Occasions
Christmas Flowers
Christmas is the season of dense, deep-green floristry: amaryllis with fist-sized blooms, delicate hellebores and freshly cut fir. Whether as a host gift, a centrepiece for the festive table or a bouquet for 24 December — in Düsseldorf-Pempelfort we arrange with what arrives most durable at the Veiling Rhein-Maas auction in early December.
The Christmas flower par excellence is the amaryllis (Hippeastrum): a single stem carries three or four enormous blooms and fills a whole vase on its own. Three amaryllis in red or pure white, a little fir green and a few sprigs of eucalyptus — a festive bouquet needs no more. For the table we recommend a low arrangement rather than a tall bouquet, so guests can still see one another across the table.
For something more delicate, reach for the hellebore (Christmas rose): its nodding white-to-dusky-pink blooms feel soft and understated in Advent, suit candlelight and avoid any kitsch. Combined with amaryllis, fir green and cones, it makes an arrangement that reads wintry without tipping into plastic Christmas.
What we deliberately keep to a minimum: glitter, spray-snow and dyed stems. Real fir, eucalyptus and a few well-chosen accents in red, white or deep green look far more refined than any sprayed mass-market product. Less decoration, better flowers — that stays our line even at Christmas.
Practical note for the season: amaryllis stems are hollow and bend easily — we stiffen them when arranging so the piece survives the holidays. Fir and hellebores keep for several weeks when cool, so an Advent arrangement early in the season is well worth it. We source specifically at the Veiling Rhein-Maas in early December, in A1 quality, so the flowers stay fresh across the holidays.
As a host gift for a Christmas visit, a compact arrangement in a bowl works better than a loose bouquet: the host needn't hunt for a vase and can place it straight on the table. If you give a bouquet, have it delivered on the 23rd or 24th — just before the celebration, when the home is already decorated.
Frequently asked
- Which flowers suit Christmas best?
- Amaryllis and hellebore (Christmas rose) are the classic Christmas flowers, with fresh fir green, eucalyptus and cones. In red and white they look festive without turning kitschy.
- Arrangement or bouquet for Christmas?
- For the festive table and as a host gift we recommend a low arrangement — it needs no vase and doesn't block the view across the table. A bouquet is better given just before the celebration into an already decorated home.
- By when do I need to order for Christmas Eve?
- Ideally by 22 December. We then source specifically at the Veiling Rhein-Maas early in the week and deliver in Düsseldorf on the 23rd or 24th. Advent arrangements are best ordered earlier — they keep for several weeks when cool.
- Do amaryllis and hellebores last over the holidays?
- Yes — kept cool they easily last the holidays and beyond. We stiffen the hollow amaryllis stems when arranging so they don't bend. We source in A1 quality so the flowers stay fresh across the holidays.
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