(ARA) - The holidays are a time for giving, family gatherings,
fun-filled festivities, and savory, seasonal meals. Creating a warm
and welcoming ambience for all aspects of your holiday celebrations
can be done with style and panache using artfully placed floral
decor including bouquets of fresh flowers, festive wreaths and
grand centerpieces. And it’s easier to do than you might think.
Floral decorating -- for any season -- is a nationally
developing trend. Flowers are aesthetically attractive, fragrant,
colorful, and add natural beauty. And the social activities and
celebratory mood that signify the arrival of the holiday season
present an excellent opportunity for showcasing your home with
flowers. Here are a few ideas from FTD that will give your home and
table the freshest finishing touch for your holiday celebrations.
Decorate your Christmas tree with flowers
In addition to traditional ornaments, give your fresh or faux
evergreen tree an original look by arranging miniature vases with
sprigs of fresh flowers among the branches. If you are saving your
money for holiday shopping, take a look at your own traditional
ornaments and convert them into miniature floral vases. For a
simpler approach, visit your local FTD florist for floral waterpics
that will keep your flowers fresh for days. Waterpic the flower
stems and simply poke them among your tree’s branches using strong
florals with a crisp, wintery look such as roses, carnations, and
Fuji mums.
Design a table to complement your holiday meal
An attractive centerpiece has long been a holiday tradition.
Visit your local FTD Florist for popular centerpiece styles to fit
your seasonal décor. If this year’s holiday table is balancing a
larger crowd and smaller floral pieces may better fit your table,
try small flower-filled glass vases placed at intervals up and down
the table. Or try single or dual color schemes in each small vase
such as bundles of tightly knit carnations in fall colors, or roses
or mums. These festive displays will be easy to maneuver among
serving pieces and promote lively conversation.
Other creative and elegant table ideas include creating a
colorful pattern of petals or blooms down the center of the table,
acting as a floral runner. Or bring the fresh smell of the holidays
to the table with a bough of evergreen in a clear bowl among
floating candles for an elegant ambiance.
Create a holiday tone in your home
When you take floral decorating beyond the tree and the table,
there are three “must haves” that will combine to truly radiate a
sense of holiday cheer. Always welcome your guests with a fresh
wreath on the door or a floral masterpiece in the foyer. Flanking
the entranceway with flowers sets the tone and mood for the rest of
your home. Of course you must not forget the importance of the
mantle. Lovely garland or pine boughs interspersed with candles
will do wonders to complement the shape and important function of
the fireplace as a place where families gather. The chandelier is
often forgotten, but can also be highlighted with vines, berries or
pine boughs to carry the theme.
If you need help planning your seasonal décor, take photos of
key areas of your home to your local FTD Florist or bring in your
napkins for color complementing.
This year’s trendy holiday colors combine the traditional red
with bright lively greens. Instead of a kelly green, floral
designers are seeing bright lime greens combined with rust and a
crystal white. Some exciting flowers you can use to bring the
brighter greens of this holiday season into your home are Bells of
Ireland, Button Green Pompons and new green roses (Envy is one
variety). There are countless floral decorating ideas and trends to
explore with a local FTD Florist that will suit your mood, whim or
the season at hand.
