty of time for our florists to be sure they have all the supplies they need. The longer you wait, the greater the risk of substitutions, though we always fulfil the orders we take. Believe us, when your loved ones sees the care and attention we take on our garden-fresh flowers, he or she will be over the moon. DaFlores only uses the best florists who believe that the path to great bouquets is in garden-fresh flowers daily—even on Valentine’s Day.

From modest to magnificent symbols of love, we at daFlores have it all. We make it easy and quick to order, and back everything up with 24-hour, bilingual customer service. Come on down and see the daFlores difference when you order gorgeous flowers for Valentine’s Day.

In a town called Westborough, Girl Scouts have come up with a clever way to raise some money and give parents a night off for Valentine’s Day.

Did you know that, in some countries, Daisies is the youngest branch of Girl Scouts?

Girl Scouts have trained with the American Red Cross and are Babysitting-certified. Aided by adult chaperones, the Scouts are hosting three babysitting fundraisers – one each on the Saturday and Sunday before Valentine’s Day, and one on Valentine’s Day proper. Because Valentine’s Day falls on a weekday this year, the Tuesday event finishes at 9 p.m. to allow the students enough sleep before school.

The Girl Scouts will serve pizza for dinner and kids will take part in Valentine’s Day crafting sessions. It’s a cross between a pajama party and a craft session, and there’ll be a movie too. All this is presented for the cost of a donation. The troop is raising funds for a trip to Costa Rica.

If you’re craving a kid-free night for Valentine’s Day, look around and see if there’s something like this going on in the neighborhood. Even if it’s not in your local town, you can make your plans around the place where babysitting is available. In events like these, everyone wins: Nonprofits get funds and a chance to learn, kids have fun, and you have a chance to breathe and enjoy some grown-up time.

We at daFlores can’t help you with babysitting and logistics, but we can help you with gorgeous Valentine’s Day flowers. Across the Americas, and in parts of Asia and Europe too, we provide amazing, fresh flowers to bring you joy on Valentine’s Day–all backed up with our 100 percent satisfaction guarantee and years of experience.

For the rest, well, refer to your local Scout troops. They may well surprise you.

Yesterday, we saw how a community pulled together to visit hospitalized veterans and cheer them up for Valentine’s Day. Today, we’re taking a look at a different approach. The Veterans of Foreign Wars Post and Ladies’ Auxiliary in Glastonbury, Connecticut are hosting a pre-Valentine’s Day fundraiser to help soldiers across the world. They’re working in conjunction with a local youth group, St. Luke’s, and the Chamber of Commerce.

DaFlores has a selection of beautiful flowers you can send to Spain for Valentine's Day and other occasions.

The organizations are looking for volunteer box-packers and donations of cards and candy. They’re asking the public to drop off donations at noon, and the volunteers will swoop down on the piles of goodies to sort items, which will then be made into care packages. Those who aren’t around to help with the items can also send gifts of money.

Look around for these kinds of events in your community. They’re not only a great way to meet people of all ages and make friends, they spread the love of Valentine’s Day much further. The groups are even calling on local youth to hand-craft their own cards. The little bits of warmth sent to far-flung places are deeply appreciated and welcome. Whether it’s veterans, seniors or anyone who might be lonely on Valentine’s Day, there’s much to be said for the kindness of strangers.

Even if there’s nothing going on this year, you can show appreciation for a veteran by making an online donation to a support organization, of which there are many. If you need a beautiful flower delivery for Valentine’s Day, please take a look through the daFlores website. That’s what we do.

Then look through your City Hall or local newspaper’s calendars to see what is going on this Valentine’s Day. That’s what you do. You might be surprised at the amount of love it’s possible to spread this Valentine’s Day.

As we get ever-closer to Valentine’s Day, we’ll be sharing on our blog heart-warming stories from around the world this Valentine’s Day. We at daFlores have always taken the approach that, while Valentine’s Day has its very romantic side, that’s exactly what it is—a side, and not the whole story. Case in point is the Valentine’s Day visit being staged by Cape May County Veterans’ Bureau to Wilmington V.A. Hospital and New Jersey Veterans Memorial Home, the day after Valentine’s Day.

Valentine's Day roses and flowers

Children in Cape May County have been busy making Valentine’s Day cards that will be handed to veterans at both hospitals. The organizations have also been collecting donations from businesses to help fund gift bags for the veterans. Members of the public, organizations and auxiliaries will be transported by bus to the hospitals on February 15.

Veterans and service personnel are always going to be an important part of your country’s makeup. They defend, protect and serve. While we can’t get flowers into a war zone, perhaps there is a way to send cards and messages of appreciation to service personnel through regular mail channels, or to set up a day of appreciation in your home country. On the other side of the coin, if you’re serving, you can get online and have flowers delivered to a loved one waiting a home; all you need is an Internet connection and a way to pay.

You don’t have to go overboard and organize a grand city-wide celebration. Just your own gesture of appreciation to a veteran will always be appreciated. But if you are the organizing type, see what societies and organizations help veterans in your area, and see if you can do anything to help. Opportunities abound and we at daFlores think that the more love that’s spread around, the more there will be.

The City of New London, Connecticut is doing something special for the Coast Guard this year, and is using Valentine’s Day to create a true show of gratitude and affection for the guardians of the sea. Taking a wider view of Valentine’s Day than as a romantic holiday, the city thinks this holiday is a grand way to show organizations and people what they mean to us.

Send a gift, show Valentine's Day appreciation

In the weeks up to Valentine’s Day, residents in New London will be dropping off appreciative cards and messages, and students at local public schools will also write their good wishes in class. The cards will be delivered to a local coast guard station, and there’ll be a Valentine’s Day event at Union Station, which hopes to be the future site of a Coast Guard museum. Other initiatives include selling “I <B Coast Guard” arm-bands and stickers, interviews and news pieces on local stations, and a special Facebook page.

The Coast Guard station presence in New London was first established in 1910, so there really are long-standing ties. Trainees are put through their paces in this area, too. But what is going on at this site gave us at daFlores.com a few ideas. What can you do to support the people and organizations that you appreciate, both at home and overseas?

Valentine’s Day can be a time to pull together and create special events for the institutions you like, from museums to teachers to friends. You can use daFlores.com to send gorgeous flowers and gifts overseas, but we also believe that a strong community is one of the many ways to happiness and stability. Even if you can’t pull something together this year, could your community do something next year, on a small or even a grand scale?

Ask yourself: Whom do you appreciate this Valentine’s Day, and what can you do for them?

If you’re living away from your loved ones this Valentine’s Day and want to send a package in the mail, don’t wait too long and pack your parcel carefully. It can take up to two weeks for an international parcel to arrive, and the postal service does see a bit of a surge in traffic at this time of year.

DaFlores takes care of your flower delivery needs.

With its recent woes and cut down of services, you’re cutting it fine already if you use parcel post or airmail, but USPS does have priority mail both nationally and internationally to speed things up (you can even use express mail if you’re tardy).

Another option is to employ services such as UPS, FedEx and DHL to get your parcel there in time. Since they specialize in fast delivery, that should do the trick. Internationally-speaking it can get expensive, but even UPS ground will still get a parcel to your loved one in the United States or Canada before Valentine’s Day—if you get organized right now.

UPS will package parcels effectively for you, giving you security that your thoughtful gift will arrive in time. But if you’re packing parcels yourself, there are two things you mustn’t skimp on: Padding, and tape. You can stash away bubble wrap from previous parcels you receive and reuse it to ensure the item, at the center of its packaging, doesn’t move around. Movement within the box is the single greatest cause of damage.

For lighter items that aren’t breakable, you can also pad with wadded-up paper such as advertising sheets and newspaper, but bubble wrap is lighter and cushions better. As for tape, choose good tape. Store brands from office stores are decent, but some of the name-brands are actually superior. The heavier the item, the stronger the tape should be. Cheap, flimsy tape can break and will spoil the surprise.

Of course, you can avoid all of this work by using daFlores online florist. Our range of gorgeous blooms creates the perfect impression this Valentine’s Day, and your expression of love is delivered right to the doorstep. Since we use garden-fresh flowers daily, they’ll last for at least a week, guaranteed. You can add gifts such as bottles of wine, balloons and chocolates, and we also have custom collections with teddy bears and balloons and other sweet items.