DECK THE HALLS WITH BOUGHS OF HOLLY
Decorate with December’s Birth Flower
Oh! by golly, have a holly jolly Christmas this year.
In December, holly is ubiquitous; it is literally tucked or placed in every imaginable nook or cranny where Christmas is celebrated. No wonder it’s the birth flower of the month. Go ahead and deck the halls and have a holly, jolly Christmas this year. Decorate and embellish to your heart’s desire, depending on your personal aesthetic and style.
Holly (Ilex aquifolium) is instantly recognizable with its emerald pointed leaves and bright red berries. It has special religious significance as well, representing the crown of thorns associated with Jesus Christ and the small fruits it bears that resemble blood droplets. It pairs beautifully with any fir, pine, or spruce Christmas tree, mistletoe, and other fresh green coniferous plants.
European holly is most commonly grown for holiday ornaments and décor, although there are over five hundred species of climbers, trees, and shrubs.
Victorian
A Victorian Christmas is marked by real candles on trees (don’t try this at home), handmade paper ornaments, and every type of evergreen imaginable tied with red ribbon. Hang sheaves of wheat in your parlor instead of an ordinary wreath, or hand out paper cornucopias filled with old-fashioned ribbon candy on Christmas Eve. It was believed a long time ago that holly protected a home from thunder, lightning, and fire so hanging a sprig on the door was good luck. Cover your home, front porch, balustrades and railings, staircases, and mantelpieces with garlands and boughs of holly, and, for a tabletop centerpiece, simply place a white candle in the center of a fresh holly arrangement.
Oranges with cloves as pomanders are wonderful ideas for potpourri, and paper chains to wrap around the tree or mantle are a must. Handmade angels, cotton ornaments, popcorn garlands, nuts, and old-fashioned peppermint sticks (nothing wrapped in plastic) are also needed to embody Victorian-inspired visuals.
A crystal bowl of eggnog or spiced cider, complete with cinnamon sticks and fresh fruit as a garnish, is very luxurious. Fruit was a rare treat during the winter months and was always appreciated at Christmas. Remember that the Victorian period was before electric lights, so candles were everywhere and lit the entire house. Because this is a fire hazard and even the glass ornaments that house a lit candle make it even more dangerous (as glass can crack very easily due to heat), recreate the Victorian look with candles and soft yellow lighting not on the tree but on sturdy tabletops and mantelpieces. Instead, cover your tree with sparse white lights and overcompensate with mercury glass ornaments. Also, a shaggy natural tree is preferable to anything artificial. Try a cedar from a Christmas tree farm or even your own backyard.
Classic Vintage
Gussy up the garlands! Pair your sprigs of holly with poinsettias, amaryllis, Christmas cactus, hypericum berries, and even elegant red roses. The key aspect of classic vintage and even retro décor is colour! The rosier the red, the better! This is when you can run amok decorating. Hang tinsel icicles everywhere and make sure there are lots of vintage Santas, elves, angels with golden tinsel halos, ceramic Christmas trees, and loud, colourful wrapping paper with plastic stick-on bows. Remember fake snow in a can? If you’re into a kitschy Christmas, go ahead and spray this on your fir, spruce, or cedar. You can even decorate the windows with snowflakes using stencils.
Bake cookies using metal cutters in novelty shapes and light your windows with candelabras equipped with blue bulbs for an unexpected retro glow and revel in sparkle. This means DIY ornaments with lots of glitter are very appropriate for the classic vintage theme. A collection of snow globes, glittery baubles, and, of course, retro recipes are all the rage. Delight your holiday guests with Rice Krispie treats, cherry cordials, and charming cakes in the shape of snowmen and reindeer.
Because artificiality plays a big role in the retro holiday design scheme, holly leaves and berries can be easily created using icing. With simple green and red frosting, anyone can decorate cakes, cookies, and yule logs. If you’re feeling really jolly, use food colouring to embellish a big bowl of eggnog.
Bohemian
Keep your space natural and warm with muted, traditional tones. One of the main ideas behind the boho aesthetic is to make everything look effortless, cozy, and warm. Think of a bright farmhouse kitchen on Christmas morning with white jars displaying different spices, hearty oats, flour, and sugar. The boho vibe is also about sustainability. You can derive inspiration from the old-fashioned Victorian look as well. Update your brown paper packages for today so it’s not a vintage look but a chic, bougie aesthetic. Use sprigs of holly to embellish the presents under the tree. This is a brilliant touch and a fun way to incorporate our statement flower. It provides just enough colour to be merry but never basic.
Embellish your holly with stars of anise, bay leaves, pinecones, and bunches of evergreen. Utilize the best of nature and bring the outdoors inside with twigs, dried grasses, and even feathers to enhance your bouquets. Paperwhites in a wooden planter are ideal to complete this aesthetic, and you’ll be using the other official December flower in your décor scheme. While these remind us of spring, they also brighten up the indoors when it’s cold outside and share a promise of new life to come.
For all your holiday flower needs (including arrangements, bouquets, and centerpieces) featuring holly and other winter favorites, visit Chelsea Flowers at the website.