Get two bouquets per person – one to keep, one to give

How do you make people instantly smile? Give them flowers.

And this Wednesday, Relles Florist in Sacramento is hoping to do just that – make hundreds of people smile with free bouquets.

As part of a nationwide effort, Relles Florist at the corner of J and 24^th streets in Midtown Sacramento will hand out free bouquets Oct. 18 to any passersby who wants them. Starting at 9 a.m., the florist will give away about 1,500 bouquets – two to each person. That’s one bouquet to keep and a second to give to someone else.

It’s part of “Petal It Forward,” a campaign organized by the Society of American Florists to give back to their communities through sharing flowers and smiles. Besides the happiness factor, flowers also are a proven stress buster. The event is purposely held on a Wednesday to combat the midweek slump, say organizers.

Petal It Forward also is a way to celebrate a milestone for Relles Florist, which marks its 77^th anniversary on Thursday.

“Our business is modeled around bringing joy to peoples’ lives with flowers,” says owner Jim Relles. “Petal it Forward also happens to fall on or near our anniversary of being in business.”

Added Colby Relles, who will be handing out bouquets Wednesday, “Through the positive effects of flowers, we hope to make someone’s day brighter, and provide a much-needed moment of calm amid the hectic pace of life.”

The original idea behind Petal It Forward’s “keep one, share one” concept, which started in 2015, came after looking at statistics that showed while 80% of people reported receiving flowers makes them happy, even more (88%) said that giving flowers makes them happy, Colby Relles explains.

“We want to give people the chance to experience both,” Relles says. “I have grown up in the floral business and I love what I do every single day. To be able to help our customers spread joy is one of the greatest feelings ever.”

Relles Florist is located at 2400 J St., Sacramento.

Details and directions: www.rellesflorist.com.