According to fossil records, roses first graced Earth 35 million years ago, long before love, passion and politics were invented, yet the rose has come to symbolize those things in the course of its history. Today, the rose is a symbol of love. However, love can mean many different things--from platonic love to passionate, romantic love. If you are lucky enough to receive two dozen roses from someone you love, you can be sure your love is returned. The traditional romantic message associated with 24 roses is that of complete devotion, or "I am yours."

The number 24 represents the hours in a day, so if you send someone 24 roses, it means they are always on your mind and that you love and appreciate them all day long.

A bouquet of 24 roses has symbolic associations with 24-karat gold. Your love is pure and true and can't be tarnished. Gold is eternal, and sending two dozen roses is a perfect way to say, “I will love you forever.”

Happiness, love and creativity are often represented by the number 24. In numerology, if your birthday is on the 24th, it means you will enjoy happy and harmonious relationships, so sending 24 roses is a great way to tell someone you love them and that they make you happy.

Two kisses are better than one, and the same goes for bouquets of roses. Two dozen roses are sometimes chosen to double the impact of a traditional bouquet of one dozen roses, so showering your beloved with roses shows them you mean business. It emphasizes the message you are sending. Think about the color of the roses you are sending and their meaning if you want the roses to convey an important message. Red represents love and passion; pink means happiness and gentle love; lavender symbolizes love at first sight; yellow roses with a red tip indicate you're falling in love.

Roses have symbolized love and beauty since ancient times. In mythology, they have sacred connections with the goddesses Isis and Aphrodite, and roses were used as confetti at celebrations in ancient Rome. The rose is also a symbol of the Virgin Mary. Flowers were used to express emotions during the 19th century, the rose being a particular favorite because its many hues and varieties lend itself well to representing the different stages of love.