Now that we’ve finished off all the turkey, it’s time to start decorating for the holidays. Whether you decorate like Clark Griswold or simply put up a tree and hang some stockings and call it good, a little planning and some careful attention to detail can go a long way in turning your home into a winter wonderland.

Choose with a theme

Before you begin decorating, the most important decision you’ll need to make is choosing a theme. You don’t have to be overly specific but focusing on one general theme will make your decorating easier and your outcome more cohesive.

When it comes to choosing a theme, it’s important to accentuate your home’s architectural features like fireplaces, windows, and staircases. Some people may choose to go all out and decorate everything in the house, but if you prefer to keep it simple, that’s okay too. Decorating even a few key focal points can make a very bold impression.

After you decide on a theme, the next step will be choosing a color palette. You don’t have to stick with the traditional red or green; you could opt instead for a more rustic look which is primarily white. Or, you could select a pink or blue theme – both of which can be very festive and original if they’re used consistently.

Whatever you choose, it’s wise to limit your base colors to one or two for optimal cohesiveness along with a complementary matching color. Gold, silver, white, and metallics, are all perfect for this task and will add an elegant holiday touch that draws all the elements together.

Start with the tree

Boxwood Tree by Durocher Florist

When trying to decide where to start decorating once you’ve picked a theme, the best place to start is with the tree. When the professionals decorate trees, they start by taking a step back and looking for holes. It’s possible to manipulate some of the branches to fill in the holes as long as it still looks natural when you’re finished.

Mesh ribbon takes up space and can fill in holes or strategically cover any unsightly areas. When adding ornaments, begin with solid colors and space things evenly before adding specialty ornaments or other decor.

Once the tree is complete it should inspire confidence in the rest of the decor falling into place. If your family tradition is to wait until later in the season to put up the tree, you can always start somewhere else and save the tree for last – just be sure to save enough space for the tree and all the presents that will find their way underneath.

If you do have some special packages that can’t wait for Santa, you can wrap them with paper or other fabrics to match the theme of the tree and the room. Newspaper makes an excellent wrap if you’re going for a more nostalgic or rustic theme. Don’t forget to top them with ribbons or bows to complete the look.

Tend to the table

Decorating your table with a festive holiday tablescape allows your creativity and personality to run wild with unlimited possibilities. Don’t be afraid to use live greenery, lights, and metallic elements according to your theme when decorating your table.

Buffet and side tables are great multifunctional pieces that can be adorned to match your theme. Large glass urns and hurricane vases are excellent all-season focal points that can be filled with different items depending on the holiday. Experiment with fabrics as well – quality textiles can have a dramatic effect and add an elegant look and feel.

Now it’s time to shine

After the tree and table are complete, the next area you’ll want to decorate is your home’s entrance. Welcome guests into your home by transforming it into a warm and inviting space decked with festive decor.

Royal Christmas Centerpiece by Durocher Florist

Lighted garland is a terrific way to adorn a banister and it also works well in making mantels, cabinets, and shelves pop. For a special touch, you can use natural greenery inside your home. Fresh evergreen smells exactly like the holidays should smell while magnolia leaves and eucalyptus are also good alternatives.

No matter how you decide to approach holiday decorating, remember that the best results will come when you let your personality shine through. Decide what would make you cozy and warm and what feels natural to you, then decorate based on that feeling. Keep it simple by mixing texture and color while keeping in mind that you can always add depth with layers. To add the finishing touch, dim the regular room lighting and let your holiday lighting shine through.

Now comes the best part, making new memories with loved ones this holiday season in your beautiful home surrounded by spectacular holiday décor and feelings of warm tidings and cheer!

Make Durocher Florist your one-stop-shop for the holidays! From flowers to gifts and decor, we have everything you need to make this holiday season one to remember. Stop by for a visit or shop online here. If you don’t see what you’re looking for or just can’t decide, give us a call at (800) 770-1965 and speak to one of Santa’s helpers who will be happy to assist you! Happy Holidays from Durocher Florist.

We love to honor tradition by celebrating holidays, especially ones with seemingly absurd origins which bring about colorful characters like the Easter Bunny, Leprechauns, Cupid, and Father Time.

We typically don’t delve too deep into why these particular characters show up, or how they got to be so popular in the first place, because it’s more fun just to go along with it than to question every little detail. But sometimes you just have to wonder why every October we let our kids dress up as pirates and princesses and take to the streets of the neighborhood searching for sugary treasure.

Halloween Magic Bouquet by Durocher Florist

When left to the imagination, there aren’t many holidays that are more fun than Halloween. From carving pumpkins to trick-or-treating and haunted houses, Halloween has become a whimsical celebration of things that most people find scary or downright chilling any other time of the year.

Carving jack-o-lanterns is a tradition that began several hundred years ago in Ireland, but back in those days, they were carved from potatoes and turnips. It wasn’t until years later, after the Irish immigrated to the United States, that they discovered that pumpkins made for a much better medium due to their abundance in the new world, thus a new tradition was born.

Legend has it that the jack-o-lanterns were originally intended to frighten away the wandering soul of Stingy Jack, who was sentenced to roam the earth for eternity after tricking the devil and later finding out he wasn’t allowed into heaven or hell.

This also loosely explains why we dress up in costumes – to disguise ourselves from the souls wandering amongst us – including Stingy Jack!

Or perhaps it doesn’t.

According to Lisa Morton, author of “Trick or Treat: A history of Halloween,” dressing up as a way to scare off evil spirits is a common misconception about the holiday. Morton contends that people didn’t start dressing up until much later – as in the 1800s.

Boo-tiful Bats by Durocher Florist

By that time, Halloween was known for pranks which were becoming more and more elaborate and dangerous. So much so that towns and cities were thinking about canceling Halloween because many felt that the pranks were getting out of hand.

That led to a gradual push from families, communities and civic organizations to change the nature of the holidays from pranks to the “trick or treat” traditions we know today.

Sadly, Morton’s version of buying off kids with treats and costumes is probably a bit closer to reality than the warding off evil spirits angle, but as with most holiday traditions, you never really know for sure!

Whatever the reason for dressing up and trick-or-treating, your friends at Durocher Florist are here to get you in the mood for a spectacularly spooky Halloween! Make no bones about it, our ghoulish delights will make the wickedest witches green with envy, so stop by today – if you dare!

Independence Day is one of the most cherished and time-honored holidays in the United States. This federal holiday is an annual celebration of American independence from the British Empire and is commonly associated with parades, picnics, carnivals, and concerts during the day – topped off with majestic fireworks displays after sunset.

The firework shows are traditionally set to patriotic anthems including Yankee Doodle – a well-known American song that predates the American Revolution. We all know the tune, even if we don’t understand the lyrics. Why did Yankee Doodle go to town? Why did he call his hat “macaroni” after sticking a feather in it? And most importantly, how do such seemingly-nonsensical words play such a prominent role in our nation’s history?

“Yankee Doodle went to town
A-riding on pony.
He stuck a feather in his cap
And called it Macaroni.”

Before we find out why Yankee Doodle called his hat “macaroni,” we should probably back up and find out what the term “Yankee Doodle” means.

The term “Yankee” itself has several interrelated meanings depending on the context, however, all of them refer to people from the United States. Outside of the U.S., the term is used to refer to any American – including Southerners. Within the United States, however, the term is a derisive one which refers to all Northerners – especially ones from the Union side of the American Civil War. Some people go a step further and only view New Englanders as true “Yankees.”

The first appearance of the term “doodle” can be traced back to the early 17th century and is thought to be derived from the Low Saxon word “dudel,” which means “playing music badly,” or “Dodel, meaning “simpleton” or “fool.”

What Does That Have to do with Macaroni?

Today when we think of macaroni, we typically start salivating for the nostalgically-delicious childhood meal made of noodles and a cheese-like substance eaten from a box, but the macaroni in this instance refers to a fashionable man from the mid-18th century who spoke and dressed in an outlandish and epicene manner.

Patriotic Salute by Durocher Florist

But why macaroni? Because young upper-class British men returning from trips to Italy developed a taste for the pasta that was hardly known in England at the time and were said to belong to the Macaroni Club because of their insistence on referring to anything fashionable as “very macaroni.”

It’s all starting to come together now. When British surgeon Dr. Richard Shuckburgh penned the lyrics, he was mocking Yankees by insinuating that they were low-class simpletons who lacked masculinity – as if simply putting a feather in one’s cap would make him sophisticated and noble.

That sure doesn’t sound patriotic, but the Yankees soon turned the tables by embracing the song as an anthem of defiance. Americans subsequently went a step further by adding additional verses mocking the British and shortly thereafter, the song went from being an insult to a source of national pride.

That was more than 200 years ago, and the song still stands as one of our nation’s most beloved and patriotic tunes. In fact, President John F. Kennedy once bought a pony for his daughter Caroline – and called it Macaroni.

If you’re heading out to celebrate Independence Day on July 4, or plan on hosting a celebration of your own – don’t forget the flowers! Durocher Florist is here to help you celebrate with a bang with a beautiful bouquet of red, white, and blue flowers – perfect for the 4th of July. Give us a call or stop in today to see what’s in store for you. If you find exactly what you’d like, we’ll make it for you! Have a safe and happy 4th from your friends at Durocher Florist.