According to my calendar, Sunday marked the beginning of “Make Someone Smile Week,” a week of beautiful gestures designed to make the flower industry some cash. My calendar was, of course, manufactured by Teleflora, a flower company. Which is a brilliant idea. I wonder how many other flower-centric holidays these guys have created to boost their industry.

From the mouth of flowers:

At Teleflora, we love making people smile. That’s why during Teleflora’s Make Someone Smile®. Week, July 20—26, we’ll be working with thousands of Teleflora florists nationwide to deliver over 40,000 Teleflora Be Happy® Bouquets to hospital patients, children in foster care, nursing home residents and many other people who do not usually receive flowers but whose day will be brighter because of this surprise gift.

Since Teleflora created this program in 2000, it has grown to become one of the floral industry’s leading charitable projects. It is made possible by Teleflora florists who contribute their time to create these cheerful bouquets in the Be Happy mugs donated by Teleflora with flowers provided by local wholesalers and growers. To learn more about this exciting humanitarian program, please visit www.teleflora.com/makesomeonesmile.

Wait, if this is a charitable project, why are they selling the bouquets? Especially if local wholesalers and growers are giving the flowers to the shops? How wily. But hey! anything to stimulate the United States sagging economy. I say, let them have their flowers. I am particular to irises. In the meantime, this makes me smile: