Finding the Perfect Flowers for Christmas: Festive Flowers & Their Meanings (Part 1)
Bringing some beautiful blooms into your home isn’t just for spring time. Winter flowers are one way to add plenty of festivity to your Christmas decor, whether you go for something special to complete your table on Christmas Day, or a cheery Christmas bouquet to bring some joy into your home on a dark winter night. If you’re struggling for gift ideas, a festive Christmas flower bouquet is also a wonderful way of showing someone you care this time of year too. Here at Clare Florist, we have a beautiful range of Christmas flowers that are perfect for sending to someone special, creating a stunning centrepiece, or even just as a treat for yourself. To get you in the festive mood, we’ve taken a look at some of the most popular choices when it comes to Christmas blooms, along with the meanings behind them. Plus, we've selected some of our beautiful Christmas bouquets to give you a little inspiration. So, whether you’re searching for the perfect gift for a loved one, or you just want to bring some magical festive cheer into your home, we’ve got you covered!
Traditional Christmas Flowers and Plants
Of course for a lot of us, Christmas is all about tradition. So, we couldn’t take a look at winter flowers without a nod to those traditional Christmas flowers and plants we see every year. It seems that this time of year, every home completes their festive decorations with a touch of holly wreaths, a touch of mistletoe or a classic Christmas poinsettia. But why are these particular plants so popular at Christmas?
Holly and Ivy
Ask anyone to name traditional Christmas flowers and plants, chances are holly will be one of the top ones. But what is the significance of holly at Christmas? There is of course the Christian meaning, that the prickly leaves represented Jesus’ crown of thorns, while the red berries signified the drops of blood that were shed. Going back to Pagan times, it was believed that holly was the male plant and ivy was the female plant, and one tradition said whichever entered the house first would dictate whether the men or women would rule the home for the upcoming year! However, it was considered unlucky to bring holly into the house before Christmas Eve. Both plants also featured in winter solstice celebrations too, with the belief that they would ward off evil spirits and celebrate new growth.
Poinsettia
While surprisingly, the Poinsettia isn’t technically a flower, it’s still considered as one of the most common Christmas flowers. Known as “Flores de Noche Buena” or “flowers of the holy night” in Spanish speaking countries, the tradition behind Christmas Poinsettia is inspired by a Mexican folktale involving a poor little girl who wanted to bring a present for the baby Jesus at the church’s Christmas Eve service. After her cousin told her the smallest gift was enough, she gathered some weeds and placed them at the altar, where they transformed into the famous red flowers. The unique star shape of the leaves is also considered to symbolise the star that led the three wise men to Jesus. Symbolising purity, joy and love, the Poinsettia is a stunning festive plant that is a welcome addition to many homes over the Christmas season.
Mistletoe
Another staple in the world of traditional Christmas flowers and plants, is of course, mistletoe. Back in medieval times, it was believed that mistletoe could ward off evil spirits and bring good luck to the home during December. But where does the tradition of kissing under the mistletoe come from? Well, there’s a number of different reasons behind it, but for us here in England, it’s thought to have started back in the Victorian times. There are also a number of traditions from other cultures, one of the most popular deriving from ancient Norwegian tales that believe mistletoe symbolize love and friendship.
Written by Amy Jackson - Content Writer at My Favourite Voucher Codes - 16th December 2019
