Chrysanthemums are to the fall what tulips are to the spring.  In ancient China, chrysanthemums (or 'mums' for short) were first planted thousands of years ago. People chose the chrysanthemum as their Flower for October, a symbol of the rest and ease that followed the season's final harvest. Then they symbolized a scholar in retirement   and were one of the four noble plants, along with bamboo, the plum flower, and orchid.  The Japanese hold the chrysanthemum as a symbol of the sun. They consider the orderly unfolding of its petals to be a symbol of perfection. They also think that a single chrysanthemum petal placed in the bottom of a wine glass encourages a long and healthy life. The Japanese even have a National Chrysanthemum Day on September 9, known as the Festival of Happiness.  In the United States during colonial times, its popularity grew such that mums now reign as "Queen of the Fall Flowers." Mums remain the most widely grown pot plant in the country and the largest commercially produced flowers. Chrysanthemums generally represent cheerfulness and rest. So they are welcomed throughout the British Isles and North America for any occasion, such as football games and parties. In other countries such as Italy, Belgium and Austria, however, their association with the dead makes chrysanthemums acceptable only for funerals and graves. In some European countries people use chrysanthemums to express their feeling of   _  .
regret cold sorrow approval