We Didn’t Invent These Holidays, But We Are Glad Someone Did

With so many weighty things on our plates these days, something light and sweet is very appealing. We have two opportunities this week for little celebrations to let the people in our lives know we appreciate them.

 The first, National Boss’s Day on Oct. 16, is a chance to thank the people who challenge us and help us grow both personally and professionally. Chances are, many people would like to recognize their boss for their support and flexibility during these trying times, and this is the perfect opportunity. We asked some of our team members across our brands to each share three attributes that they think make a good boss. We noticed some themes.

What Makes a Good Boss, According to 1-800-Flowers Employees

Pete Oliveto, Senior Director of Enterprise Partnership Marketing, pointed to leadership, motivation and vision, much like Melissa Owen, Director of Growth Marketing at 1-800-Flowers, who listed her thoughts as supportive, inspiring, and motivating.

Sumo Das, Senior Director of Marketing at 1-800-Flowers, named four: thoughtful, driven, encouraging, and selfless. Hunter Goldhammer, Manager of Email Marketing, believes a great boss is polite, intelligent, and dedicated. Passion, humility, honesty, respect, and understanding were also attributes other team members shared.

Monica Ben, VP Marketing for 1800 Baskets, The Popcorn Factory, and Simply Chocolate, leads by following her dad’s advice: always be honest. She herself values integrity, honesty, and clear communication in a leader.

How You Can Honor Your Boss This Boss’s Day

Take a moment to tell your boss how much you enjoy working for them and how they contribute to your success. You and your teammates could create a tribute video, have a virtual potluck lunch, or all sign a team card. However you choose to express it, you have the power to change how people feel and you can do so by giving your boss some recognition on Boss's Day!

How to Celebrate Sweetest Day

Another opportunity to make someone’s day comes on Oct. 17, which is celebrated as Sweetest Day. Think of it as a fall Valentine’s Day.

We know what you are thinking…is this a manufactured holiday? Yes, it is, and we love the story behind it. Years ago, some of the German immigrants who settled in the Ohio River Valley were confectioners. Because they had no refrigeration a century ago, they had to shut down chocolate making in the summer because it would melt otherwise.

When temperatures started to fall in autumn, they came up with this holiday — where you gift candy to your sweetheart — to give fall sales a kick start.

It was first celebrated on Oct. 10, 1921, in Cleveland, Ohio. The local newspaper, the Cleveland Plain Dealer, at the time reported that a committee of 12 confectioners planned the day and distributed over 20,000 boxes of candy to “newsboys, orphans, old folks, and the poor.” 

Despite efforts to spread the holiday across the country, it never caught on the way Feb. 14 did, even though greeting card companies in recent years have also offered Sweetest Day products specifically for the occasion.

Regardless of the region you live in, you can use the day as an excuse to give your friends and loved ones a sweet note or treat. We have some free cards you can send for Sweetest Day here.

Maybe you will also use the occasion to treat yourself to something sweet at the same time. I'm sure that you also deserve it.

P.S. While we want to take advantage of opportunities for lighter moments, we must remember at the same time that many people are trying to cope with loss. We have partnered with Wisdo for our 1-800-Flowers Connection Communities which is a peer-to-peer support platform. One of our communities, Coping with Loss, has seen engagement double from August to September. The page views on the Coping with Loss community are up 99% from August to September. Our hearts go out to those who are grieving, and we also understand how challenging it can be to express condolences and have helpful advice. We have a hub of content to help you navigate these challenging times.

 P.P.S. We wanted to share the second installment of Worth.com ‘Aftershocks’ series, where Jim discusses why we can expect new trends to emerge for globalization, urbanization and the sharing economy. #aftershocks