The Flower Blog

Nothing says "I love You" quite like being smacked with a bloody piece of goat hide and having your name put in a jar to be matched up for a year with some guy you've never met. Sounds great, right?  It simplifies the process of dating and who knows, by the end of the year perhaps fate was right and the stranger selecting the scrap of paper with your name on it might end up being the man of your dreams! It could happen...maybe not today, but back when Rome was founded (traditionally 753 B.C.) or possibly even earlier. Romans, they really knew how to party! This party, Lupercalia, in particular occured February 13-15 and is often pinpointed as the origin for Valentine's Day.

 Lupercalia was actually a fertility festival dedicated to Faunus, the Roman god of agriculture, as well as to the Roman founders Romulus and Remus. 

To begin the festival, an order of Roman priests, would gather at a sacred cave where the infants Romulus and Remus, were believed to have been cared for by a she-wolf or lupa. The priests would sacrifice a goat, for fertility, and a dog, for purification. They would then strip the goat's hide into strips, dip them into the sacrificial blood and hit the streets, smacking (gently) both women and crop fields with the bloody hide. It sounds disgusting and unpleasant but Roman women looked forward to this portion of the festivities because it was believed to make them more fertile in the coming year. Then later on in the day is when they held the Roman version of "The Bachelor". All the young women in the city would place their names in a big urn and bachelors would each choose a name and become paired for the year with his chosen woman. It was common for these matches to end in marriage.

Lupecalia was celebrated until outlawed due to it being "un-Christian" around the end of the 5th century when Pope Gelasius declared February 14 St. Valentine's Day.  It wasn't celebrated as a day of love right off the bat however; began as a liturgical celebration of one or more early Christian saints named Valentinus. One legend is Valentine was a priest who served during the third century in Rome. When Emperor Claudius II decided that single men made better soldiers than those with wives and families, he outlawed marriage for young men. Valentine realized the injustice of the law and performed marriages for young lovers in secret. When Valentine's actions were discovered, Claudius ordered that he be put to death.  

Another popular legend is an imprisoned Valentine fell in love with a girl, the jailor's daughter, who visited him during his confinement. Before his death, it has been said he wrote her a letter signed "From your Valentine," an expression which is still very common today. Ah, NOW we are getting somewhere. This sounds a bit more romantic, although tragic, than Lupercalia festivities, but Valentine's Day in modern times is still a far reach from its origin until the Middle Ages.A common belief in France and England was February 14 was the beginning of birds' mating season. So it was romance between birds which added to the idea that the middle of Valentine's Day should be a day for love! 

Although Valentine greetings began in the Middle Ages, written ones weren't around until the 1400's. The oldest one still in existence today was a poem written in 1415 by Charles, Duke of Orleans, to his wife while he was imprisoned in the Tower of London following his capture at the Battle of Agincourt. I wonder if it ever reached her. This valentine is now part of the manuscript collection of the British Library in London, England.  

From the 1700's on, Valentine greetings and cards became more common place with the first ones being printed in the 1900's. Today, over 1 billion cards are sent a year for Valentine's day.  That is a lot of cards!

This day to celebrate love has come a long way from its origin. As Valentine's Day 2014 approaches, not only am I thankful for more opportunities to express love to my husband but also that I don't have think about an unknown bachelor drawing my name out an urn and lining up along the street for a chance to increase my fertility! 

If you happen to be celebrating Valentine's Day the modern way like me, there are many ways to say "I love you", from handmade cards, romantic dinners, unique dates, to beautiful bouquets! The fine staff at Gillespie Florists have outdone themselves again with fabulous designs this year! Click below to see what we have in store for you!

January 2014 kicks off a new year of award ceremonies. Some of them I watch; others, I just google the winners the day after. Regardless of watching in real time or checking stats later, one area I find intrigueing about these ceremonies are the glamorous outfits. Yes, Sandra Bullock didn't win best actress for Gravity at the Golden Globes but did you see her gorgeous black dress with pink and blue accents? Stunning! Taylor Swift was full of glitz and glimmer at the Grammy's!  Oh such a vast display of fashion do's, don'ts, and "What the heck was that?!" to be seen on the Red Carpet. It reminds me of prom...and corsages.  

Instead of designer jewelry and clutches, this year I decided to pick a few people from the Red Carpet and match a winning corsage to their look. It was difficult to choose a few; there are a plethera of amazing dresses AND corsages from Gillespie Florists with which to match them.  It's like playing digital barbie, lots of fun, so let's get started!

One of the most interesting dresses was the Rani Zakhem which "The Big Bang Theory" Kaley Cuoco was wearing. A corseted floral ball gown on millefueille tulle with watercolor floral patterns.

The Venetian corsage reflects a similar style with its peach roses, mini lotus pods with glitter, bead sprays, cream and gold ribbon, cream and pink accent flowers and a keepsake crystal beaded bracelet with rhinestones! Sure it has a bit of bling in it but it works with the dress as the pieces are small, flowing, and dainty.

Next up we have songstress Taylor Swift in a striking Carolina Herrera strapless gown with a black bust with bustling red gown.  The dress is simple yet elegant so I chose Glamazon to add a bit more attitude to the ensemble.

The beauty of this spray rose & rhinestone corsage that everything on it is interchangeable! Whether it is the color of the roses, ribbon, even the wristlet can be switched out or upgraded. A fantastic and versatile corsage!

BBC's "Orphan Black" Tatiana Maslany shimmered in an Old Hollywood styled Jenny Packham gown. The Bauble Bath corsage complements the style with posey callas, clear jewel accents, a butterfly, an adjustable bracelet and other jewel and silver accents!  

Now lets not forget about the guys! The ever so smooth and southern accent dripping Matthew Mccounaghey accepted his Golden Globe award in style with his Dolce & Gabbana and Cartier cufflinks. This guy has so much style I decided he needed a single rose in a silver boutinniere to complete his sophisticated look.  

There seems to be definite themes this year with color block dresses, metallics, and bold colored gowns. In other words, there are many exciting options to work with!

What ever style you choose, we have a corsage to match it!

Click below to see a few of our corsage selections online and stop by our shop to create the perfect accent to your winning prom ensemble.

Valentine's Day is just around the corner and I've been thinking about love and how it appears in different forms. We use more than words to express love; writing notes, saying "you're beautiful!", sending flowers, giving hugs and kisses, even taking out the garbage! All of these are expressions or "languages" of love! If the concept sounds familiar you may have read or heard about it in Gary Chapman's successful book, The 5 Love Languages: The Secret to Love That Lasts.  The book explores how people communicate through different love languages with each other. The more we learn about the languages the better we know what makes our own hearts tick, as well understand and appreciate what makes the hearts of our loved ones skip a beat.

What are the 5 languages and how do they relate to you? I highly recommend reading the book at some point but for now, I'm just going to list them with a brief description; there might be a couple which resonate and perhaps even a few you recognize in others!

Words of Affirmation:

Sometimes when I'm having a bad day, hearing words of affirmation make me feel better and boost my confidence to keep on going! Our schedules have become so hectic as of late I am recognizing more and more everything my husband does for me. I use words of affirmation on a regular basis now. It's not so much having to think about doing it but more of me outwardly expressing my appreciation, which in turn he appreciates!

"You look fantastic today"; "I appreciate you making dinner"; "Thank you for being there for me"; "Thinking of you makes me smile"; "You did a difficult job really well"; "I love the way you giggle"; "You smell great!" The list is endless. It could be anything that you love and appreciate about someone, as long as you're saying it out loud and with a genuine heart!  

Acts of Service:

"Actions speak louder than words". This is very true for ones who appreciate acts of service as their primary love language. But what kinds of service are we talking about? A seven course meal? Probably not! It might be as simple as doing the dishes if your spouse has had a long frustrating day. If it is done out of love without having being asked to do it it will speak VOLUMES of your love and devotion. Other examples might include: folding and putting away the laundry; picking up something from the grocery you know he/she likes but didn't ask for; making their favorite dinner; fueling up their car or bringing lunch to their office.

Every once in awhile my husband offers to make dinner if things have been going non-stop and I'm too frazzled to think about food. Whenever it happens it's like a weight has been lifted and it's an amazing feeling. In return I use words of affirmation by saying "I appreciate you making dinner; thank you for doing it for me".  See? Two love languages for one situation. BOOM! 

Gifts:

One time I took a test to see which language is my primary love language.  I have three because a lot of things say "I love you" to me.  Of the top 3, Gifts is my favorite. And no, don't feel sorry for my husband; he isn't out buying diamonds and pearls for me all the time!

It's not so much the gift as the thought which goes into it.  It could be as simple as a single Lindt truffle; I love those! Actually chocolate in general works because I love chocolate. Mmm..now I'm hungry so back on track!  It doesn't have to be chocolate; it could be a little note by my toothbrush, a random "Thinking of you" text during the day or a few stems of my favorite flowers. These are all little gifts which say big things about his love for me.

Physical Touch:

Sitting and watching tv I like to lean on my husband. I also like to cover his eyes during scary parts of movies that I don't want to see while burying my face in his side. He doesn't appreciate that as much but I do it anyway. We could be at the grocery store and I'll take a moment to put my hand on his shoulder or maybe at home I'll bump into him on purpose while getting milk out of the fridge. These little gestures are fun, random, and say "I love you" without me having to speak a word.

Physical touch doesn't have to be limited to hugs, holding hands and cuddling although those are just as lovely. These actions speak mountains to someone whose love language is physical touch. Another case of actions speaking louder than words. 

Quality Time:

We are great at multi-tasking. We can listen to the radio, direct kids with their chores, fix dinner with one hand while checking the recipe with our other, fumble for pots and pans with our feet and throw a few comments at our spouse since they are at the kitchen table paying bills! We are awesome; communicating and accomplishing stuff at the same time. Go team! Yes!

That's great! All the multi-tasking but now it's time to put your phone away, avert your eyes from any mobile device which might have your attention, switch off the screen to your computer, turn off the tv and look at each other. Well...maybe after finishing this blog, then you can do it. 

Quality time is not just spending time together; it's giving each other your undivided attention. You are looking at each other, holding a conversation, making eye contact, and completely "into" the moment of just being with your loved one with no mobile devices attached.  It doesn't have to be for hours; even twenty minutes of your undivided attention goes a long way.  I know this is a problem area for me. There is always something to do, something, someone, some child always needs attention, it's difficult to set aside quiet time just for us. When I make the effort, it is more than worth it; it's a chance to re-connect and enjoy why I married this guy.  

So that's it in a very large nutshell. Maybe more the size of a watermelon shell, but you get the drift. There are so many ways for us to say "I love you". We don't have to wait for Valentine's Day to speak any of the 5 love languages. You can do something today, right now, in fact!  Send a text, say "You're pretty!", be like Stevie Wonder and call to say "I love you"!, grab their hand, hug them and bring them home flowers!

If you are planning on saying "I love you" in a big way on Valentine's day, check out some of the unique designs we have this year. Or stop by our shop and pick out some beautiful blooms from our cooler and make your own bouquet!

"We live in Indiana..It will negate any reason you have"

It's true, our crazy and sporadic Indiana can be a deterrent for winter weddings. Does that mean you should let the unexpectedness of weather affect when your dream wedding should occur? Absolutely not! Inclement winter weather might mean you make extra preparations; such as add some long underwear to your wardrobe (not really if it's inside!) or have a plan "B" in place with your vendors and locations, but it can still be done, my friends! YES! Even in Indiana, you can have the most amazing, beautiful, creative winter wedding you've ever dreamed of. 

When was my wedding? End of September... On the most beautiful day...and also Memorial Day weekend.  Again, doesn't matter WHEN you plan your special day. There will be obstacles one way or another.  Why am I writing about Winter Weddings when I didn't have one? Simple. I wanted to be married on my parents property during my most favorite time of year, Autumn. Now let's get back to winter and the many romantic, trendy, and cost effective properties it has to offer for those researching the pros and cons of doing a winter wedding.

Reason 1: It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year

Sound like song lyric? Yes, yes it is.You have the holidays, snuggling with your honey, love is in the air, everyone is joyful...What better time to celebrate your love and commitment than during the winter season. Holidays alittle too busy? That's ok. Winter season is from December through March. What better way to keep out of the post holiday blues than to have a wedding! We adults, we like to do stuff, go to events, and celebrate things! Give us something to celebrate after the holidays! 

Reason 2: Location, Location, Location

Peak wedding season is May, June, September, October. Many times weddings need planned 18 months in advance due to high demand of location during the peak wedding season. Off-Peak is January, February, and March. You are more likely to get your desired location of matrimony sooner if you go off peak. 

Reason 3: Do You Like Discounts?

Added benefits to choosing off-season are vendor discounts from the location you choose for your wedding and reception to your honeymoon destination.
If you choose to do a wedding during holiday season, many venues will already be decked out to the nines in holiday decor, lights, etc which will save some funds in the decorating department. 

Planning a trip to the tropics for your honeymoon? During the summer months is peak school holidays meaning you'll pay more, along with it being prime hurricane season in the Caribean. Hm...lower vacation pricing and less chance of hurricanes...sounds like a winner to me! 

Reason 4: Don't Sweat it!

Peak season weddings are beautiful aren't they? Being outdoors, the sun in your eyes from every direction while the photographer tries to get in one more shot. Your extra strength deoderant you just applied an hour ago isn't holding up the way it advertised. A sideways glance at your maid/matron of honor...is her blush sliding off her face?! The guys fidgeting with their collars, flapping their arms and repeatedly checking in their jackets...What on earth could be...oh..that's right. It's a bit warm right now. Another beauty of winter is the temperature. It's cool and comfortable, the lighting is softer, and there is less likelihood of your flowers AND wedding party wilting throughout the afternoon and evening.

Reason 5: Themes in Abundance

There is something about winter which is intrinsically romantic. Perhaps it's the holidays, the cool temperature, the ambience of candle-lit rooms, the daylight fading into earlier evenings,the quiet nature lending to a calm and peaceful atmosphere.

Oh the possibilities for theme during the winter months...  Will your colors be rich and luscious reflecting a more traditional and warm setting? Or maybe some cooler tones paired with metallics and sparkles which would accentuate the exciting chill of the season, a New Years flair. Or maybe Vintage! Steampunk! There are so many creative ways to celebrate your wedding in the winter. It's the perfect background for many themes.

 These are just a few of many reasons why weddings in the winter are becoming more popular. Whether you choose winter, spring, summer or fall, Gillespie Florists will be delighted to help you with your floral arrangements, bouquets, table pieces, for your special day! 

               Click below to get started today on your big day!

 The stockings WERE hung by the chimney with care but where are they now?  Boxed up already? In the attic? Storage? Still hanging?! Our stockings were ransacked for their candy and then folded neatly in the box waiting for the rest of the Christmas decorations to follow.  I haven't taken down the tree yet. The lights are still on, the ambience of the holiday remains in my living room as I contemplate how to replace the excitement of the holidays with every day living. We've gone from the "Most Wonderful Time of the Year" to "Ugh...I want to go back to bed and not wake up till spring."  It's amazing how quick this transformation in attitude happens and it is a very common occurrence. So what can we do to help beat the affliction of the Post Holiday Blues?  Here is a short list of ideas to get your creative juices flowing. 

Take Time for a Date

Sure Valentines day is coming up soon but there's never a bad time to make a date with your significant other.  The holidays are busy; you're with your family trying to squeeze in as much time as possible with the kids or other family members that there may not be much "couple time" to be had. So grab your calendar and plan for some much needed time together, even if you only have a few hours to spare.  It will give you something to look forward to!  

We as people are a social species. We love to go out and do things.  When is the last time you and your best friend had a night out on the town, took a class together, went to a wine tasting? Why not grab a few friends and try something new? Whether it be a painting class, card making, possibly stopping by your local florist to pick up some loose flowers and have an arrangement making party with some martinis thrown in.  The possibilities are endless and what better way to chase the blues away by spending it with friends and creating a new memory together!                                                                                        

See The Sights Of Your City

I always have these grand plans for my family as to what we can do while on break. For one reason or another they don't always happen. It could be the weather, a bad cold, a few forgotten errands which need attention; the list is endless.  We're lucky to pick out a tree together sometimes! Most of our break consists of preparation for Christmas, visiting family, and making sure we have quiet uninterrupted family time at home. Well, we've had our fill of relaxation and are now antsy to do something.  Something fun and inexpensive to do post holiday is go downtown and do some window shopping! (Key word: WINDOW)

The Indianapolis Museum of Art is also another great place to visit. If you have kids in tow they have plenty of kid friendly activities on the weekends, just check their website to see when these activities will be available and which ones may interest your kids!  There is also Family Free Thursdays at the Indianapolis Children's Museum the first Thursday of every month.  Yes, it is very busy on those nights, but do the kids care? From experience I can say without a doubt, they won't mind much if at all.  

Use Some Elbow Grease

Okay..I know what you're thinking. "Hey this is a blog about chasing the blues away, not making things more depressing by cleaning!". Trust me, I understand. Although it would be nice to have Mary Poppins singing behind me as I clean toilets; it's not going to happen. BUT thinking about how accomplished I feel after cleaning makes the effort worth it.  Don't feel like scrubbing? Throw something away instead.  Grab a grocery bag, pick out any drawer in the house, give yourself 15 minutes and find things to throw away in said drawer.  I bet you anything one hour later you will have a bag full of stuff, 3 or 4 drawers cleaned out and an overwhelming feeling of "Ahhhhhhh".  Purging junk you don't need is good for the soul.  If you don't have time for a grand purge just try one little drawer. I promise it will make you feel better.

Bring New Life to Your Space

A great way to start the New Year is to do a little redecorating. It could be in "Your" space at home, or maybe your workspace at the office!  Perhaps its time to replace the photos in your picture frame at work. Or find a DIY craft on pinterest you could do and bring into the office to use as decoration? One of my favorite ways to bring life to my workspace and in my home is having planters, and keeping them alive year round. You might be thinking "I'm one step ahead of you, I have 3 planters already..they are 5 years old". Well, that's great! But when was the last time you replanted those suckers? Switched out the containers? Added a few more to your collection? Maybe you don't have a planter at all and are absolutely clueless as to what kind of plant would be best for your work or home environment?  That's ok! Go to your local florist, they will be able to help you pick the perfect plant to brighten up your space. Better yet! Go to one of those "Paint your own pottery" places, decorate a container and bring it the florist when it's ready!  Not only will you have your own piece of art, but also something living in it. It's a win/win!

So there you go! A few ideas to take the post holiday blues away and start the new year with places to go, people to see, and things to create!  And if you decide to have a flower party, decorate a container and want to fill it with something beautiful year round, be sure to stop by Gillespie Florists.  Our friendly staff will be delighted to help you kick the blues to the curb!

Click here to see what we've created for the New Year.

Check our planter section to see some of our favorites or stop in to create something new! Whether it involves flowers, plants, people, or places, the main thing to remember is to get out there and DO something. Let's start today!

I've been working on a few topics to write about for this week. Every time I am close to finishing and publishing one, something happens which leads me to believe the timing isn't quite right for posting. Somehow nature is always involved in the timing of things. So today, let us acknowledge the massive white elephant looming outside the door this morning...and last night, and the day before as well.

I love snow! I do not spend enough time in the snow as an adult and parent of children, and in these sub zero temperatures; well I will continue to admire it from the safety and warmth of my home.

Right now looking outdoors, the snow is in the finest of its hours. Still white, still everywhere, decorating our sparse little trees, beckoning families to come out and play, and inviting motorists to venture out. I see you out there...and I'm still not coming out. Such a beautiful creation of nature we enjoy but also curse at the same time.

I am an optimistic "glass is half full" type gal but sometimes even I think unsavory thoughts about the innocent looking white stuff outside which makes it difficult to travel and do things. It's all roses and sunshine until you actually have to play hide and go seek to find your car under a seemingly large mountain of it!

What effect did the first winter storm of 2014 have on you? Did you lose power? Was your neighborhood buried? Did the plows come through and block you in? Did your car get stuck in the drift of the roads? Did the pipes burst at your house?  How has the weather impacted your life in the past few days? Not long ago I mentioned nature had a way of making us slow down.. Even at its most inconvenient timing, it still remains the case that nature WILL slow things down and may cause damage along the way. It's ineveitable through one disaster or another, we will be affected in some manner. 

Keep in mind nature also has the ability to bring out the best in people. After checking the newsfeeds on facebook, some interesting news stories online, and experiencing some of it myself, nature is bringing out the best in people as they open their homes to those without power; others are willing and able to snowblow and shovel others out of the house so they can leave if an emergency situation arises; our neighbors kindly shoveled a way for our family to get IN to our house while we were away. Good samaritans pull over on the highway to help a stalled vehicle...All these acts of kindness and much more always appear in the most bleary of situations caused by mother nature. 

So today, as you're recovering from whatever effect the weather has had on you or in your area, keep in mind the beauty of nature isn't just in the eye of the beholder. It is also in the actions of our neighbors, families, friends, and people we do not even know.  Today I say thank you to everyone who worked to better the situation by plowing nonstop, fixing power lines, working overtime, and leaving a positive impact during the "Snowpocalypse of 2014".  

Need to send a "Thank You" to someone special? We have a variety of ways to send "Thanks" through flowers! Click below to see how!

Ho Ho Ho! Merry Christmas!!!

We wish you the merriest of holidays and a Happy New Year!  Spend some time with your loved ones, eat delicious food and treats, relax in your sleepy pants, and enjoy yourself!  

Here at Gillespie's part of celebrating the holidays and welcoming the New Year is having an After Christmas Sale!  "Out with the Old, In with the New!" as they always say.  If you didn't have a chance to stop by and see us before the holidays it's not too late to stock up for next year! 

See below for our  specials and check out our holiday video which showcases some of the fabulous items we'll have on sale along with the staff of Gillespie Florists, smiling and looking forward to serving you in the New Year!  Enjoy!

All Christmas and Fall Products 50% Off

Any Giftware 40% Off

All Silk Arrangements 40% Off

Candles 40% Off

Webkinz 40% Off

Don’t forget to ask about our Fresh Flower take out specials!

Sale Excludes: 

Any Fresh Flowers, Any Plants, Any Serviced Product Sale items cannot be delivered. Restrictions may apply.

All Sales Are Final. Sale Ends Friday, January 3rd, 2014

Questions? Call 317.273.1100

Miss our sale? Print this coupon for 20% off in store through March 31st!

Star of Bethlehem, Noche Buena, Flor de Pascua, Crown of the Andes: What do these have in common?  They are all names for the brilliant and beautiful Poinsettia, a standard among Christmas tradition in the states with an origin of Mexico. Poinsettias are very prominent during Christmas.  It's everywhere! Offices, homes, hospitals, churches, everywhere! With over one hundred varieties in existence, plentiful in colors of red, white, pink, spotted, it's beautiful large leaves; the poinsettia is an absolute must have for the holiday season.  I have always enjoyed having one in my home during Christmas, and after doing a little bit of research my respect for it has grown. The origin, legend and science of the plant is truly fascinating.

The plant was introduced to the US in 1825 by Joel Roberts Poinsett, hence its English name being Poinsettia.   This plant was not automatically associated with Christmas in the US at this time.  It wasn’t until the 1900’s that the Poinsettia generated much interest!  A man named Albert Ecke in Los Angeles became interested in the plant and sold them at street stands.  Three generations later, Paul Ecke Jr. was the one responsible for advancing the association of the Poinsettia and Christmas by sending cuttings of the plant by air instead of mature plants by rail and also sending free plants to television stations to display on air from Thanksgiving to Christmas. He also appeared on Bob Hope’s Christmas Specials and the Tonight Show to promote the Poinsettia as a traditional Christmas plant.  Now that’s what I call creative marketing!

But it doesn’t stop there, friends! Another way the Ecke family made the Poinsettia more popular and aesthetically pleasing was they discovered a way to graft two varieties of the plant together to make the seedlings branch, resulting in a bushier plant.  On it’s own, it looks kind of like a weed..not too pretty. Of course that is how the most well known legend of the Poinsettia starts...a lowly weed found on the side of the road in Mexico.

As mentioned above the Poinsettia is native to Mexico. Its association with Christmas began there as well with a tale of a little girl.  She longed to bring a gift to celebrate Jesus’ birthday at her church but was too poor to get anything.  An angel inspired her to gather weeds on the side of the road and put it at the church altar as a gift. There they sprouted crimson blossoms and became Poinsettias.  Later on Franciscan monks would associate the plants leaves to the star of Bethlehem, and the red relating to the blood sacrificed during the crucifixion.  In Chile, Peru, and Puerto Rico, it is known as Flor de Pascua for Easter Sunday.  

What beautiful & meaningful representations the Poinsettia has!  At church, we purchase poinsettias in honor and or memory of family members, relatives and friends in November.  They are lined up at the front of the church altar and along the stairs where we can see and enjoy them throughout the month of December and take them home after Christmas.  It is a lovely tradition in which I enjoy participating and having that reminder as we celebrate the season with our loved ones. It’s also like a “community” decoration of our church home.  It is one of the traditions I look forward to every year during the Christmas season.  And if you take good care of your poinsettia, it will last past the winter season! 

Christmas is right around the corner. It’s probably too late to get yourself one of these lovely brilliant colorful plants which have come to mean so much during the winter season.  Right?!  Nope!  It is not too late to order one of these beauties.  And if you call by 11a.m. on Christmas Eve, we can still get it to your doorstep in time for your family dinner!

Hemiparasite, aphrodisiac, protectant against poison and kissing.

Ever wonder what kissing and parasites have in common? What on earth does this have to do with flowers, holidays, blogs and people? Oh just a little science and history on one of our traditional holiday plants, the mistletoe.  

First off, Science! There are 2 types of mistletoe. The one most commonly used for Christmas decoration is Phoradendron flavescens. Don't worry..you do NOT have to ask for it by that name! Did you know the name Phoradendron is derived from the Greek for "tree thief"? Pretty cool huh?  

This thieving little parasitic plant has been a part of of the winter holidays for quite some time but have you ever wondered why? Well friends, you could wiki some knowledge on it or let me give you the readers digest version. You've got things to do, parties to plan, gifts to buy, but for a few minutes just read on and I'll give you some interesting tidbits about mistletoe. So let's talk about the gods.  

Frigga, The goddess of love, learned her son, Balder, god of the sun, had a dream where he died and the earth was destroyed because of it. As she wanted to protect her son from harm,   she told the elements earth, water, wind, and fire, and all the plants and creatures of nature that no harm would befall him. Everybody was good with that except Balder's one enemy, Loki, the god of mischief.

Loki knew of one plant Frigga had overlooked in her quest to protect her son; the lowly mistletoe. Why was it overlooked? Because it was not of the earth or under the earth. It thrived on the apple and oak trees. He took the unassuming plant and fashioned it into an arrow and gave it to the blind Hoder, god of winter, who shot it. The arrow hit Balder and killed him.       The elements tried for 3 days to bring him back to life, finally he was restored by Frigga, his mother. The tears she cried for her son turned into the pearly white berries on the mistletoe plant and Frigga was so joyful she kissed everyone who passed under the tree on which it grew.

After that, whomever should stand under the mistletoe would have no harm befall them. Only a kiss, a token of love. Sounds pretty nice, I'll take it! Of course, this was the legend; other countries have their own take on mistletoe and it's many magical properties.  

In Scandinavia, mistletoe is known as a plant of peace. Enemies could declare a truce or warring spouses could kiss and make-up underneath it. The English used mistletoe to make a ball and dubbed it a “kissing ball”. If a young lady stood under it at Christmas time, she could not refuse to be kissed, as it would lead to a deep romance or lasting friendship. If she remained unkissed, she would marry within the following year. To protect against all the lucky ones who did get kissed under it, some parts of England would burn the Christmas mistletoe on the twelfth night. In France, kissing under the mistletoe is linked to New Year's Day: “Au gui l'An neuf” (Mistletoe for the New Year).

These are just a few examples of many reasons why kisses are exchanged under the mistletoe.  

Some say mistletoe has magical properties, others say you'll kiss the love of your life under it, regardless of whether we believe the stories and legends or not, it's still a part of the fun and frolicking which occurs during the holiday season. Not only is its history rich, but the nature of mistletoe is fascinating as well! If you're looking to add alittle more frolic to your next holiday party or start a new tradition, be sure to stop by Gillespie Florists and pick up a bundle of this magnificent plant.

Tied together with ribbon and ready to be hung in a doorway for an unsuspecting victim, sparring spouse, or simply there to add a bit more festive to your décor. Either way, mistletoe is a winner for the holiday season.   

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After reaching in my mailbox and pulling out four Christmas cards, the realization kicked in that the holiday season has arrived and with it all emotions it entails. At this point it has more than just arrived; the season is well underway! How did this happen? I believe it has something to do with the hustle and bustle and hurry-scurry of preparation and celebration of impending finale of Christmas and New Years.

Remember Black Friday and it's array of great deals around town and online? It was over a weekend, the month of December is jam-packed full of things to do. Cards to send, parties to attend, gifts to wrap, closets and rooms to ransack for places to put said gifts, and let's not forget our daily responsibilities such as jobs, laundry, cleaning, child rearing, etc. wow, just reading this made my heart rate tweak! That or the highly caffeinated holiday blend coffee I just drank...

But hang on! let's slow down a moment and bask in the glow of the seasons memories.The ones centered around love, family, friendship, and joy, because that is what it is about, right?    The warm glow of the Chrismas tree lights, scent of fresh cookies and seasonal casseroles baking...cuddling on the couch watching the traditional classic shows such as Rudolph the Red-nosed reindeer, How the The Grinch Stole Christmas, Merry Christmas Charlie Brown...ah yes, this is what gets me in the spirit and slows me down.

You know what else slows me down? nature...

What better way to appreciate what this holiday is about than to have an unexpected snow storm? Oh sure, you have things to do, but it can wait one or two days, right? You don't have to start baking your cookies this instant! Trip to the Toy Store? They're open pretty late on Christmas eve...I should know and by my experience and observations so do few other parents. Back to the point about nature and slowing down!

One of my favorite memories of Christmas is when my husband and I were marooned at my parents house with my siblings and their significant others. We ate all the leftovers, cookies, sat around talking about growing up together, the guys played video games, gals watched movies. We went outside for snowball fights, walking in the woods and sledding, I think we ordered pizza a day later when the roads cleared up and there was an extensive discussion on who would brave the weather to go get it...they came back an hour and a half later. Oh bad weather is tricky and inconvenient but it has the power to strengthen family bonds and give new meaning to season. Or rather it serves as a reminder of what the season is about to begin with.  I love how nature has the capacity to change our attitude and reboot our frazzled minds into the calm peacefulness which gets lost in the shuffle too often during the season of joy and love. 

We seem to be programmed to go through the harangue of the hustle, bustle to get to the grand finale of late Christmas Eve when time gloriously slows down. Why do we wait so long and late into the season to experience this "silent night"?  Ever try to put a moment like that into words? What does it feel like?
To me, it feels like a mountain. Quiet, calm, overwhelming and sheltering. The outside world disappears and all that is left is peace. It's a truly wonderful feeling...so wonderful and dense is this feeling that I could walk out the door and see my calm mountain in the backyard! Of course, when I do open the door I usually get a blast of cold air, a tiny dog yipping in dismay that the breeze has interrupted his slumber, and a few cars zoom by...possibly trying to catch Santa before he hits their house...the spell is broken till the door shuts and I am back in my peaceful silent night of a world after taking in the ambiance and lovely pine scent of our Christmas tree.  I am reminded of the outdoors and the calm it represents without freezing to death.

I love having these reminders to slow down in my house. Admiring the brilliant red carnations mixed with evergreen and pine cones in the arrangement sitting on my kitchen table while drinking early morning coffee and planning out the day. Pausing by our little tree full of light and memories of selecting ornaments each year to add to it. Smiling at the realistic but fake palm tree dressed up in lights and tiny ornaments reminding me of past Christmases with my family in Florida...It is amazing how a bit of the outdoors reconnects me to what this season is all about and dims the busyness which can overwhelm us if we let it.

The season isn't over yet. There is still time to slow down before the candle-lit gathering of friends and family singing "Silent Night" at church together.  Take a moment from worrying whether anyone is going to notice your gift-wrapping skills aren't up to par and look at your tree or out the window, take a deep breath and savor the experience and memories of this season. Maybe reflect on a favorite family memory.

Would you like more nature inside your home? Something to admire while making a holiday feast or maybe just cereal while getting ready for the work day?  You don't even have to battle traffic to have it. Click here to view our Blue Mountain Christmas collection and let us bring the peaceful outdoors to you.