The difference from previous editions was striking. While around 300,000 people took part in the Offering in 2019, the figure fell to just 20,000 in 2021, 7% of the usual number of participants. This limitation meant florists lost a large share of orders for the small bouquets traditionally carried by participants.
The then-president of the Association of Florist Businesses of Aragon, Rubén Cebollero, explained that sales stood at between 12% and 15% of the usual level during the Pilar festivities. Forecasts pointed to around 840,000 flowers, compared with the seven million that had covered the structure of the Virgin in 2019.
Despite the difficulties, the large floral baskets had recovered thanks to the participation of the regular groups. In addition, many Aragonese people who could not attend the Offering decided to maintain the tradition from their homes. Florists received orders to decorate balconies, shop façades and parishes that organized their own tributes to the Virgin.
Among all the varieties, the white carnation remained the most sought-after flower. Cebollero described it as "the queen of floristry" and recalled that its popularity was linked to the tradition of placing white flowers in the area of the Cross of Lorraine on the Virgin's mantle.
Health uncertainty had also complicated preparations, delaying large orders until barely two weeks before the celebration, when they were normally arranged a month in advance.
The reduction in participants, decorated balconies and the prominence of the white carnation defined that pandemic-affected Pilar Offering. This was how we reported it in Aragón Digital five years ago, in the original article about the drop in flower sales during the 2021 Pilar festivities.
