THE SEASONAL HOME: Christmas
Decking the halls with boughs of holly, ivy, mistletoe and other greenery is a long-held ritual whose roots lie in celebrations of the winter solstice and warding off evil spirits. Today the festive period sees all manner of greenery brought into the home to dress mantelpieces, hallways and doors, as well as, of course, a resplendent Christmas tree – a custom believed to have been introduced to England by Prince Albert.
Though fresh flowers are not so abundant, evergreen foliage is plentiful and readily evokes the festive feeling, from a small sprig of holly on the corner of a picture frame to a magnificent table dressing full of greenery. Florist and founder of Wild at Heart, Nikki Tibbles says: “When it comes to seasonal plants for winter, I love every type of foliage
