Exotic Flowers in Boston

Top Floral Pieces Requested For Christmas

It’s about that time to break out the ornaments, eggnog and yes, the Christmas greenery!  Florists are busy this time of year with an extensive line of holiday products just perfect to spruce up your home.  Worried that your budget can’t handle the extra expense of centerpieces and roping?  Don’t be!  Boston designers have all you need to fit anyone’s spending guidelines.  Many are actually unaware of the multitude of choices that they have access to during the month of December, holding the presumption that trees, wreathes and roses are their only options available to them this time of year.  Well, nothing could be farther from the truth and to convince the hesitant floral buyers, you wont believe these stunning holiday décor pieces that I’ve come up with just for you!

Boxwood Trees

Boxwood trees are lovely compliments to your regular Christmas decorations and provide an authentically elegant appeal for holiday parties and festivities.  Produced in a variety of different sizes and themes, box trees can be purchased plain or with ornamental accessories, although trust me, they are equally as stunning.  Florists are clever in they way they are constructed by placing balsam strips into a preformed structure of oasis making them durable and healthy for a long period of time as long as they are watered consistently.  Box trees are perfect either dispersed throughout the home or placed in the center of the dining table, making it an excellent fuss-free option for centerpieces. 

Kissing Balls

Kissing Balls may seem traditional but have remained one the most frequently requested items from Boston florists.  Shaped in a ball of balsam, some designers have put their own signature stamp on the piece by adding tiny pine cones, dried flowers, white lights, ribbons and even round sparkle gems.  Historically kissing balls were used to instigate a smooch from couples standing beneath one, (resembling the mistletoe effect) but nowadays, many are hung in front of houses in replacement wreathes.  Again, these simple but charming Christmas florals are both inexpensive and easily maintained to last throughout the entire season. 

Contemporary Christmas Flowers

Contemporary Christmas flowers hold a traditional appeal but possess a modern presentation for the Christmas lover dying to create outside of the box.  Most of the time, this consists of changing one aspect of the arrangement such as replacing a clear vase with a vessel wrapped in birch bark or using a bright flick of orange to break up the ho-hum red, green and white holiday palette.  Berries are another wonderful option for those wanting to design a piece themselves.  Since there is an abundance of pinecones, fir greenery and wild bittersweet growing naturally in the New England habitat this tie of year, these are extremely easy to find and are less expensive than some of the harder to find and imported flowers. 

 Suzie Canale, Freedom Trail Boston, 2014

You can be sure to see orchids at Suzie's home in Westwood at Christmas time.

It's that time of year where we just can't wait to get the boxes of ornaments and tinsel down from the attic eaves and decorate the star of Christmas-our tree!  Many might believe that selecting any old variety will do and that there really isn’t much of a difference with the acceptation of cost but I can assure you that this is simply not true.  Trees come in a large selection of breeds and with a versatile array of characteristics including size, smell, shape and branch dispersion.  So if you want to be an educated arbor buyer this season, learn more about the choices you have and pick a tree that is perfect for you and your family.  Keep in mind that not all trees are grown in the New England region, so it is important to know as much as you can beforehand. 

Balsam Fir

The balsam fir is not only a New England tradition, but the best selling Christmas Tree at Exotic Flowers in Boston. Most Balsam firs sold in the Boston area come from Nova Scotia. The balsam fir has strong branches and beautiful scent. This fragrant Christmas tree evokes all types of wonderful Christmas memories.

                                                   photo credit: blog.honestabe.com

Douglas Fir

The Douglas Fir is one of the more higher in demand Christmas trees on lots because of its desirable pyramid shape and full body display.  The coloring of the tree is blue and green with a grey trunk that adapts as it ages, a feature that I believe exacerbates the beauty of holiday lights and brightly decorated ornaments.  An interesting fact about the Douglas Fir is that it remains the most frequently requested tree variety for shipment to exotic places such as Guam, Maui and countries within Asia.  This tree also holds the characteristic of longevity so if you are the type who loves to put up their Christmas decorations right after Thanksgiving and keep it up for weeks past; this is the right tree for you! 

Fraser Fir

This species is native to New England and enjoys being grown in colder climates, which makes this tree a solid choice for the frigid temperatures of Boston.   Since the Douglas Fir is commonly grows in nearby and comparative regions, it is usually well priced and affordable for our Christmas budgets since there is a natural abundance of them.  Other desirable traits include a strong pine perfume and needles that change from green to white as the needles grow from top to bottom.  Another alluring factor is that the trees are sometimes cut at shorter heights making them perfect for smaller rooms or apartments.  The Fraser Fir makes my top three list because it was my first Christmas tree, in my first apartment, on my first Christmas-a holiday that I fondly remember.  The fraser fir is always the hoice at the White House.

                                                            photo cedit:shorpy.com

Noble Fir

I love this breed and can attest that it is aptly named since its appearance is completely reflective in the description, “noble”.  Native to the woods and mountains of Oregon and California, you will want to make sure that the trunk is freshly cut since this variety has been trucked from the other side of the country for our special holiday season.  Consisting of pretty blue and green needles, the Noble Fir is idyllic for hanging ornaments since the branches curl up with an upward congruent to a cupped hand. The branches are often adequately separated to showcase several baubles and the tree usually has a body that is filled robustly with aromatic pine needles providing a lovely yuletide fragrance for your home. The Noble Fir is my husband's favorite tree.

Suzie Canale, Westwood Public Library, October 2014.

Suzie puts her Christmas tree up every year on December 11th, her son Lance's birthday.

We all know there are a million things to get done during the month of December in order to prepare for one of the biggest holidays of the year, Christmas!  Our lists are long and we sometimes find ourselves overwhelmed with trying to accomplish an impossible tally of tasks, at the end feeling apprehensive, uneasy and exhausted.  Well, that’s not the way the holiday season should be at all!  Christmas is about being together and enjoying the special spirit the yuletide season summons in all of us.  So how do we fix the Christmas frenzy of anxiety?  We get organized with a simple calendar that will help us get all of our undertakings accomplished while still having fun and enjoying Christmas for all of the magic that it brings.  Here is a schedule that works for me but design yours to suit your specific needs and agenda.

December 1^st    Break out the Christmas Advent for the Kids. Lego offers a really cute one with a new mini set daily. 

December 2^nd   Begin preparing the house for decorations by storing excess clutter

                            and knickknacks. 

 December 3^rd   Lights go up outside - white lights are my favorite!

 December 4^th  My husband's birthday. The Christmas Wreath is hung on the door and the Christmas cards are addressed. The Jimmy Fund offers beautiful holiday cards that Exotic Flowers send to its top clients.

 December 5^th   Make a complete list of gifts for family and friends.  It’s better to plan

                          ahead to defer from going over the budget. 

 December 6^th   Bake a cranberry pie and put in freezer to be stored until Christmas

                          for last minute hostess dessert needs.   

 December 7^th   String the rest of the cranberries for garland.  They are beautiful on

                          The tree!

 December 8^th   Gingerbread House Project Day!  One of the kid’s favorite activities!

 December 9^th    Make sure the kids have made their last and final version of their

                           Christmas lists.  You don’t want any new wish list surprises popping

                           up any later…

 December 10^th  The tree arrives!  Put in stand with water to allow the branches to

                             relax overnight.

 December 11^th  My son Lance's birthday. We have a tradition of putting up ours today. The tree is ready to                         be decorated with lights, tinsel, popcorn strands and ornaments!

 December 12^th   Buy Christmas pajamas for everyone!  Decorate the hearth with

                            candles and balsam garland. 

 December 13^th     Christmas bonuses for the mailman and paperboy. 

 December 14^th    Buy the wine for the holiday table.

                                                  photo credit: honeyandjam.com

December 15^th    Bake sugar cookies for the neighbors and package those that are to

                             be given as small gifts.

 December 16^th    Donate items to the local soup kitchen for their holiday feasts. 

                            make sure to include some children’s books for the kids.           

 December 17^th    Finish up any last minute Christmas present shopping and be

                             officially DONE!

 December 18^th    Plan your menu for Christmas dinner including everything

                             from the main course to the dessert.  Don’t forget the rolls!

 December 19^th     Finish wrapping all of the presents and hide them in the attic. 

December 20^th     Pick up the floral centerpiece from Exotic Flowers in Boston 

December 21^st     Brace yourself-its grocery store shopping day for your holiday

                              food!   

 December 22^nd    Grab stocking stuffers at CVS- make sure you don’t forget the

                              candy canes.

 December 23^rd     Prepare the side dishes that can be refrigerated.  Get as much of

                               the cooking done as early as possible!

 December 24^th    Christmas stockings are hung by the fire and cookies and milk are

                              left by the fireplace for Santa Claus. 

 December 25^th    Christmas Day-Enjoy the holiday with friends and family!

 Suzie Canale at Fenway Park with her boys May 2014.

Suzie will be celebrating this Christmas with her familly at her home in Westwood, MA.