ЦВЕТЫ - "FLOWERS" sign on a building

When you come to Russia, you will be greatly impressed by the number of flower shops we have. Big shops, small shops, huge flower markets, and everything in between. So everywhere you go, you will see a sign: "ЦВЕТЫ", which means "FLOWERS" and is pronounced as tsve-TI. Women all over the world love flowers, and Russian women are no exception. In Russia it is a very common practice to give flowers as a gift on various holidays, especially birthdays, and of course the 8th of March (Women's day in Russia). Also, unlike in the Western countries, it is OK to give potted flowers, so that they may bring smiles to everyone's faces for months to come.