An onion bouquet arranged in the style of a traditional flower display is shown with a handwritten note attached at a flower shop in Erbil. Photo by 964media.
Onion bouquet in Erbil sparks laughs and likes on Kurdish social media
ERBIL — A bouquet made of onions has gone viral in Erbil after a local florist shared a video of the unusual gift on social media, drawing bemused reactions and thousands of views.
The video shows onions arranged and wrapped like a traditional rose bouquet, prepared at the request of a man who wanted to surprise his wife. A handwritten note attached to the bundle read, “I love you, my onion eater.”
Karzan Salim, the florist who assembled the bouquet, told 964media the idea came entirely from the customer. “He brought the onions himself and asked us to turn them into a bouquet because his wife loves onions,” Salim said.
Salim said the process was memorable, if uncomfortable. “My eyes were burning from the onions, and my hands still smelled afterward,” he said, laughing.
The post quickly spread online, with users reacting to the mix of humor, practicality and unconventional romance. Salim said requests like this have become more common, reflecting changing attitudes toward gifts.
“People don’t always want roses anymore,” he said. “We’ve made bouquets from strawberries, mandarins and even lettuce before. This was just the first time with onions.”