Christmas, plants and gifts, three words that go together! Why choose a plant as a Christmas gift? Well we have a pretty clear idea!
Ah, how beautiful Christmas is, now that winter has arrived we can really immerse ourselves in its atmosphere!
All those colors, the air that always seems to smell, the joy of the children, in short, there is no denying that it is a truly magical occasion.
Not only are the streets dressed up, but also the houses.
The tree is decorated, the red tablecloth is put on, the good crockery is brought out and the gifts are arranged.
One moment.
The gifts.
Here a little panic breaks the Christmas idyll a little.
Sooner or later, we all find ourselves without precise ideas on what to give to a loved one. Maybe what can we bring to the aunt who invited us for Christmas dinner?
An ornament? He already has way too many, and seriously, then they need to be dusted off.
A dress? Goodness, if we get the size wrong we could go from Christmas straight to the crucifixion.
A kitchen tool? Useful, but imagine if it happened to you, the joy of unwrapping a gift and finding a saucepan inside. Now you know why maybe your aunt – and probably everyone else – won’t be so happy about it.
A book? Good idea, but what will she like? What will its gender be?
So many problems, after all we would just like to bring something beautiful that can convey our gratitude and make her understand that we had a thought for her.
That’s what gifts are, right? Let’s leave aside for a moment the talk about the commercialization of the holidays, it is not so necessary to have to find evil in everything, even more so if that something gives us the possibility of making someone else happy.
Exchanging gifts means considering those close to us, finding those people who are important to us and dedicating our thoughts to them. We think about what they might like, we look around asking ourselves what they might appreciate, we reflect on what our gift will convey to them.
That’s why they say that “the thought is enough”, it’s not the money spent on a gift that makes it important but how much this gift is able to communicate how we feel about a person.
In the same way, receiving a gift makes you feel special, precisely because someone has taken some of their time and dedicated it to us and this is what is hidden behind Christmas.
Without even going into the religious theme, stopping first, Christmas is about sharing and valuing the time we spend with the people we love, to whom we are grateful or who we simply appreciate.
But sometimes it’s normal not to know how to convey what we think in the right way.
And here comes our advice, which is fine, it may be a little biased, but still in complete good faith.
Since ancient times, flowers and plants have been used to communicate, to express concepts and feelings. So what’s better than finding the plant that best suits our message and bringing it as a gift, perhaps accompanied by a nice note with the meaning of our gesture written?
So here are the 5 perfect plants to give as Christmas gifts!
1. Butcher’s broom
It is one of the most characteristic plants of Christmas, with its green leaves and red berries, but in addition to being so characteristic it is also full of meaning!
Since ancient times, red drupes have been a symbol of wealththe permanent green of the leaves instead represents the survival and THE long life.
During Roman times everyone carried a sprig of this plant with them during the Saturnalia (days preceding the winter solstice) as it was considered a talisman to keep evil spells and demons away from their homes.
Furthermore, the red fruits represented the rebirth of the sun at the following solstice, thus indicating the rebirth of nature (do you want to know more about this aspect? An article all about Ilex will be released soon).
Taking care of this plant is quite simple, just place it in a shaded area (both indoors and out) and plant it on a moist, well-drained substrate.
2. Hellebore
Legend has it that a poor shepherdess, on Christmas night, went to the cave where little Jesus had just been born. The little girl, sad at not having the money needed to buy a gift to give to the newborn, picked up a bunch of hellebores along the way which she then gave to Jesus. Thanks to this story the hellebore is also called “Christmas Rose” and symbolizes rebirth, liberation from any unpleasant situation, therefore ideal as a gift to anyone who is preparing to start a new adventure or wants to change!
Hellebore is a magnificent plant which, depending on the variety, significantly varies the colors of the flowers, thus allowing us to choose it based on our loved one’s favorite shade.
Hellebore adapts well to any type of soil, as long as it is fresh and draining. For it to grow at its best, it is advisable to place it in areas of shade or partial shade, keeping it away from direct sources of heat. Finally, it will be sufficient to irrigate it regularly while keeping the soil moist.
When you give it as a gift you will also be lucky enough to see it already in bloom, ensuring a good figure!
Be careful though! We do not recommend giving it as a gift to anyone who owns petsespecially cats, as hellebore is poisonous and could cause serious damage if ingested.
3. Anthurium
Is the person you want to give the plant to your sweetheart or a dear friend? We have what’s right for you! This flower with heart-shaped leaves has always been used as a symbol of deep feelings of love or friendship.
Just think that in ancient Greece it was widespread belief according to which these flowers were the arrows of the God of love Cupid, left on the earth.
This small houseplant does not exceed 50/60 centimeters in height and is rather simple to grow: it loves always moist soil (it must therefore be watered regularly but with small doses of water), it prefers to be positioned in fairly bright areas but well away from the direct rays of the sun which could damage it and, if you really want it at its best, then the ideal is to fertilize it 2 times a month with liquid fertilizer for green plants.
4. Winter flowering camellia
The Camellia is not one of the classic flowers given as Christmas gifts, but its winter flowering makes it perfect.
The meaning it carries with it varies depending on the color. It is up to you to choose White camellia to convey esteem, gratitude and admiration. That pink is instead the desire to get closer to the person to whom we give this delicate flower. In the end, for the person you love, the red Camellia remains. This oriental flower will also be perfect for those who love style and refinement, with its erect posture and slightly folded and tidy petals that almost seem to dance on themselves.
The Camellia can also resist temperatures below 0° and prefers shaded or semi-shaded areas.
5. Erica
Many meanings and properties have always been associated with heather. One of the most notable is linked to the magic it contains, magic that makes it perfect for making brooms used for cleaning the temples of the gods, or for making wood for baking bread used for some sacred rituals. Even today this plant maintains its original meanings, so much so that it is considered purifying and capable of keeping evil spirits away from the home.
If you are struck by its fragile beauty then we suggest you use it as a gift in its brilliant pink shades. In fact, Erica changes meaning depending on the color of its flowers and it is certainly the most auspicious pink that hopes for the realization of dreams and the coming true of wishes!
For example, a perfect variety for this occasion could be Erica gracilis “Rood”, a medium-sized shrub with needle-like, thin and sharp leaves. From autumn to spring, minute, bell-shaped pink-red flowers develop.
Here are the perfect plants to give as gifts for your Christmas!
Obviously we haven’t forgotten the enchanting Christmas Star, but, like every great protagonist, she deserves a space all to herself in an article exclusively dedicated to her which you can find here: Christmas Star, taking care of a Star.
Plants are a universal language, let’s borrow their words for our Christmas message!