Your guide to product and design trends, marketing ideas, and need-to-know information for this year’s end-of-year religious and cultural celebrations.
By Nita Robertson, AIFD
The winter season of religious and cultural holidays—Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, New Year’s Eve/Day and others—is a scant four months away, and because flowers and plants play such an integral role in each of these annual celebrations, it is time to shift into high gear with planning and preparation—if you haven’t already.
The Society of American Florists reports that, collectively, Christmas and Hanukkah are the No. 1 flower-buying holiday of the year, in terms of dollars spent. It is estimated that U.S. consumers spent approximately $2.28 billion on floriculture products in 2023 for the two holidays, and that was more than 30 percent of retail floriculture sales for the year.
As you can see, these winter holidays are crucial to most retail florists annual profitability, and early planning and preparing early is critical—not only for maximizing sales but also for controlling expenses and ensuring that their businesses will finish the calendar year well into the black.
2024 Winter Holiday Trends
As the festive season approaches, we asked authorities on holiday décor to share the most popular trends in Christmas décor and ornaments for 2024. Overall, the blending of traditional elements with contemporary interpretations is set to become a prevailing theme.
Caroline Jentzen, marketing manager at Kurt S. Adler, an internationally renowned designer of and resource for holiday ornaments and décor headquartered in New York City, shares, “We have had great success with our ‘Spoonful of Sugar’ theme, which highlights candy-like colors and pastels. The collection comprises dozens of sweet-treat ornaments like bubble gum and lollipops; it is a whimsical and delicious theme. Gingerbread houses have been trending, as well. The table pieces become instant holiday classics and are available in a range of color schemes and sizes. In addition, our food-theme items have been trending because consumers are enchanted to find their favorite foods as special ornaments, and they’re amazed by how realistic the designs are. Finally, our newest theme, ‘Honky Tonk Y’all’—a great blend of pink, sparkles and pop culture—is booming as the likes of Beyoncé and Taylor Swift have pushed country music more into the mainstream and created new audiences.”
Russell Manzano, product designer at Abbott, a home décor and giftware company based in Toronto, Ont., Canada, identifies his company’s trending merchandise for the coming season. “This year, Christmas décor themes are undergoing a delightful transformation, blending cherished traditions with fresh interpretations,” he reports. “We’re embracing the timeless allure of ‘Sleigh Ride,’ where cozy nostalgia meets the magic of the season, featuring traditional reds, greens, and holly and gingerbread patterns reminiscent of classic Christmases past. ‘Winterland’ captivates with its ethereal beauty, offering a soft and elegant ambiance with pastel hues, shimmering silver accents, faux fur and delicate embellishments that evoke the serene tranquility of a snowy landscape. For those seeking a rustic retreat, ‘Chalet Chic’ beckons with its warm and inviting charm, showcasing natural elements, Nordic motifs and winter-activity-inspired elements for a cozy mountain lodge aesthetic. These themes provide florists with myriad opportunities to infuse their clients’ homes and offices with a range of seasonal spirits, enchanting hearts and creating cherished memories.”
“The holiday season is always a time of nostalgia and deeply rooted traditions, so the classic reds and greens are ever popular with traditional icon motifs, and neutral hues remain prevalent for décor and containers, especially when accented with opulent metallics.” says Kacie Carswell, marketing manager at burton + BURTON, a leading supplier of gifts, home décor, balloons and florist supplies in Bogart, Ga. “However, this season’s ‘it’ color is a calming, resonant blue. A blue-and-white combination is a refreshing look for a season so entrenched in traditional colors, and it’s one that can easily transition and blend into everyday décor.”
While the quintessential holiday hues of red and green, along with gold and silver metallics, will always have their place, this season think soft pastels paired with rich jewel tones or earthy neutrals accented with pops of vibrant color. Caroline Jentzen notes that iridescence and opalescence are strong this season, allowing hues like lavender and blue to reflect off each other and creating elegant and lustrous color palettes. By embracing unexpected color combinations, you can infuse your holiday arrangements and décor with a fresh, modern twist. The fusion of old and new creates a sense of nostalgia and excitement.
As seasons change, so do customers’ preferences and demands for fresh flowers and living plants. Beyond the holiday standards of poinsettias and Norfolk Island pines, coniferous and leafy evergreens, and cones and berried branches, there’s also a growing interest in arrangements featuring succulents and dried botanicals (sometimes painted); unconventional colors; and, for a growing number of consumers, eco-friendly floral designs, containers and design mechanics, including “locally” sourced flowers and foliages and biodegradable and sustainably-produced hard goods, including ribbons.
Moreover, incorporating all manner of natural elements, such as fresh fruits and vegetables, berries and berried branches, fruited branches like pomegranate and persimmon, distinctive pods and mosses, and various tree barks and deciduous branches, adds a distinguishing organic touch and visually interesting textures, colors and forms to holiday designs—from centerpieces to wreaths, garlands and even Christmas trees. And it’s very trend-forward this season.
Also trending today in holiday floral design are minimalist arrangements. Clean lines, simple but sophisticated color palettes, and negative space come together to create striking compositions that exude contemporary elegance. Whether it’s a single statement bloom or a carefully curated cluster of foliages, these understated designs prove that simplicity can be incredibly impactful. Aligning with this trend are monochromatic and monobotanical designs—also sophisticated and stunning options for the holidays.
“This holiday season, I’m looking forward to seeing more greenery incorporated into designs and décor, as well as more color,” shares Atlanta, Ga.-based floral designer Canaan Marshall, owner of Canaan Marshall Designs. “I also foresee designers utilizing monochromatic color harmonies; large staple ornaments; and spray paints, especially metallics, to accent greenery and dried materials.”
Experiential Gifting: The Trend of Flower-arranging Holiday Parties
A variant yet related holiday trend that is worthy of mention is that of “experiential gifting.” Capitalizing on the success of painting and cooking parties as holiday activities for companies, families, neighborhoods and other myriad groups, many florists are now offering hand-on workshop-type parties during which participants create a holiday design—typically a centerpiece or wreath—while socializing with friends, family or colleagues. A bonus for florists is that when held in store, these highly sought-after interactive “parties” can also turn into gift buying opportunities for attendees, generating revenue beyond the per-person fee for the event.
Decking the Halls: The Trend of Holiday Decorating Services
‘Tis the season to transform homes and businesses into festive spaces, and more and more florists are stepping into this arena by offering comprehensive holiday décor services. Cashing in of the exponential growth and diversification of the personal services industry, which comprises everything from home cleaning and pet care to personal training and now, professional holiday decorating for homes and businesses of all kinds, many florists are leveraging their expertise, artistry, and experience with scheduling and meeting tight deadlines to compete in this segment. If you’re searching for a new revenue stream and want to expand your business, this lucrative field is one to explore. However, there are many factors to consider.
Offering holiday decorating services caters to a diverse range of clients and settings, from wealthy individuals to busy professionals and from private homes to offices, hotels, restaurants, other retail businesses and more. Many of these clients can be quite demanding, and for them, promptitude, professionalism, customization and convenience are key—which leads into the first factor to consider: Can you handle the extra work? Do you have the time, temperament, staff, design and storage space, and equipment to compete in this segment? From conceptualization to installation, as well as teardown and removal after the holidays? This season is typically a bustling time for florists, with numerous demands competing for their attention, so these questions require thorough and thoughtful consideration.
What type of decorating services will you provide? Will you create only indoor installations, or will you do outdoor decorating, as well? Furthermore, how will you price your services? Pricing hard goods is one thing—you do that every day—but accurately determining the amount of labor involved in every project and charging for it so that you make a worthwhile profit can be a bit dicier, especially if your experience in this area is limited.
Another consideration is product procurement. How quickly and reliably can you acquire the necessary products for every project? Some clients will want you to use some or all of their existing decorations, but others will want a new look, theme or motif every year, which will require sourcing new products—often quickly.
Storage space for decorations after the holiday can be another factor to consider. Many homeowners can and will tear down, pack and store decorations themselves (although not all), but most business clients will want—and even expect—you to do all of those things for them.
The rise of holiday decorating services represents a natural extension of florists unique talents, but it can also require developing new ones. By leveraging their creativity and artistry, expertise, customization capabilities, and commitment to quality, florists are redefining the art of holiday decorating and providing worth-paying-for convenience to clients across residential and commercial settings.
One Flower Story.
Shop name is One Flower Story.
Floral Décor for Hannukah
As Hanukkah approaches (Dec. 25 to Jan. 2 this year), with its eight nights of celebration, it’s time to think about creative ways to adorn homes with the beauty of blooms. For florists, Hanukkah—also known as the Jewish “Festival of Lights”—presents an opportunity to create meaningful flower arrangements that capture the spirit of the holiday.
Hanukkah commemorates the defeat of the mighty Greek army by a small band of faithful but poorly armed Jews and the reclamation of the Holy Temple in Jerusalem—and the miracle of the one-day supply of oil that lasted for eight days. It’s a time of joy; family gatherings; the giving of small gifts; special prayers and blessings; and the nightly lighting of another candle on the menorah, a seven- or nine-branch candelabrum (see “Menorah Decorations” below).
Blue and white are the primary colors associated with Hanukkah celebrations, with silver as an accent color. Popular flowers include white lilies, Alstroemeria, roses and carnations, along with blue Delphinium, Hydrangea, Eryngium and Echinops; however, there are no flowers that are specific to or traditional for Hanukkah, and there are no restrictions on what flowers are appropriate. The colors of flowers rather than the types of flowers are what distinguish Hanukkah flower arrangements.
Jewish consumers purchase and give flowers for a variety of different purposes, each with its specific meaning and impact. Some of the most prevalent uses for Hanukkah arrangements are the following:
CENTERPIECES
Hosting family for any holiday means creating a warm, welcoming environment, and for Hanukkah incorporating a blue, white and silver centerpiece into a dining table spread can create a more festive and elegant appearance. Consider incorporating traditional Jewish and Hanukkah symbols such as Stars of David, dreidels (squarish spinning tops with a symbolic Hebrew letter on each of the four sides), and gelt (gold-wrapped chocolate “coins” that are given to children).
MENORAH DECORATIONS
The centerpiece of any Hanukkah celebration is the menorah—a nine-branch candelabrum—and using flowers to highlight this sacred symbol will further accentuate its beauty. Possibilities include flowers around the base and a bundle of flowers tied to the taller center branch.
NOTE: The Talmud states that it is prohibited to use a seven-lamp menorah outside of the Temple, so most menorahs in homes should have nine branches—one for each of the eight days and a ninth taller center branch known as the “shamash” (the servant or helper light that is used to kindle the other eight lights).
GIFTS
Hanukkah celebrations often include sharing gifts with family and friends, and flower arrangements and bouquets are always lovely gifts. Whether it be for family members or romantic partners, a gift of flowers is perfect for Hanukkah. Suggest to your customers sending arrangements to family members they can’t be with during the holiday as well as to friends or co-workers.
OLIVE BRANCHES BOUQUETS and MINIATURE POTTED OLIVE TREES
Olive branches (Olea europaea) are a symbol of peace and are often associated with Hanukkah. Olive oil is among the most enlightening of Hanukkah symbols; it was olive oil that lit the menorah and lasted for eight days. In addition, the official symbol of the State of Israel is a menorah flanked on each side by an olive branch. Olive trees and branches also represent Jews’ aspirations as a people: firmly rooted in their past but also looking to the future and striving for peace in their land.
HANUKKAH WREATHS
Fresh and permanent wreaths, featuring blue and white flowers, seasonal foliages and/or olive branches, and silver accents can be used to hang on doors or as centerpieces. Consider incorporating the traditional Jewish and Hanukkah symbols mentioned in “Centerpieces,” above.
By embracing the spirit of Hanukkah, which this year starts at sundown on Dec. 25, you can bring the joy and happiness of flowers to all who celebrate this meaningful holiday.
Floral Décor for Kwanzaa
Created in 1966 by Maulana Ron Karenga, a professor of Africana studies at California State University in Long Beach and an important figure in Afrocentrism, Kwanzaa is a nonpolitical and nonreligious African American and Pan-African holiday that celebrates and affirms African history, values, family, community and culture. The cultural holiday is celebrated for seven days, from Dec. 26 to Jan. 1, primarily in the U.S. but also in Caribbean and other countries where there are large numbers of descendants of Africans.
Despite Kwanzaa’s adjacency to Christmas, it is not considered to be a substitute for Christmas, and, therefore, its symbols should not be combined with those of any other holiday or culture. To do so is deemed to be a violation of the integrity of the holiday.
Meals play a large part in the celebration of Kwanzaa, which presents an opportunity for florists to provide centerpieces. While the symbolic colors of Kwanzaa are red, green and black, centerpieces need not exclusively comprise these hues. Red blooms and foliages should be prominent, but orange, yellow, green and white flowers—the colors of fruits and vegetables, i.e. harvest colors—are also appropriate and lovely. Furthermore, there are no flowers that are specific to or traditional for this holiday, and there are no restrictions on what flowers are appropriate, but in addition to red blooms, recommendations include flowers that are native to Africa, such as all members of the Proteaceae family, Gerbera, Gloriosa, Agapanthus (especially white), birds-of-paradise, callas and Eucomis (pineapple lily). African-native plants include Aloe, African violets, geraniums, Streptocarpus (cape primrose) and some succulents. Ribbons in traditional African prints are also appreciated.
On each of the seven days, families traditionally gather for meals of African diaspora-inspired foods, to light one of the candles in a seven-branch candelabrum known as a kinara, and to discuss one of the seven principles that form the core of Kwanzaa. Those principles—Unity, Self-determination, Collective Work and Responsibility, Cooperative Economics, Purpose, Creativity and Faith—are drawn from communitarian values found throughout the African continent. On Dec. 31, the sixth day of Kwanzaa, families join in a community feast called karamu, which provides another décor sales opportunity.
There also are seven symbols of the holiday, all of which are placed on the dinner tables—and some of which can be incorporated into Kwanzaa centerpieces: fruits, vegetables and nuts (to represent the harvest); a straw mat; a kinara; ears of corn (one to represent each child in a family); gifts for children, especially, but also for adult family members; a communal unity cup; and seven candles in the colors of red (three), green (three) and black (one), symbolizing the seven principles.
Of the three Kwanzaa colors, black represents the people; red, their struggle; and green, the future that comes from their struggle In the kinara, the black candle represents the first principle—Unity—and is placed in the center. The red candles, which are placed to the left of the black candle, represent the principles of Self-determination, Cooperative Economics, and Creativity. The green candles represent the principles of Collective Work and Responsibility, Purpose, and Faith, and they are placed to the right of the black candle. The black candle is lit first on the first day of the celebration, and the remaining candles are lit afterwards, from left to right, one on each of the following six days. This procedure is to indicate that the people come first, then the struggle, and then the hope that comes from the struggle.
Here are four more floral décor suggestions for Kwanzaa celebrations.
• Door wreaths, garlands for mantels and staircases. with fresh flowers and candles to coordinate with the dining table centerpiece and the kinara.
• Vases of red flowers and greenery to place throughout the home, including in powder rooms.
• Candles and flowers for customers to float in treasured crystal or silver bowls.
• A vase of loose flowers by the door from which each guest can select to take home as a gift.
