Think of Christmas and you’ll probably have a wealth of colourful images that spring to mind.
From the luscious green of a fir tree, to the bright red berries on a holly plant it’s often the flowers and foliage of the natural world that bring colour to this time of year.
What are the traditional colours of Christmas?
As well as greens and reds, gold and silver are regularly used in Christmas decorations and floral bouquets that have a frosted touch or additions such as gold sprayed pine cones included. White also shouldn’t be overlooked in the festive season with many of us wishing for snowfall and snowflakes.
So what are the stories behind the colours of Christmas? Why do we associate specific colours with this time of year, and what does it mean when choosing the flowers that we decorate our homes with or gift as presents?
Red
Red is a colour that we see a huge amount of over the Christmas period. From a robin’s red breast on a Christmas card, to Father Christmas’s famous red and white clothing, it’s everywhere during these the festive season.
In terms of significance, there are a variety of meanings behind red as a colour of Christmas. Many Christians believe that it represents the blood of Jesus Christ, who was born on Christmas Day. However red also has a wider symbolism relating to love, bravery and romance – all of which are often prominent at this special time of year.
It’s easy to incorporate beautiful touches of red into Christmas floral displays. The red rose is often a popular choice, especially for those wishing to express love or romance to a partner.
The poinsettia is a well known gift that many people give one another at Christmas and its bright red leaves are said to be symbolic of the blood of Jesus Christ.
If you just want a touch of red in a festive bouquet, using red hypericum berries can be a good way of making flowers more Christmas oriented – although always be careful these aren’t accessible to children or pets.
For a different approach, try the orange LA Lily if you’re looking for a subtler replacement for bold reds.
Green
With Christmas trees everywhere at this time of year, it’s easy to feel as though you’ve dropped into a Nordic forest of fir and pine trees. The greenery here has some important symbolism as evergreens have long been seen as a sign of eternal life. It’s always easy to spot evergreens as one of the few trees that stay green for the whole Winter.
It’s not hard to include greens in any floral display or bouquet. There are some lovely foliage options you can explore such as berried ivy, or even sprays of pine and spruce. You may also want to think about gifting a mini Christmas tree – they’re adorable as Christmas decorations!
Silver
Silver is often associated with Christmas as Christians believe that it represents the divinity of Christ. It is also closely linked to the white colours we think of when it comes to Christmas with images of glistening snow flakes and fresh Winter scenes.
Touches of silver asparagus fern can work really well in floral displays at this time of year when people love the frosted approach.
Gold
Bought by the wise men to Baby Jesus in his crib, gold has remained a key symbol of Christmas time for centuries. From decadent gold gifts, to wrapping paper and Christmas cards covered with glitter, gold manages to spread its way throughout colour schemes at this time of year.
Bouquets and floral displays can be made to look even more luxurious with golden foliage or additions such as sprayed pine cones.
White
A symbol of purity and peace, white is perfect for Christmas time and all that it entails. It’s also the colour of fresh snow – which we know everyone eagerly anticipates at this time of year.
For elegant Christmas flowers, white oriental lilies and roses make an excellent gift and can be proudly displayed on Christmas tables by those who receive them.
There are other white Christmas flowers too such as white Christmas amaryllis or a real stand out variety such as a white Phalaenopsis and Dendrobium orchids.
For those who prefer a longer lasting gift, you could offer a potted white rose plant which can be planted out when the weather warms.
Choosing the colours you love
Whether you’re figuring out what colour scheme to use in your floral displays at home this Christmas, or you want to choose the perfect gift for a friend or loved one, considering the colours of Christmas can be really helpful.
Remember that you don’t have to include all the colours – it’s a good idea to be selective and only use the colours that work for you. Many people love bright red flowers, whilst others prefer much subtler options such as simple white shades.
Whatever you go for this Christmas, have fun giving colourful Christmas flowers and plants to the people you love. It’s the perfect time of year to celebrate with colour, and be bright and merry.
