Christmas Flowers
At Yuletide there are many popular Christmas flowers that we use to honour and mark the festive season. All over the world flowers and plants form a major part of Christmas decorations by adding colour as many of these Christmas flowers happen to bloom around the months of December - coinciding with the Christmas holiday season. Plants and flowers such as; holly, ivy, mistletoe, Christmas Roses (Helleborus) and Poinsettia.
In many Western cultures, holly is used in Christmas wreaths and is used to symbolise truth. Ivy was believed to have magical powers as it remains green during winter and it symbolises eternity and resurection. Mistletoe was believed to have healing powers and was used as an antidote for poison, infertillity and to ward off evil spirits, it was seen as a symbol of peace. The Christmas Rose is a celebrated English plant that is regarded as a true Christmas flower. It is sometimes called the Snow or Winter Rose and it blooms during the winter months in the mountains of central Europe. 
The Poinsettia is known as the flower of the holy night and due to its magnificent red colour during the festive season it is extensively used as decoration and it's star-shaped leaf pattern is said to symbolise the star of Bethlehem.
Here at Clare Florist we have a superb selection of Christmas flowers, Maggie's Charity Christmas bouquets and Christmas Gift Sets that are sure to make a gorgeous gift or a tempting treat. A Christmas flower delivery is guaranteed to evoke festive feelings and bring Christmas Cheer to any person or setting.
All of our Christmas flowers and Christmas bouquets, all available for delivery to any address in the UK, they make make perfect presents and Christmas gifts and they will certainly show that special person, family, friend and loved ones just how much you care and appreciate them.
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Halloween and All Saint's Day:
Next week - October 31st sees the annual 'Holiday' festival of Halloween and then on the 1st November the Christian holiday; All Saint's Day.
Halloween traditions include; dressing up as ghosts, ghouls and witches, apple bobbing, trick or treating, making pumpkin Jack-o-lanterns and having bonfires to scare away evil spirits. It is one of the oldest celebrations in the world - dating back over 2000 years.
The link between Halloween and All Saint's Day is in that when Christianity came to Britain and Europe, the 1st of November became a dedicated day for saints who did not have their own celebrated day - They performed a mass called 'All Hallows mass' the night before, this was known as 'All Hallows E'en' and this subsequently became Halloween or Hallowe'en (correct spelling.) it is believed that the colours of orange and black are linked to Halloween due to orange having association with harvests and black being associated to death.
All Saint's Day traditions include; the taking of flowers to the graves of dead relatives, lighting candles and visiting the graves of deceased relatives and the offering of prayers and flowers to those passed away.
The Feast of All Saints is a holy day of the Church honoring all saints, known and unknown.
On All Saints Day, we celebrate these saints of the Lord and ask for their prayers and intercessions.
The whole concept of All Saints Day is tied in with the concept of the Communion of Saints. Christians have been honoring their saints and martyrs since at least the second century AD.
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October Flowers and Prizewinners
October Prizewinner:
Firstly congratulations to our October, second Tuesday of the month twitter #randomfollower prizewinner: Jackie from Lancs. Who very kindly had her winning bespoke bouquet sent to her mum. Here she is with her prize (and a very cute dog). Well done Jackie - and your Mum too!
October Flowers:
The Birth flower for October is the marigold (or Calendula).
The flower meaning of the October birth flower - the marigold; is sorrow or sympathy and the colours for the October birth month flowers should be Yellow or white.
Birth month flowers are usually the specific flowers that are traditionally given to a person the month that person is born.
The Marigold's flower meaning is "winning grace." Once considered the most sacred of flowers, in India it was placed around the necks of holy statues.
The Marigold is found through Europe, the United States, and western Asia. Marigolds are good cleansers and can be used as remedies for bee stings and can be used by cooks as a spicy seasoning or colouring for food.
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Qixi Festival - 16th August 2010 - Chinese Valentine's Day
The Team at Clare Florist would like to wish all our friends, followers and customers a happy Qixi Festival.
Qixi is the Chinese romantic festival, like the western tradition of Valentine's Day. It falls on the 7th day of the 7th lunar month, this year being the 16th August.
The story goes:
A young cowherd named Niulang, came across seven fairy sisters bathing in a lake. Encouraged by his mischievous companion the ox, he stole their clothes and waited to see what would happen.
The fairy sisters elected the youngest and most beautiful sister Zhinü "the weaver girl", to retrieve their clothing. She agreed to do so, but since Niulang had seen her naked, she agreed to his request for marriage. She proved to be a wonderful wife, and Niulang to be a good husband. They lived happily and had two children. But the Goddess of Heaven found out that Zhinü, a fairy girl, had married a mere mortal. The Goddess was furious and ordered Zhinü to return to heaven. On Earth, Niulang was very upset that his wife had disappeared. Suddenly, his ox began to talk, telling him that if he killed it and put on its hide, he would be able to go up to Heaven to find his wife. Crying bitterly, he killed the ox, put on the skin, and carried his two beloved children off to Heaven to find Zhinü. The Goddess discovered this and was very angry. Taking out her hairpin, the Goddess scratched a wide river in the sky to separate the two lovers forever, thus forming the Milky Way between Altair and Vega. Zhinü must sit forever on one side of the river, sadly weaving on her loom, while Niulang watches her from afar and takes care of their two children
But once a year all the magpies in the world would take pity on them and fly up into heaven to form a bridge over the star Deneb in the Cygnus constellation so the lovers may be together for a single night, which is the seventh night of the seventh moon.
We are excited to celebrate Qixi and have a wonderful array of romantic flowers, Tiger lilies and Oriental orchids to offer you; ensuring that your celebrations go the way of the two lovers, bridging the gaps that life sometimes throws at us.
St Nicholas Day 6th December
In many countries St. Nicholas is the main gift giver. His feast day, St Nicholas Day, is December 6th which falls early in the advent season.
In Amsterdam he arrived on the 16th of November and then moves around the country visiting schools and homes to see if the children have been good.
Small treats are left in the children's clogs so the children know he has come.
European immigrants brought cherished St. Nicholas holiday traditions to the United States. Over time these have melted into some common practises.
Stockings are hung by the fireplace, by poor maidens, are said to have been filled with gold coins tossed through the window by St Nicholas.
Tangerines in the toe of the stockings symbolise the gold coins.
Candy Canes were made to look like the staffs that the bishops carry, hooked at the top like a shepherds crook, showing they are the shepherds who cared for their people.
Gift giving in secret at night was done by Nicholas as he didn't want to be seen or recognised as he wanted those he helped to give thanks to God.
Beltane Fire Festival
Tomorrow is the 1st of May and marks the beginning of Summer.
In Edinburgh we celebrate with the Beltane Fire Festival at Calton Hill with over 12,000 people attending to watch the dancers, drummers and fire eaters to name a few.
The name derives from the Gaelic-Celtic word meaning bright / sacred fire. It was held to mark the blossoming of spring and the pastoral event of moving livestock to their summer grazing.
It was a celebration of the fertility of the land and their animals. The main traditional element which was common to all Beltane festivals was the fire which gave it its name.
All the fires in the community would be put out and new. sacred "need Fire" was lit by the village head or spiritual leader. The animals would be driven through or between them.
It was believed that the smoke and flame of the fires would purify the herd, protecting them in the year to come and ensuring a good number of offspring.
The villagers would then take pieces of the fire to their homes and relight their hearths, dance clockwise around the bonfires to ensure good portents for them and their families.
Celebrations begin at sundown on 30th April , if it's possible stay up all night long with your partner or lover and face the sunrise with a smile. Beltain dew is traditionally perfect for making people (women) beautiful; it's said to be particularly potent if gathered from an oak tree. Pause for a moment and enjoy the sounds of the birds, enjoy the morning scents and feel the new Summer's energy flow through you brightening your spirit - even dance together.
Sunrise is 5.25am Friday morning so you will have to set your alarm early !
Here are some images from last years Beltane Fire Festival in Edinburgh.
Crimson and Pine
Some more fascinating tales of festive flora...
Holy Holly
Perhaps the best known Christmas plant, next to the Christmas tree,
holly has has a long history of connection with winter festivals.
Because it stays green and glossy through the winter, it was revered by
the druids in ancient times. They considered it a symbol of death and
regeneration and, along with ivy and mistletoe, used it in their winter
solstice ceremonies. The belief that holly had magical properties
continued and it was used as a charm to ward off evil spirits, placed
over doorways or planted in front of the house. Another superstition
led the people to bring sprigs of holly into the house during winter so
that the woodland elves and fairies who supposedly lived in the holly
would be safe and warm through the harshest time of year! In Christian
lore it became associated with the crown of thorns and the blood of
Christ.
With its shiny, deep-green leaves and bright red berries, holly is a
favourite decoration for brightening up the home through the dreary
days of northern winters. Have a look at our colourful Berry Christmas bouquet!
Pretty Poinsettia
The distinctive crimson, star-shaped upper leaves of the poinsettia are often mistaken for petals. Being a native of Mexico, it wasn't until more recent times that the poinsettia was brought over to take its place in the Christmas tradition of Europe. In Mexico, however, a touching legend arose linking the plant to the Christmas spirit. It's said that one Christmas a young girl (or, in other versions, a young boy) went to visit the nativity scene in the local village chapel. She had no gift to give the Christ child and the best she could do was to gather some of the roadside weeds, but when she laid them in humble, loving offering by the manger, the little bouquet of leaves blossomed into the beautiful red stars of the poinsettia. Thus the flower became known as the Flores de Noche Buena – Flowers of the Holy Night. It has even been appointed it's own day in the festive season: December 12th!
Festive Flora - Mistletoe
Though winter, with its waning light, is a time of hibernation for many species, with most trees leafless and few flowers or fruits to brighten the landscape, those flowers, berries and foliage which remain play an important part in the traditions of the festive season.
Romantic Mistletoe
Known best for its presence in Christmas stories and pictures and the tradition of 'kissing under the mistletoe' at Christmas time, mistletoe is a parasitic plant which grows in the branches of trees and shrubs. It has long oval leaves and bears clusters of small white berries. It's now a cause for conservation projects in parts of Britain, while in other countries it has become a pest in need of control.
Mistletoe has a rich history in myths and customs. It bears its fruit late in the year and was used by the druids in ancient times for their winter solstice ceremonies as it was believed to have magical properties — perhaps because it has no roots yet remains green through the winter. The ancient Celts and medieval Britons used it as a healing plant and to ward off evil spirits, while for the Romans it was a symbol of peace and friendship. It also took on a darker role in other traditions. In Norse mythology the God Balder was killed with an arrow of mistletoe after everything else living and growing on the earth had sworn not to harm him. In the Christian story it's said that the cross on which Christ was crucified was made of the wood of the then mistletoe tree. After the crucifixion, the legend goes, the plant shrivelled up in shame or punishment into its present day state as a parasitic vine.
It's not known how the English tradition of kissing under the mistletoe arose —perhaps it came from its association with friendship and good luck. The tradition involves the hanging of sprigs or garlands of mistletoe: anyone who stands underneath can expect to receive a kiss! Particularly for young women seeking marriage, this was said to bring good luck, but in one tradition a berry must be plucked for each kiss and when there are no more the mistletoe is no longer lucky. Another superstition holds that the mistletoe must be burned on Twelfth Night or the couples who kissed under it will lose their luck and might never get married.
Besides these traditions, mistletoe is still used as a healing plant by modern herbalists and is being studied as a potential treatment for tumours. It must only be used medicinally in skilled hands, though, for if not properly prepared and administered the berries are poisonous!
Saint Nicholas Eve 5th December
Saint Nicolas is the common name for Saint Nicholas, a Lycian saint and Bishop of Myra. He was born in the third century in the village of Patara. He had a reputation for secret gift-giving but is now identified with Santa Claus in the UK and USA.
Saint Nicholas Day is now mainly a festival for children in many European Countries, here's an idea of how its celebrated by our European cousins.....
Netherlands
Children and adults enjoy the parades and celebrations in every village on the 5th and 6th of December to welcome St Nicholas and his helper Zwarte Piet. Sinterklaas (the Dutch name for St Nicholas) rides into town on a white horse to visit the children and put gifts in their clogs.
France
Children leave their shoes by the fireplace to be filled with gifts from Pere Noel, although Pere Fouettard will be with him carrying a bunch of sticks to beat naughty children - ouch!
Germany
In Germany he is known as Klaasbuur many children put a boot outside the front door, if they have been naughty it will be filled with coal instead of gifts :-(
Spain
In Spain however things are very different, the children leave thier shoes under the Christmas tree the night of January 5th and presents from the Three Kings appear the next morning. These days Papa Noel comes on the 24th December also!
Of course here in the UK our children have to wait until Christmas Eve to hang thier stockings up!
How lucky the children of Europe are that they have two days in which they can recieve gifts, but be warned children he knows if you have been bad or good - so be good for goodness sakes!
Aster - Story of the Magic Star of September
With all the excitements of the summer months, it's easy to forget
that we're already into September and autumn is approaching faster than
a blink. The shining flower of September, Aster, symbolising elegance
and afterthought, is the ideal calming influence after those months of
summer madness!
Myths and Legend
This little star of the flower world (their name literally means star
in Latin) is the herb of Venus, as perfume from burning their leaves
were believed to have magical powers of warding off evil serpents in
the ancient times.
Like their starry origin, Asters come in a variety of colours such
as blue, white and purple, just like the glow of starlight. The most
common flower used by florists in China, one of the popular myths about
Aster is that one can hear the slightest whisper if you listen to them
closely enough.
According to legends, Asters grew from the tears of the goddess
Virgo (also known as Asterea). It is believed that she was saddened by
Jupiter's decision to flood the entire race during the Iron Age that
she requested to be turned into a star, and when she sees the muddy
aftermath, her tears fell as stardust and became delightful Asters.
Yet another legend on the origins of Asters is that once upon a time
the surviving sisters of a tribal war begged the Herb Woman for help.
Seeing that they would be hunted down in the future, the Herb Woman
used some magic and gave them leaves using a potion. One of the sisters
became the golden rod, while the other became the Aster as she was
wearing a fancy looking lavender-blue dress.
Other Random Facts
- Asters are also known as the queens of the daisy family.
- In the Hungarian language of colours, Asters represent autumn.
