Flowers make up the perfect and memorable gift items on Christmas. It lifts the mood and look of the atmosphere by making it more festive. Just go to your local flower markets during this time and you’ll see just how festive it really is. It can also add a touch of elegance and beauty to our surroundings. Giving flowers is one of the best ways to express your love, affection and care that you have for your loved ones. Every flower has different meanings. As most of us know, red roses symbolize true love and purple hyacinths symbolize forgiveness. So what flowers are popular during Christmas?

Nothing beats the old favorites such as red roses and poinsettias. Red roses are the classic flowers that you give to that special someone in your life. If you plan on proposing to your sweetheart at Christmas, there are many unique ways of doing so. One way is to hide a ring in a red ribbon, attach it to the red rose and hang that rose on the Christmas tree. All that’s left is to create a gimmick that would eventually lure her into getting that rose and voila. With a marriage proposal like that, who could resist?

Arguably the most popular flower given during Christmas is poinsettia, also known as the Christmas Star/Flower. This flower comes from Mexico and was introduced to the U.S. back in 1825 by Joel Roberts Poinsett, the first United States ambassador to Mexico, and as such the flower was named after him. There are many other names associated with this flower such as Flores de Noche Buena (flowers of the holy night), Winter Rose, and Atakurk’s flower. The favourite flower of Atakurk, the founder of modern Turkey, was poinsettia.

This flower’s association with Christmas hails from a local legend. There was a girl named Maria and she had a little brother named Pablo. They both loved Christmas but were always sad because they had no money to buy presents. They especially wanted to give something to the church as an offering to Baby Jesus. On one Christmas eve, on their way to attend the service in the church, they picked up some weeds growing on the roadside and decided to offer that as a gift to the Baby Jesus in the manger scene. As the other children teased them about their offering, they placed the green plants around the manger knowing full well they did what they could. Soon after, everyone around the church was astonished by the scene before them. The weeds transformed into bright red petals which surrounded the manger. The star-shaped leaf pattern of the flower is also said to symbolize the Star of Bethlehem which guided the three magi to the Baby Jesus.

To the ancient Aztecs, poinsettia is a symbol of purity. Today, it is recognized as the birth flower for the month of December and symbolizes good cheer and success or mirth and celebration. Depicted as the traditional image of Christmas, these flowers are the perfect gift for all your loved ones enabling you to share the spirit of Christmas.

Let’s not forget that we are not limited to fresh flowers as gifts. Artificial flower arrangements have also become popular during Christmas. They are especially used as Christmas centrepieces and can also be used as decorations in and around the house. The flower petals are generally made out of silk offering a realistic look. These flowers last for a longer period of time as compared to fresh flowers and are widely available at almost every flower shop for very affordable prices.

With the advent of technology, sending flowers to your loved ones is as easy as clicking a few buttons over the Internet. But as always, the best way is to personally give it to the people you love and cherish. The best gifts are the simplest things in life. You could give a car, the latest gadgets, and the newest clothes to the people you love but the one thing that would make them genuinely smile in gratitude is receiving flowers. The true spirit of Christmas is not what you give…it is the happiness you share with your loved ones. Have a Merry Christmas everyone.

About Belle
Belle is a blog editor at Flowers and Chocos. She loves gardening, doing handicrafts and taking pictures of the beautiful environs.

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When you purchase flower bouquets and baskets from your local florist, you have the benefit of selecting the blossoms you desire and getting your very own personalized flower arrangement. However, shopping on the Internet for flowers has several merits, too. Firstly, the extensive array of flowers and other relevant offers that are available online are far better than what you can get at the local store. Your local florist may be unable to deliver the flowers if the recipient is many miles away. Hence, picking up flowers from the numerous online stores is a terrific idea.

The florists online offer excellent bouquets, bunches and baskets of blossoms. You can find various types of blossoms ranging from roses, tulips and orchids to lilies, sunflowers and carnations. The arrangements of flower available are also varied. In fact, the cost is often determined by the kind of arrangement you choose. Costs can be quite high if you choose designer arrangements. In addition to flowers these online stores offer to deliver gifts. There are a great number of online stores to choose from. Majority of these stores have online catalogs that tell you all that you need to know regarding their floral products and gifts. The catalogs display pictures of the flowers accompanied by specifications of each item and their cost.

What you need to do when you go online to purchase flowers is simply scrutinize the details of the flowers and gifts being offered, make your choice and purchase. Simple as it may sound, it is important to take care when purchasing these flowers. Primarily, double check the specifications so that you do not make a mistake while selecting the product. It is obvious that you want your recipient to receive what you have selected for him or her. Next remember to check discounts and offers available. The prevalent competition in the market has forced most providers to offer significant discounts. Most importantly, do not forget to carefully go through the terms and conditions of the website or the provider.

Once you have prudently completed the procedure mentioned above, fill in the small online form that the website asks you to and pay through credit card, PayPal account or any other available options that is most appropriate for you. All said and done, always remember to add a little message card to put into words the feelings you want the flowers to convey.

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Flowers enhance people’s lives both physically and emotionally and research has shown that they can moderate mood. They make people feel less depressed and anxious and improve their general feeling of life satisfaction. Seeing pretty blooms in the morning sets up a better mood for the whole day, and the positive mood spreads to other people too. Try putting fresh flowers in the kitchen area and see how they improve your mood before work.

Blooms create a beautiful and welcoming atmosphere and impact positively on our lives. This is why hotels, such as the Pembroke Arms hotel Salisbury, invest in a good florist to decorate their lobbies, and why companies will have vases of blooms in their receptions and meeting rooms.

Workplace studies have also been undertaken to show the positive effects of flora in the office. Ideas and creative output are raised and productivity improves, making plants a welcome addition to the work place. A happy workforce is good for business and encourages loyalty from employees.

People love to be given a pretty bouquet of blooms and they will usually show a genuine smile. They represent happiness and love and promote a good feeling in both the receiver and the giver.  Creating your own flower arrangements for just this sort of occasion will enhance that feeling of happiness and love.

Flowers are also used in aromatherapy treatments to affect mood. Some smells are uplifting, such as rose, and some calming.

As well as improving mood, there are also long known physical benefits.

Flowers are beneficial in the treatment of minor ailments and are used for poultices and creams Marigold is used for healing in ointments because of the anti-fungal and antiseptic properties it possesses. Gargling with a solution made from honeysuckle helps soothe a sore throat.

People use floral infusions for tea to help the body and alter mood. An example is Chamomile which is great for boosting the immune system and producing a calming effect.

Finally, some flowers provide tasty additions to our meals. Nasturtiums are easy to grow and both the leaves and flowers can be consumed. Borage and chives both have lovely flowers and are tasty herbs.

Having more blooms in your life has got to be a good thing, so why not add some more flowers to your garden and visit your local florist to see what beautiful cut flowers are in season right now. Why not go to your local florist and buy some fresh flowers? You can find them easily using a geographical internet search such as ‘florist Southampton’ or ‘flower shop Southampton’. You should find a great selection of seasonal fresh flowers for your home.

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Naturally, wedding florists are well accustomed to working together with various clients in a variety of surroundings and in accordance with different monetary constraints. In every situation they understand how critical it is to tell the story, as it were and reflect the identity and personality of groom and bride. The florist works to make sure that, after the flowers are chosen, they’re shipped and exhibited in all their beauty.

You need to remember that the bride and groom can pick floral preservation should they wish, to be able to have a visual keepsake for the months and years ahead. Floral bouquets may be disassembled and put into the preservation process right after the celebrations have ended. This whole procedure will take about 2-3 weeks, however the finished outcome is that you’ve got a striking presentation inside a climate controlled setting, a presentation case that helps to augment all those recollections.

With floral preservation as a possible option, bride and groom may be a lot more enthusiastic about choosing the right floral presentations and displays for the wedding ceremony. Flowers can tell such a lot about most occasions, after all and your community wedding should not be any different.

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Fortunately, when it comes to garden design, you can’t fail. Flowers can easily be moved or replaced, but following few simple and effective steps will save you from extra efforts of correcting prospect errors. Creating your own flower garden is great because you have the flexibility of choosing and combining flowers as you like, based on simple elements of composition. Just take it step by step and the results might surprise you, even if you are a rookie gardener!

Step 1:  What is the purpose of the garden?

The first question you have to ask yourself is: ‘Why do I want to create my own flower garden?’ just to enjoy the beauty of the nature, or:

• Do you seek a private location where you can relax far away from the madding crowd?
• Do you want a green area for your kids?
• Do you love birds and butterflies and you want to draw them in?
• Do you want a permanent source of fresh flowers for your house?

Step 2: How much space do you have?

Now that you have an idea on what do you want to do with your garden, it’s time for a reality check! Take an objective look at the available space for your future flower garden. Think about the position of the area regarding the sun exposure or if there are any shadows that might affect the development of your flowers.

Step 3:  Analyze the cons

It’s true that few of us really have time for gardening or a high budget for investing in exotic flower species. Therefore, you must analyze all the cons before you decide to create your own flower garden.

Step 4:  Style

This is an important part of the project. How do you want your garden to look like? If you are not sure of what the options are, here are a couple:

• Well defined shapes or wild combinations of flowers;
• Do you want flowers that last all year round?
• Should the garden complement your house?

Step 5:  Flower selection

For many of you, this is the easy part, especially if you know what you like, selecting the flower and plant species should be the last step of your project, after careful thinking. Use our following tips and try to organize yourself:

If you have children, choose interesting flowers, with attractive colors and perfumes, but check for seeds and poisoned elements.

Make a list with your favorite flowers/plants, group them by color and shape and you will obtain a great garden design.

Draw a chart with the blooming season of each flower type and combine them so you can enjoy their beautiful color all year long.

Now that you have the basic plan of creating your own flower garden, filling the
space with flowers resemble with filling a painting. The only difference is that your flower garden is a painting that is never complete, as you will always add new elements each year. In addition think of the savings for your floral arranging. What could be better then growing your own flowers.

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A lot of homeowners joke that one of the best things about having out of town visitors come to stay with you is that is forces you to totally clean up your home before their arrival. All kidding aside, this is one of the important steps you should do prior to people coming to stay with you . Take the time to thoroughly clean your home including the space and the bathroom where they will stay . Also, make some room with empty hangers in the closet for them to hang their things or have an empty drawer in the dresser for their use as well .

Once you have cleaned and gotten rid of the clutter in your home , you will probably need to purchase some

things for their visit. If you are close to them and they are family, then you most likely know the things that they like to eat but if you are unsure or are worried they may have some food allergies you may want to ask if they require special food items for their stay and buy those for them in advance.

Having their favorite foods to consume or anything special that they need is always a great thing to do as a hostess to do for your visitors and will be appreciated .

With the pantry and fridge full, you may want to purchase some other nice things such as items for the bathroom. If your towels are old and worn or you do not have enough towels, you should buy a few new ones. This can be done inexpensively and will really make a nice impression. A good tip is to save all of the hotel and other travel sized soaps, shampoos and lotions and put them in a nice container for your guests to use. If you don’t have small toiletries , simply buy a few little travel sized items that you enjoy as well as trial sized toothpaste and toothbrushes in case they forgot to pack them . A hair dryer is another thing to include in the basket too .

Finish off the guest area with fresh flowers and reading materials and a local magazine for those out of town guests to enjoy in their guest area too . All of these small things will make your visitors feel welcomed and glad they came to visit .

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Carnations & Lace

The carnation is one of the most popular and widely used flowers in the world and they come in a myriad of colors.  If you are looking to show deep love and affection, you will want to choose a dark red carnation, but if you are just wanting to show admiration, you will want to go with a light red carnation.  Pink carnations symbolize gratitude and white carnations symbolize purity and luck.  Carnations can be used in a wide variety of different arrangements to add color and beauty that is unparalleled.

Dark Pink Rose

Roses are another very popular

choice. Roses in themselves symbolize great affection and love, but each color of rose has a specific meaning as well.  For example, red roses symbolize love and affection and are considered an easy way to simply say, “I Love You.”  White roses symbolize new beginnings and reverence and are very commonly used for remembrance arrangements.  Pink roses are for those people that you admire and yellow roses are a symbol of friendship and joy.  If you use orange roses, you are expressing your passion for someone, while lavender roses are used to express love at first sight.  Roses are a beautiful way to show someone you care for them.

2 Foot Arrangement

The cheerful Gerber Daisy is a wonderful choice if you are looking to add a touch of brightness to someone’s day.  All of the colors together in a bouquet or arrangement express cheer and joy to the person that received them with their bright and happy colors.  They are a wonderful choice for many different happy celebrations, including birthdays, anniversaries, or just because.  If you want to convey a message of joy and merriness, then Gerber Daisies are just the right choice.

Whether you want to express love, admiration, or give cheer, you can find a flower that expresses that feeling to add additional personalization to your gift. In this way, your flower arranging will speaks thoroughly of your feelings to help make it even more meaningful for you and the person receiving it.

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Thank you all…………you did it for me!

Judy

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The principles of flower arranging are very helpful because they help you to pay attention to small details when arranging flowers, and help to achieve an overall effect that is  professional looking and visually appealing. One of these basic principles of flower arranging is unity. Unity helps you look at your floral arrangement both its separate elements, and as a unified whole.  In addition, the purpose of this principle is that when viewed, your floral arrangement will be a complete whole with all the parts of the arrangement, the flowers, accents, container, etc., blending together.

When following the principle of unity, the trick is to start at the very beginning and select the materials like your flowers,  container,  foliage,  stems, ribbons, etc.,  so that they match. Hence, when attempting to unify all your elements, you need to keep in mind the color, shape and size of everything. For example, if you want to have a flower arrangement with orchids as the focus, try to select the container and the other elements that will accentuate and bring focus on rich purple color of the orchids. This can be achieved by selecting a container that is also purple, or in the same color family, by choosing accents that contrast or match the flowers.

Finally, in order to achieve unity in your floral arrangement, you should ask yourself if the final arrangement  looks good to you and fits with the setting in which it is intended. Is the arrangement simple yet effective and sophisticated?  Does it look like all the elements were designed to be arranged together? If so, then you have achieved the basic principle of unity in your flower arranging goal.

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One the more important principles of floral arranging is Proportion. Very simply put, proportion deals with getting the scale and the overall appearance of the flower arrangement right. It is the correct selection of the elements in the arrangement in terms of size and shape. The proportion of your floral arrangement can be determined in two ways – either through the container you have, or based on the flowers you’re using. Whatever you decide on first, there are certain rules of proportion in arranging the flowers. The amount of flower material you use should be three-fifths of the final design, and the container, two-fifths. For example, if you are using long stemmed roses, it makes sense to use a  taller container instead of a  low round one to match the flowers. Round containers go well with flowers that are roundish in shape like the daisy and gerbera daisy or denser like the standard mum or carnation.

While creating a floral arrangement, to get the proportion right, make your arrangement slightly taller than you want it, since it is always easier to cut the stems if it’s too tall.

Proportion in a floral arrangement is also visible in the colors used. To have a visually appealing flower arrangement, select colors that will be proportionate to each other i.e. the amount of each color used in the floral arrangement. If you’re using three colors, use more of one color for your central point, less of the second color and only a moderate amount for the last choice of color. When determining the color proportion in any arrangement, you should also try and keep in mind the light and dark shades so that your arrangement is not completely dark or light, but a balanced effect which will suit the setting.

Along with the size and color, proportion in a floral arrangement can also be developed in the textures, such  as rough and smooth, or finishes like  shiny and dull. This provides some depth and character to the flower arrangement eliminating the monotonous appearance. By breaking the arrangement into different kinds of textures, it makes for a more attractive and eye catching work of art.

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