BUFFALO, N.Y. —  For more than a year, giving a hug has been considered risky due to the COVID-19 pandemic. When people need hugs most, like after losing a loved one, florists stepped up to the plate.

What You Need To Know

  • For more than a year people have been encouraged to socially distance

  • Flower delivery has become a safe and effective way to show love

  • Graser's Florist's business is booming this spring

“I heard so many times, it’s a shame we can’t give my mother a proper funeral,” said Carolyn Graser, owner at Graser’s Florist in Buffalo.

Her business initially shut down last spring and early summer, but since its reopening, she has found that many people rely on her floral arrangements to show others they care in a no-contact way.

Her list of orders this Mother’s Day was off the charts, and some had to wait to be fulfilled until the following day because she lost two employees to lifestyle changes brought on by the pandemic. Graser said she also has a sneaking suspicion that people are a little more aware of how important their moms really are to them after a year of social distancing.