Florals play a large role in many special occasions throughout our lifetimes. They’re elegant and make for stunning arrangements and centerpieces. Most importantly, they allow us to convey messages and to tell a story, especially this holiday season when we are having intimate gatherings. Here are five ideas you can recreate this holiday season as a gift or for your own home. 

1. Thankful Day Baskets

Extend the tradition of May Day baskets to the holidays this year. Pull together your favorite holiday flowers, ideally ones that have wonderful holiday messages. Leave the bundles outside peoples’ doors with a special note (wrap the flowers in tissue or paper if the temperature is below 38 degrees Fahrenheit).

Bundle of white roses and eucalyptus 

2. Giftable Centerpieces 

Instead of putting just a centerpiece at your holiday table or party, select flowers that mean something to you, your family, or your community. Maybe it’s flowers that mean love, gratitude, and hope. As a favor at the party, have small cards that share these meanings. At the end of the evening, let everyone pick the flowers that most resonate with what they hope for their holiday season or the new year. If you do not want to DIY this, Floracracy has turned all of its loose floral arrangements into giftable centerpieces. Our smalls come with two card, and our larges come with four. Learn more about how to create a meaningful centerpiece here.

3. The Twelve Flowers of Christmas / Eight Flowers of Hanukkah 

Preselect a flower for every day of the celebratory season. Each day, share with your family or friends something that represents that flower and why. Some days, you have to send the actual flowers. Other days, simply send a quote or a poem with the flower included. You can even limit the experience to the name of the flower and what it means.

Mother and her daughters putting together mini arrangements from Floracracy bundles

4. Gift a Floral Meaning to a Friend 

As a unique gift, select a floral meaning that most resonates with a friend and what he or she has experienced that year. If she had to demonstrate a significant amount of hope, name her year the year of the iris (meaning hope). If she’s achieved a lot, name it her year of the chrysanthemum (for success). You might give her the flower or something with the flower on it. You also could simply send her a note telling her that this flower represents to you the year she’s had. It will be an invitation to her to explore and discover more deeply your gift to her. 

5. Meaningful Mini Bouquets 

Instead of a main centerpiece, put small centerpieces next to each place setting. Use specific flowers selected based on their meanings for the person. These meanings can either reflect what the person symbolizes to you. Or, you could ask prior to the event for the meanings and hopes of each person. 

Floracracy floral bundle with mini journal 

Whether you’re seeking ways to decorate your home in an elegant and meaningful way or trying to be more thoughtful with your gifting, florals can help send a message of gratitude, of anticipation, or of pure love. Each story of ours deserves telling, and these holiday ideas are one way you can bring to life the special message you hope to share with your loved ones this year.  

Here are some additional resources to get started: 

For the Floracracy list of holiday flowers, go here. 

To order using our curated holiday design track, start here.