It's National 'What' Day?

It’s been a while since I have done a blog post. I’ve had lots going on with the release of my book A BOUQUET OF WORDS Express Yourself Through the Language of Flowers. 

Everything about writing and publishing a book has been a new experience for me. I’ve learned so much including that once the book is written and published the work is not done. Now it’s time for marketing! (I’m working on that.)

What I want to share with you today is some upcoming dates that you might find interesting. 

It’s all the rage nowadays to have ‘National Days’. You can find days for everything from ‘National Creative Ice Cream Flavours Day’ (July 1st), ‘National Pet Rock Day’ (September 1), to ‘National Joy Day’ -  which isn’t about being joyful, but about celebrating everyone with the name ‘Joy’ (December 7)!

It’s no different when it comes to flowers. Several have their own ‘National’ day.

There are three in the upcoming months. These are great days to share flowers with others and introduce them to the language of flowers. In November and December you have:

November 10: National Forget-me-not Day

Forget-me-not - Remembrance

While forget-me-nots are not in bloom at this time of year, you could find a card with an image of these delicate blue flowers and send them to someone to let them know you are thinking of them.

December 12:National Poinsettia Day

Poinsettia - Good cheer

If you are attending a holiday party, a poinsettia with its meaning of ‘good cheer’ makes the perfect hostess gift.

December 19: National Holly Day

Holly - Domestic happiness 

Do you know anyone getting married or moving into a new home? Giving a bunch of holly would be a wonderful symbolic gesture

In A Bouquet of Words you will find a calendar of ‘National Flower Days’ throughout the year. 

(I guess I squeezed in a bit of marketing with that last sentence 🙂.)

Click HERE to order A BOUQUET OF WORDS Express Yourself Through the Language of Flowers

How to Make Fresh Flowers Look Festive at Christmastime

Poinsettias are the most well-known flower at Christmas time. In fact, they’re now as much a symbol of Christmas as stockings or a decorated tree. But Christmas florals can be so much more than this traditional potted plant. 

Here are 4 ways to make fresh flowers look festive during this holiday season:

1 - Winter wonderland: No matter where you live or what your climate is, you can embrace a snowy look by creating an all-white arrangement. Use a clear glass vase or a white ceramic container to complete the look.

2 -Woodland inspiration: Go for a walk and forage branches, pine cones, and bits of bark. Mix these in with some neutral coloured flowers to create a nature-inspired seasonal arrangement. And if you have a few toys or ornaments of woodland creatures add them in to complete the look.

3 - Sparkle it up: It’s the holidays which makes it the right time for adding a bit of sparkle to your flower arrangements. I have two favourite ways to do this. First - lightly mist your flowers with water and then sprinkle with glitter. The water will help the glitter to stick, and then when the light hits it, your flowers will shine. A little goes a long way so be light-handed when adding the glitter. Second - use a metallic vase. Copper, bronze, gold, silver, and rose gold all work to add a bit of glitz to make your arrangement twinkle for all your festivities.

 4-  Make it personal: Think of ways to take the traditional red, white, and green of Christmas, and give it a personal twist. For example, if you love Hawaii, consider adding in some tropical flowers; use a vase that’s been passed down from generation to generation; incorporate a special ornament, or even try something as simple as mixing in some flowers in your favourite colour. (For me, this means adding in pink flowers - you wouldn’t believe how well this works and how happy it makes me every time I see my arrangement!)

Flowers to use in winter arrangements: Ranunculus, roses, hellebores, carnations, amaryllis, paperwhites, poinsettias, white lilies, and white anemone. Add in snowberries, cotton, eucalyptus, and winter greenery.

Top tip: Most people don’t realize you can use poinsettias as a cut flower in an arrangement, but you certainly can. Before you do, however, there is one trick you need to know. 

When you cut the stem of the poinsettia, sap will ooze out of it. To keep the bloom from wilting you need to seal the end of the stem before placing it in your vase of water. 

You can seal the stem one of two ways. First, pour water that is just below the boiling point into a cup. As soon as you’ve cut the poinsettias stem, dip it in the heated water for a few seconds and then quickly place it into your vase of cool water. Your second option is to hold the cut end of the stem over a flame for a few seconds which will seal the end, making it ready to use. Either method will work and I hope you’ll give it a try. Using a poinsettia in a fresh flower arrangement is a really nice alternative to only having them as a potted plant. Let me know how it works for you.

Wishing all of you the very best this holiday season. xo

The Poinsettia

December 12th is National Poinsettia Day, the perfect opportunity to share with you a Mexican legend that explains why the poinsettia is the flower of Christmas.

There was once a poor, young girl named Pepita, making her way to church on Christmas Eve. She was sad because she didn’t have a gift to present at the nativity to baby Jesus like the other children would. Her cousin reminded her that even the most humble gift, given in love, would be acceptable in His eyes. So Pepita, gathered a bundle of weeds from the roadside. As she presented the bouquet at the nativity scene, the common weeds miraculously turned into brilliant red blooms!! They became known as the ‘Flowers of the Holy Night’, what we call poinsettias.

 I first learned this story when I was a preschool teacher. Children are so inquisitive that as a teacher you tend to research a lot of things just to be able to answer all their questions. A random inquiry about the poinsettia led me to this legend. 

 Before I came across that story I don’t think I’d ever had a poinsettia during the holiday season - (Confession time: while I love flowers, I’m not very good with plants). But ever since then, I make sure I always have at least one poinsettia in my home. It usually only lasts a couple of weeks, but I find it reminds me of the lesson from the legend – it’s not about the value of the gift, but the thought behind it.

This lesson is something that can translate into giving flowers throughout the year. The smallest of posies will put a smile on someone’s face. A single bloom in a bud vase will brighten an environment. And just a small bundle of lavender will help create a calm relaxing atmosphere as you go to bed. So pick up a small bunch of fresh flowers for your home this week, and while you’re at it, perhaps also a poinsettia!

Here are five facts about poinsettias:

1 – In the language of flowers poinsettias symbolize good cheer and success; 

2 – The poinsettia is the highest selling potted plant. Red is the most popular colour followed by white and pink;

3 – Other names for the poinsettia are ‘lobster flower’ and ‘flame-leaf flower’;

4 – The ‘flower petals’ of the poinsettias are actually modified or specialized leaves.

5 – The poinsettia is originally from Mexico where it’s a perennial shrub that can grow 10-15 feet tall.