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Sharing a Letter from our Chairman & CEO

Shari's Berries

Sent on 05 June 2024 02:03 PM

Over the four-plus years that Ive been writing this letter, weve explored the many ways people can express themselves. Speech and written words certainly top the list, along with facial expressions, touch, and physical acts like giving a gift.

But theres another way people share their feelings, and its easy to overlook despite being ubiquitous. Im talking about music. Music has the power to convey our deepest emotions, resurface our oldest memories, and connect us like no other form of communication.

Musics impact is very simple. You dont need to know how to compose or play an instrument to use music to express yourself or be affected by it. It just happens. Listen to the right song at the right time, and your mood instantly changes. And when you enjoy it with other people, music can be a powerful force in building and strengthening relationships.

As we approach summer and peak outdoor concert season, let's take a look at why music is such a powerful force and how we can use it to boost our connections with other people.

Unraveling the magic of music

At the most basic level, music is just an arrangement of sounds. When you string together notes, you create a melody, or the tune that sticks with you long after its stopped. When the notes cluster in patterns of time, youve got rhythm. And when the sounds are stacked on each other, you get chords and harmony.

None of these technical details explain why were so touched by music. Studies show that listening to music can stimulate the release of dopamine, a neurotransmitter associated with pleasure and reward. This biochemical response is one reason why music can make us feel happy, sad, excited, or nostalgic even all four at once! Music's structure also engages our brain's pattern recognition and predictive capabilities, creating a satisfying and sometimes surprising experience.

To put that in simpler terms, just watch this scene from the 2015 Zac Efron movie We Are Your Friends. In the clip, a DJ explains how he controls a party by adjusting the music thats being played and its relationship to our bodies.

What amazes me most about music is that it has the same effect on people regardless of what country theyre from, what language they speak, or their socio-economic background. Moreover, tunes have been having the same impact on us for as long as recorded history. And any type of music whether the latest pop song or a Beethoven symphony can carry the same emotional wallop.

Music as a time machine

Think back to some of the special moments in your life, like your high school prom, wedding, or a summer road trip. Chances are that the music you heard is deeply tied to these memories. When you hear it again, youll be transported back in time and feel how you felt.

The band Chicagos song Colour My World does exactly that to me. Whenever I hear that song on the radio, in the car, or the background music at a supermarket Im instantly transported to my wedding day and my first dance with Marylou. I could be in the grumpiest mood, and it changes me immediately.

In 1988, Mike and the Mechanics, a popular group at the time, released a song called, The Living Years. It was the bands biggest hit, and it was popular during the time when my father was dying. I remember listening to that song while driving to Jamaica Hospital in Queens, New York, to visit him. And when I hear that song now, I go right back to that place, thinking of my dad.

Music for healing

Musics power to heal is nothing short of extraordinary. A few months ago, I had an opportunity to talk to the leaders of Musicians on Call, an organization that provides live music in hospitals. So far, its performed for more than one million people in healthcare facilities nationwide.

Pete Griffin, the organizations chief executive, shared:

There has been study after study coming out year after year about what we know about how music heals. For example, there have been studies done that talked about how music assists cancer patients with pain management, and how it helps lower blood pressure, and reduce stress.

Pete also talked about a study done during the pandemic by the University of London that found people who listened to 30 minutes of music a day had lower levels of anxiety and depression.

Music is not only fun and entertaining, but it also helps people recover, heal, and get through a difficult time. Music really provides a mental boost. We have seen first-hand, the undeniable physical, mental, and emotional benefits of music on hospital patients. Music really is a true gift.

Music to strengthen relationships

Music is also a shared experience. You dont need to know technical details like harmonic progression, timbre, or meter; just talk about how a song made you feel and what it reminded you of. Youll instantly have a deep connection with whomever you are speaking with.

Why? Because we tend to be passionate about the music we love. For me, its the music of Coldplay. A few years ago, I greatly surprised my kids and grandkids by announcing my love of the bands music. They were expecting perhaps music more aligned with my generation. (Who could they have thought of?) It immediately deepened our relationship.

A couple of years ago, the band performed at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, and I gathered as many family members as I could. The youngest was five, and the oldest was of course me. That concert, and the music, stands out as one of our most amazing, shared moments weve experienced as a family. I cant think of any other time we were jumping, waving our arms, and singing together.

Whenever I hear Coldplay today, I think about all of us together, and a smile immediately comes to my face.

Ive only touched the surface of what music is and what it can do. I hope you use this summer to explore how music can enhance your relationships. Consider the ways a favorite song can be a gift of a shared experience that strengthens bonds and creates memories.

Music is not just background noise; its a language of the heart that speaks to our shared humanity.

All the best,

Jim

How do you build resilience?

My friend Anthony Scaramucci proves its all about experience. Im always impressed by the way Anthony is able to dust himself off and learn when faced with a compromising situation. It was this skill that led him to write his new book, From Wall Street to the White House and Back, where he shares life lessons taken from his high-profile career and the challenges hes faced.

I invited Anthony back to Celebrations Chatter (click here to watch our first conversation) to talk about his book, as well as highlight his resilience and forward-thinking attitude. We explore his books 25 lessons essential to building unbreakable resilience, and how forming strong relationships helps us maintain our strength in the face of adversity.

Anthony is a dear friend, and I know our listeners can learn a lot from his story. Listen to the full episode and please share your thoughts at .

In the news: The loneliness of the American worker

I recently had the opportunity to speak with Te-Ping Chen of The Wall Street Journal about a topic close to my heart: the impact of limited physical interaction in the workplace and the loneliness epidemic.

The article explores the problem of loneliness in the workplace and the need for employers to help foster social connections. These efforts are crucial not only for enhancing employee well-being but also mitigating the broader repercussions of a disconnected workforce.

I emphasized that work is more than just a paycheck; it's a social activity. This perspective is why were striving to increase a sense of connectivity among employees. We're doing this by designating workers across different teams to serve as hosts during lunchtime, encouraging colleagues to sit together and engage in conversations with those they don't know, and suggesting topics to facilitate these interactions.

Check out the full article here (subscription may be required) and share your thoughts at .

Dont forget to celebrate half birthdays

Six months ago, I dedicated an edition of Celebrations Pulse to birthdays that occur between Thanksgiving and New Years. The letter received a lot of feedback, especially from community members who were December babies.

One popular suggestion was to celebrate a half birthday six months past December to avoid conflicts with holiday parties, gifts, and budgets.

It's now June, so this is a gentle reminder to check your calendars and send greetings (or organize a party) for all the December birthday babies in your life. They often feel overlooked, and a half birthday gives them a moment to shine.

Plus, celebrating half birthdays isnt as unusual as you might think. Imbolc, for example, is held every Feb. 1, which marks the midpoint between the winter solstice and spring equinox. And theres Leon Day (Noel spelled backward) on June 25, which is halfway to Christmas.

Happy half birthdays to all those celebrating this month!

Celebrating Pride with an Amazing Mom

Mothers Day may be in the rearview mirror, but the celebration continues at 1-800-Flowers.coms family of brands. Each month, were profiling an Amazing Mom who is making a difference in the community.

Junes Amazing Mom of the Month is Sara Cunningham, the founder of Free Mom Hugs and a devoted advocate for the LGBTQIA+ community.

Sara is the mother of two grown sons and dedicates a significant portion of her life to sharing her ongoing personal journey, which included reassessing her deeply held beliefs when her youngest son came out to his parents as gay.

After many years of growing and learning, Sara launched Free Mom Hugs in 2018. Her mission for the organization is simple: We empower the world to celebrate the LGBTQIA+ community through visibility, education, and conversation. The organization now has a chapter in all 50 states.

Happy Pride Month to all those LGBTQIA+ individuals, family, friends, and allies who celebrate in our community!

Sharing memories of men becoming dads

For the Fathers Day edition of Celebrations Pulse, Id like to share stories about all the dynamic dads in your life. Please send me stories about your how your significant other changed when he learned that he was going to become a father. How did he react? What was the biggest difference?

What about your own father? What lessons do you credit him for helping you embrace the journey of parenthood with enthusiasm and love?

These touching, funny, or heartwarming stories will honor the incredible journey of fatherhood and celebrate the amazing dads in our lives. The first 10 submissions will receive a surprise from our family of brands.

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Sharing a Letter from our Chairman & CEO

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celebrations pulse

But theres another way people share their feelings, and its easy to overlook despite being ubiquitous. Im talking about music. Music has the power to convey our deepest emotions, resurface our oldest memories, and connect us like no other form of communication.

Musics impact is very simple. You dont need to know how to compose or play an instrument to use music to express yourself or be affected by it. It just happens. Listen to the right song at the right time, and your mood instantly changes. And when you enjoy it with other people, music can be a powerful force in building and strengthening relationships.

As we approach summer and peak outdoor concert season, let's take a look at why music is such a powerful force and how we can use it to boost our connections with other people.

Unraveling the magic of musicAt the most basic level, music is just an arrangement of sounds. When you string together notes, you create a melody, or the tune that sticks with you long after its stopped. When the notes cluster in patterns of time, youve got rhythm. And when the sounds are stacked on each other, you get chords and harmony.

None of these technical details explain why were so touched by music. Studies show that listening to music can stimulate the release of dopamine, a neurotransmitter associated with pleasure and reward. This biochemical response is one reason why music can make us feel happy, sad, excited, or nostalgic even all four at once! Music's structure also engages our brain's pattern recognition and predictive capabilities, creating a satisfying and sometimes surprising experience.

To put that in simpler terms, just watch this scene from the 2015 Zac Efron movie We Are Your Friends. In the clip, a DJ explains how he controls a party by adjusting the music thats being played and its relationship to our bodies.

What amazes me most about music is that it has the same effect on people regardless of what country theyre from, what language they speak, or their socio-economic background. Moreover, tunes have been having the same impact on us for as long as recorded history. And any type of music whether the latest pop song or a

Beethoven symphony can carry the same emotional wallop.

Music as a time machineThink back to some of the special moments in your life, like your high school prom, wedding, or a summer road trip. Chances are that the music you heard is deeply tied to these memories. When you hear it again, youll be transported back in time and feel how you felt.

The band Chicagos song Colour My World does exactly that to me. Whenever I hear that song on the radio, in the car, or the background music at a supermarket Im instantly transported to my wedding day and my first dance with Marylou. I could be in the grumpiest mood, and it changes me immediately.

In 1988, Mike and the Mechanics, a popular group at the time, released a song called, The Living Years. It was the bands biggest hit, and it was popular during the time when my father was dying. I remember listening to that song while driving to Jamaica Hospital in Queens, New York, to visit him. And when I hear that song now, I go right back to that place, thinking of my dad.

Music for healingMusics power to heal is nothing short of extraordinary. A few months ago, I had an opportunity to talk to the leaders of Musicians on Call, an organization that provides live music in hospitals. So far, its performed for more than one million people in healthcare facilities nationwide.

Pete Griffin, the organizations chief executive, shared:

There has been study after study coming out year after year about what we know about how music heals. For example, there have been studies done that talked about how music assists cancer patients with pain management, and how it helps lower blood pressure, and reduce stress.

Pete also talked about a study done during the pandemic by the University of London that found people who listened to 30 minutes of music a day had lower levels of anxiety and depression.

Music is not only fun and entertaining, but it also helps people recover, heal, and get through a difficult time. Music really provides a mental boost. We have seen first-hand, the undeniable physical, mental, and emotional benefits of music on hospital patients. Music really is a true gift.

Music to strengthen relationshipsMusic is also a shared experience. You dont need to know technical details like harmonic progression, timbre, or meter; just talk about how a song made you feel and what it reminded you of. Youll instantly have a deep connection with whomever you are speaking with.

Why? Because we tend to be passionate about the music we love. For me, its the music of Coldplay. A few years ago, I greatly surprised my kids and grandkids by announcing my love of the bands music. They were expecting perhaps music more aligned with my generation. (Who could they have thought of?) It immediately deepened our relationship.

A couple of years ago, the band performed at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, and I gathered as many family members as I could. The youngest was five, and the oldest was of course me. That concert, and the music, stands out as one of our most amazing, shared moments weve experienced as a family. I cant think of any other time we were jumping, waving our arms, and singing together.

Whenever I hear Coldplay today, I think about all of us together, and a smile immediately comes to my face.

Ive only touched the surface of what music is and what it can do. I hope you use this summer to explore how music can enhance your relationships. Consider the ways a favorite song can be a gift of a shared experience that strengthens bonds and creates memories.

Music is not just background noise; its a language of the heart that speaks to our shared humanity.

All the best,

Jim

Chris

Shop 1-800-Flowers.com

How do you build resilience?

My friend Anthony Scaramucci proves its all about experience. Im always impressed by the way Anthony is able to dust himself off and learn when faced with a compromising situation. It was this skill that led him to write his new book, From Wall Street to the White House and Back, where he shares life lessons taken from his high-profile career and the challenges hes faced.

I invited Anthony back to Celebrations Chatter (click here to watch our first conversation) to talk about his book, as well as highlight his resilience and forward-thinking attitude. We explore his books 25 lessons essential to building unbreakable resilience, and how forming strong relationships helps us maintain our strength in the face of adversity.

Anthony is a dear friend, and I know our listeners can learn a lot from his story. Listen to the full episode and please share your thoughts at .

In the news: The loneliness of the American workerI recently had the opportunity to speak with Te-Ping Chen of The Wall Street Journal about a topic close to my heart: the impact of limited physical interaction in the workplace and the loneliness epidemic.

The article explores the problem of loneliness in the workplace and the need for employers to help foster social connections. These efforts are crucial not only for enhancing employee well-being but also mitigating the broader repercussions of a disconnected workforce.

I emphasized that work is more than just a paycheck; it's a social activity. This perspective is why were striving to increase a sense of connectivity among employees. We're doing this by designating workers across different teams to serve as hosts during lunchtime, encouraging colleagues to sit together and engage in conversations with those they don't know, and suggesting topics to facilitate these interactions.

Check out the full article here (subscription may be required) and share your thoughts at .

Dont forget to celebrate half birthdaysSix months ago, I dedicated an edition of Celebrations Pulse to birthdays that occur between Thanksgiving and New Years. The letter received a lot of feedback, especially from community members who were December babies.

One popular suggestion was to celebrate a half birthday six months past December to avoid conflicts with holiday parties, gifts, and budgets.

It's now June, so this is a gentle reminder to check your calendars and send greetings (or organize a party) for all the December birthday babies in your life. They often feel overlooked, and a half birthday gives them a moment to shine.

Plus, celebrating half birthdays isnt as unusual as you might think. Imbolc, for example, is held every Feb. 1, which marks the midpoint between the winter solstice and spring equinox. And theres Leon Day (Noel spelled backward) on June 25, which is halfway to Christmas.

Happy half birthdays to all those celebrating this month!

Celebrating Pride with an Amazing MomMothers Day may be in the rearview mirror, but the celebration continues at 1-800-Flowers.coms family of brands. Each month, were profiling an Amazing Mom who is making a difference in the community.

Junes Amazing Mom of the Month is Sara Cunningham, the founder of Free Mom Hugs and a devoted advocate for the LGBTQIA+ community.

Sara is the mother of two grown sons and dedicates a significant portion of her life to sharing her ongoing personal journey, which included reassessing her deeply held beliefs when her youngest son came out to his parents as gay.

After many years of growing and learning, Sara launched Free Mom Hugs in 2018. Her mission for the organization is simple: We empower the world to celebrate the LGBTQIA+ community through visibility, education, and conversation. The organization now has a chapter in all 50 states.

Happy Pride Month to all those LGBTQIA+ individuals, family, friends, and allies who celebrate in our community!

Sharing memories of men becoming dadsFor the Fathers Day edition of Celebrations Pulse, Id like to share stories about all the dynamic dads in your life. Please send me stories about your how your significant other changed when he learned that he was going to become a father. How did he react? What was the biggest difference?

What about your own father? What lessons do you credit him for helping you embrace the journey of parenthood with enthusiasm and love?

These touching, funny, or heartwarming stories will honor the incredible journey of fatherhood and celebrate the amazing dads in our lives. The first 10 submissions will receive a surprise from our family of brands.

National Cheese Day

National Chocolate Ice Cream Day

World Oceans Day

Red Rose Day

Father's Day

National Eat Your Vegetables Day

Juneteenth

National Day of Joy