Christmas flower - poinsettias - Brief Article
Sunset, Dec, 1999
When Paul Ecke III inspects his business operations, the effect is like Moses parting the Red Sea. Washed in the milky light peculiar to greenhouses, Ecke glides through an ocean of crimson: 'Red Satin', 'Red Baron', and, of course, 'Freedom'.

Ecke pauses to admire one especially pulchritudinous example of this last specimen. "'Freedom' is our Michael Jordan," he says. "It is as good at what it does as Michael Jordan is."

'Freedom' is a poinsettia. If as you read this you have a holiday poinsettia lurking nearby, you have Paul Ecke III and his family to thank.

Euphorbia pulcherrima played a large role in my childhood Christmases. I grew up in Ventura, a Southern California town that styled itself "The Poinsettia City by the Sea." Out of civic duty, residents annually acquired poinsettias by the truckload, until it seemed to me the flower must have been part of Christmas since the time of the original St. Nicholas.

The reality is different, I find when I visit the Paul Ecke Ranch, in Encinitas on the San Diego County coast.

"The poinsettia was named for Joel Poinsett," Ecke tells me. "He was the first American ambassador to Mexico." In 1828, Ecke explains, Poinsett noticed the plant growing near Taxco and sent it home to South Carolina. It might have remained mere botanical novelty were it not for Ecke's ancestors.

"My great-grandfather Albert emigrated from Germany," Ecke says. Albert Ecke farmed land in Hollywood. He sold produce and cut flowers, including a few poinsettias he had probably found growing wild. These plants had an interesting feature: As December neared, reduced hours of daylight turned their leaves from green to red.

Until then, the plant most associated with Christmas was the cyclamen. But Albert's son, Paul, realized the red-and-green poinsettia could be a bigger draw. "He took those flowers to florists across the U.S.," Paul Ecke III tells me. "He said, 'Here is a plant you can sell at Christmas.'" It was the 1920s, the decade when Hollywood burst onto the American scene, and Ecke benefited from reflected show business glamour. "When Paul Ecke showed up from Southern California, it was a big deal."

Ecke succeeded in getting countless articles about poinsettias in newspapers and magazines. His son, Paul Jr., who took over the business in the 1960s, even more successfully capitalized on television. "Oh," Ecke Sr. says when we bump into him at the ranch lunchroom, "we put poinsettias on the Bob Hope Christmas special. And every year on Johnny Carson." Says Paul Ecke III, "It was subliminal. When it's December, you need a Christmas tree and you need a poinsettia."

The Eckes changed the poinsettia as well. The original plant was leggy and spindly-leafed. The Eckes' poinsettia breeding programs made it voluptuous and technicolored: not just red but, if you wanted, candy-cane-striped or impressionist pink, although the red 'Freedom' remains the biggest seller.

These days, blooming poinsettias constitute a relatively small percentage of the Eckes' business. The ranch mainly sells cuttings, which are shipped to growers who then use them to cultivate finished plants. In this slightly indirect fashion, the Eckes are responsible for some 80 percent of the poinsettias in the United States and Canada. Theirs is an American success story, and yet, as I walk through the greenhouses with Paul Ecke III, I find myself feeling a bit crestfallen. It is a strange thing about Christmas. You expect all its artifacts to possess the permanence of the original story. To discover that the Christmas flower of my youth owes its success to Bob Hope TV specials is disconcerting, like discovering that Handel's Messiah was in fact written for Alvin and the Chipmunks.

Ecke shows me one last greenhouse: another sea of red. "Should we sell poinsettias the rest of the year?" he asks rhetorically. "In France and Australia, they do. But I haven't been convinced." In his mind, the poinsettia is still the Christmas flower.

And, of course, it is in my mind too. I give in and buy a poinsettia, a very large 'Freedom', its leaves the red of Santa Claus's velvet suit. I belt the poinsettia into the car seat next to me. Throughout the drive home, I keep glancing at it, and every time I do, I think, "Well, Christmas is here." Just as the Eckes knew I would.

COPYRIGHT 1999 Sunset Publishing Corp.
COPYRIGHT 2000 Gale Group

You can dress up your home this Christmas with a flower arrangement so spectacular you’ll wonder how you did it on your own. Traditional arrangements come in a happy mix of green, red, and white fresh Christmas flowers—poinsettias—and include Christmas cactus, holly with green leaves and red berries, but you can bring about the same effect with silk flowers.

Your silk flower arrangement for Christmas will add an extra touch of beauty to your decorations for the festive season, besides being economical and long lasting. They are also very easy to do and can be done much before the season begins.

To make a beautiful Christmas silk flower arrangement, you will need a container, floral adhesive, and pair of pliers to bend wires, wire cutters, flora tape, foam and tape.

You will need to choose a container for Christmas silk flower arrangement that is neither too wide nor too narrow but certainly lightweight. Make a large silk floral arrangement in an urn-shaped container.

Now, select flowers of different textures to lend variety to your flower arrangement. Their colors should also match those of your room and give it a festive look. Before you buy silk poinsettias, holly or red berries, look at their edges. If they are frayed or damaged, reject them for those that look fresh and natural.

Next, begin arranging your flowers. Open each flower carefully so that it is wide open and reveals its actual shape. Stick the stems of the flowers into the foam. Lengthen the stems by attaching a piece of floral wire at the end of the stem with floral tape.

Continue to make your Christmas silk flower arrangement with varying sizes of stems. This will lend a good shape to your arrangement and add to the beauty of the arrangement.

Flower Arrangements provides detailed information about flower arrangements, Christmas flower arrangements, dried flower arrangements, and more. Flower Arrangements is affiliated with Growing Hibiscus.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Ken_Marlborough

What Types of Christmas Flowers Are Best?

During the Christmas season, most of us spend a lot of time and effort cleaning our house and decorating it for the holidays. We entertain our friends and family, go to parties, and admire each others' holiday decorations. For most people, the centerpiece of holiday decorations is still the very traditional evergreen Christmas tree.
Evergreen foliage stands for rebirth and is a very traditional symbol. Christmas occurs during the darkest months of the year in the northern hemisphere with some of the shortest days, but once Christmas day has arrived, the days soon begin to get longer again. As the only greenery around over winter, evergreen became a symbol of the ever-renewing cycle of rebirth and regeneration.

Many flower decorating options exist for holiday decor around the house. Christmas themed floral decor brings brightness and color to your holiday decor. While most people opt for the vibrant colors of the poinsettia flower for their holiday decor, there are many flowers available to consider as possible choices for your holiday decorations.

If you are looking for holiday flowers, a good way to start is to find local florists. You can purchase an arrangement in any size you require. A wonderful Christmas table decoration is an arrangement of white lilies, red roses, the green of holly leaves and delicate sprays of baby's breath. An extra touch can be added to arrangements with the addition of ornaments, ribbons or other decorations.

A thoughtful gift for the hostess of a holiday party is some Christmas flowers. This is a better option than searching for just the right bottle of wine because it will add to the seasonal decorations of the home. A bouquet of live flowers adds that special touch and lets the person know you care. There are many types of flowers that look great this time of year, like calla lilies and seasonal colored carnations. Tulips are also a nice option. Bring a gift everyone will like, and the other guests will also enjoy with pretty flowers.

There are many options for purchasing flowers, such as from a florist, at the local market, or even from vendors selling on the street. It is possible that a florist may be able to discount flowers if you place your order ahead of time. A true florist can also offer suggestions of types of flowers. They will have ideas about what types of flowers will look the best for the holiday.

If you need same day flower delivery across the U.S. find local flower shops in thousands of cities and towns. More than 20,000 florists in our database.

Author: Rick Hendershot

Christmas Flower Arrangements Make A Memorable Gift

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Wonderful presents for friends and family around the holidays would be gift baskets for Thanksgivings Day or Christmas flowers. These gifts often bring back fond memories of the past and the days of youth when these special occasions were celebrated with loved ones.
Thanksgiving gifts memories abound. People remember the family around the table laden with turkey and all the fixings. Mom, Grandma, and the aunts are bustling in the kitchen cooking candied yams, cranberry sauce and pumpkin pie. Dad, Grandpa, and the uncles are in the living room watching football games and discussing which teams will make the play-offs. And all the nieces, nephews, and cousins and excitedly waiting for all the goodies the day will bring. Later, during the after-dinner lull, football watchers doze off on the couch while other folks enjoy a rousing game of cards.

Our year ends with December and the Christmas holidays and all the lovely foliage, like fresh Christmas flowers, we associate with that time of year. Poinsettias produce lavish blooms in reds, pinks, and whites that enchant children and add zestful color to the holidays. Holly, with its shiny green leaves and red berries adds to the decor as garlands and wreaths. And don't forget the mistletoe! You never know who might catch you under it and surprise you with a kiss!

Even though winter means cold, snow, short days and long nights, the presence of flowers around us during this the Christmas season will always be a cheerful reminder that spring will undeniably return. Flowers spread everywhere allow us to gain comfort from the promise of warmth and renewal just a few months away.

Cheap flower deliverycan often be purchased from online greenhouse growers for prices much lower than advertised by regular florists. This is a good option for the holiday gift giver. You can still give someone a fantastic gift without exceeding your budget. What could be better than that? You should try it!

A Thanksgiving gift basket and Christmas flowers are gifts that remind people of the Holiday memories that they affectionately cherish. They are a special way to say to the receiver that "I am thinking of you" during the Holidays. What could be better than that?

Thanksgiving gift baskets and Christmas flowers are wonderful presents to give to your loved ones around the Holidays.. Even though winter means cold, snow, short days and long nights, the presence of flowers around us during this the Christmas season will always be a cheerful reminder that spring will undeniably return. Flowers spread everywhere allow us to gain comfort from the promise of warmth and renewal just a few months away. Cheap flowers offer a terrific way to fill your home with the beauty and bounty of flowers without emptying your wallet can save you a lot of money at the Holidays and you can give this gift of flowers for a part of the cost. And truly, who would not use the saved money at Christmas season?.

Author: M Anthony

Flowers For The Holidays

The leaves are turning a gorgeous shade of orange and gold, the weather is slowly dropping and urging us to use our well kept sweaters and jackets. The changing weather, the evolving season, wait, this can only mean that the holiday season is coming.
With October nearly drawing to a close, the warm festivities of the season are slowly creeping up in our midst. Talks of garden planting, Thanksgiving preparation and of course shopping for the various gifts for our loved ones are things now occupying our minds. One item that is perennial and ubiquitous during the holiday season are the varying selections of flowers and plants.

In tune with the season, flowers represent and embody the bright and colorful tone of the parties and celebration of the holiday season. Whether it's a simple flower bouquet gift or a well coiffed centerpiece, it sure is here to stay.

Nice gift for the host Sometimes, with the various fetes and parties that people go to, one of the hardest things to figure out is the item to give to the generous host. Ordinarily, food and party favors is one of the things that first comes to mind, but a bouquet of flowers can be just as sweet and thoughtful.

It's easy to pick and order online, or you can even stop by at a local flower shop that is near to the location of the party. Now, the only thing you have to consider is the mood and meaning of the bouquet of flowers so that it is suitable for the occasion.

Going to a Thanksgiving party? Why not choose warm tones of orange and yellow roses that will go perfectly with the season. Attending a Christmas party? Lavish the host with the rich texture of deep red roses or colors that bespeaks Christmas and love.

Aside from the instantaneous joy that it could bring the host, it also be adds beauty to their home.

Makes interesting centerpieces With its different texture and varying shades, flowers can make anything look doubly sophisticated and fun in just a quick arrangement alteration.

Putting flowers in display by means of table centerpieces and decoration can set the mood and make the party even livelier than it already is.

Author: arlene magbanua

Christmas Flowers Provide a Splash Of Vibrant Coloring To Our Home Décor

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There are many different types of flowers that we love to have in our homes. These floral arrangements provide a splash of vibrant coloring to our home décor. For winter there are certain flowers that will add a splash of color as they only bloom during the month of December or the Christmas month. These flowers are called Christmas flowers because this is the time of year that they are in full bloom and they are firm favorites with many people.

As Christmas draws near you can find flower stores and even supermarkets filled with festive pots of these Christmas flowers. The Christmas flowers seem to reflect the festive nature of the winter season with their bright red flowers.

For lots of people the most well known Christmas flower is that of the Poinsettia. Besides this flower you can buy other varieties of Christmas flowers like the Orchid Cactus or the Christmas cactus, Ivy flowers, mistletoe flower, white roses or the winter rose and the pohutukawa tree of New Zealand.

These many different Christmas flowers are great to decorate your home with as some of them have long associations with winter or Christmas itself. For instance the poinsettia of Mexico is thought to have originated when a young Mexican boy who wanted to give a present to the Christ child cried when he found that he didn’t have anything to give the savior or the human race.

In the poinsettia the bright red flowers are actually modified leaves or bracts. Today you will be able to buy different types and shades of poinsettias to decorate your homes in but the red one will be known as one of the christmas flowers.

The Christmas rose is also considered as being a true Christmas flower. This flower is known to bloom only during the month of December. You will be able to find this Christmas flower is also called the Snow Rose, the Winter Rose and the Serissa rose.

The mistletoe flower has been used since ancient times as the Druid priests of Europe used this flower for their ceremonies and festivities. Since the mistletoe flower is still in bloom during the cold of winter this is also one of the Christmas flowers.

One of the other Christmas flowers that you can buy and hang in your home or give as a present is that of the Christmas cactus. This unusual cactus flower blooms on Christmas eve itself.

So the next time that you are looking at these Christmas flowers to brighten your home you may want to see how you can mix these Christmas flowers so that they will brighten your home and remind you that life is never ending as these flowers only bloom at this time of year.

Author: Muna wa Wanjiru

Christmas is an annual holiday that celebrates the birth of Jesus. Christmas festivities often combine the commemoration of Jesus' birth with various secular customs, many of which have been influenced by earlier winter festivals. The date as a birthdate for Jesus is traditional, and is not considered to be his actual date of birth.
In most places around the world, Christmas Day is celebrated on December 25. Christmas Eve is the preceding day, December 24. In the United Kingdom and many countries of the Commonwealth, Boxing Day is the following day, December 26. In Catholic countries, Saint Stephen's Day or the Feast of St. Stephen is December 26. The Armenian Apostolic Church observes Christmas on January 6, while certain old rite or old style Eastern Orthodox Churches celebrate Christmas on January 7, the date on the Gregorian calendar which corresponds to 25 December on the Julian Calendar.

The word "Christmas" is a contraction of two words "Christ's mass" and is derived from the Middle English Christemasse and Old English Cristes mæsse, a phrase first recorded in 1038. In early Greek versions of the New Testament, the letter ? (chi), is the first letter of Christ (???st??). Since the mid-16th century ?, or the similar Roman letter X, was used as an abbreviation for Christ. Thus, Xmas is an abbreviation for Christmas.

After the conversion of Anglo-Saxons in England from their indigenous Anglo-Saxon polytheism (a form of Germanic paganism) in the very early 7th century, Christmas was called geol, which was the name of the native Germanic pre-Christian solstice festival that fell on that date. From geol, the current English word Yule is derived. Many customs associated with modern Christmas were derived from Germanic paganism.