Christmas is a time for giving, so it is timely to consider the reasoning behind the extensive and growing ban on giving flowers to patients in hospital. The article by Giskin Day and Naiome Carter describes how both individual wards and entire hospitals are using their discretion to prohibit flowers on the ward, in the absence of any official ruling from the Department of Health.1 It is undoubtedly causing consternation for patients and visitors alike.

The reasons for such prohibitions are varied, something that should immediately make us curious. As Day and Carter point out, some argue that it is about reducing the risk of injury from broken glass, or avoiding the depletion of oxygen in the air from decomposing material, or even avoiding water spillage over modern electronic equipment. In addition, some staff cite the inconvenience of changing water regularly and the problems of disposing of dead flowers. Unsurprisingly, in the context of invigorated concern around hospital cleanliness, the …