That certainly is a fine tradition worth honoring. And a modest carnation makes an excellent boutonniere, since it’s a sturdy flower. People have also worn green carnations to signify they are gay, a practice begun by Oscar Wilde and made famous in a novel by Robert Hitchens titled The Green Carnation. I have also seen green carnations worn on Saint Patrick’s Day by people I suspect had no idea about the gay connotation. I suppose if one wears a green carnation on Mother’s Day, it could signify that Mom is OK with the fact that girls just aren’t your thing.