“December, being the last month of the year, cannot help but make us think of what is to come.”
As the days grow shorter and colder, it’s a time for friends and family to come closer together. For me, it’s a time of love and laughter and staying cozy and warm with those I love.
As we come together, it’s also a time for us to look back at the year and learn from our experiences and to plan for the future. As 2019 rolls to a close, Florists’ Review is looking to the future of floristry, floral design and even Christmas 2020.
Bill Schaff er, AIFD, AAF, PFCI, and Kristine Kratt, AIFD, PFCI, have been exploring the product development closets of leading Christmas décor manufacturers in the U.S., Europe and Asia, and their in-depth report will get you ready for the January markets and help you plan how to incorporate any remaining merchandise from this holiday into next year’s offerings.
Speaking of the markets, we have a preview of the highlights at January’s top gift shows. Lots of creativity, color, excitement and education is coming your way at the markets next month.
In other news, we introduce the winner this year’s FTD’s “Makeover Magic” contest and show you how Keith White, AIFD, redesigned the interior of her special flower shop; Françoise Weeks and Carol Jillian show us how to collaborate brilliantly to create something truly fantastic; we share images from Floral Design Institute’s 50th anniversary “Creative Retreat”; and Julia Marie Schmitt, AIFD, EMC, PFCI, ICPF, reports on the floral spectacle known as Fleuramour, which was held in late September in Belgium.
Each month, I think we cover the floral world in an exciting and new way, and this month is no exception. I love working with our advertisers who support this amazing work and with the designers who bring it to life.
As a publisher, 2019 was a fun year: It was full of ups and downs, creativity and laughter. Florists’ Review has completely remodeled itself internally. We have many new staff members all across the U.S. and Canada, we’ve relaunched our website, e-mails and social media, and we’re looking forward to a bright and successful future.
In a recent interview with Florists’ Review, Christina Stembel, owner of Farmgirl Flowers in San Francisco, quoted one of her employees as saying that her company is “a new company every four weeks.” While I don’t commit to that level of change, I think many of us have experienced a heightened need to keep growing and changing our businesses to stay ahead.
I’ve certainly adopted that sense of urgency, but I also know that the core of our business is staying in touch with our readers, however they consume content, and giving them great stories and ideas to keep their businesses successful. So as you look forward into 2020, hope you’ll bring us along for the ride.
