Hanukkah Activities for the Entire Family

Hanukkah begins soon, and if your kids are anything like most, they’re very excited for the eight days of the holiday. Hanukkah presents several different opportunities for families to spend some quality time together. Here are a few activities that the entire family can participate in.

The main focus of Hanukkah is on the menorah and the traditions it represents. During Hanukkah, one candle is lit each night during the eight days. Children can get involved by learning the prayers recited over the menorah each day. With help, children can also light a candle. If your kids enjoy arts and crafts, they can create their own menorah out of sculpting clay and make homemade candles out of beeswax or by using candle-making kits. Of course, children should always be supervised when lighting candles.

If you like cooking traditional Hanukkah foods like latkes and donuts, get the entire family involved. While cooking with oil is not an activity for children, they can help prepare the batter, cut out cookies, and decorate desserts.

Kids might also want to make their own Hanukkah cards to give out to their friends and relatives. This is a great way for kids to use their imaginations and art skills, and family members will treasure these created cards so much more than store-bought ones.

Finally, take the time to tell traditional Hanukkah stories, listen to music, and generally get into the spirit of the Festival of Lights. You might even want to go out and enjoy the holiday light displays, many of which are secular and not religious. There are many holidays happening around this time of year, and there’s nothing that says you can’t enjoy a little of what they all have to offer with your family while you celebrate Hanukkah.

Last Minute Thanksgiving Flowers

Turkey? Check! Cranberries? Yep. Pumpkin Pie? Ready to serve with whipped cream. So what’s left? Oh no! There are no Thanksgiving flowers to put on the table! If you need some last minute thanksgiving flowers, it’s not too late. While you probably don’t want to wait until the day before to go turkey shopping, if you forget your flowers, you might still be able to pick some up.

If you’re shopping for last minute Thanksgiving flowers, there are a few things to be aware of. First of all, your florist, no matter how good they are, may be out of your first choice. Popular arrangements tend to sell out quickly. Cornucopias and large arrangements may already be gone. However, this doesn’t mean your dinner is ruined. Many florists also have a number of smaller arrangements that they can make for Thanksgiving.

Even if your florist is out of some of their advertised arrangements, that doesn’t have to put a damper on your plans. Any good, creative florist can take what flowers they have in stock and create something completely beautiful and amazing. Just tell your florist what you’re looking for, and he or she will work magic. There are many different flowers that work for Thanksgiving, after all. Sunflowers, orange and dark red roses, yellow and orange gerberas, orange lilies, and many other flowers will fit nicely with your Thanksgiving décor. Greenery, acorns, pinecones, and even some gourds and pumpkins can be added if you feel like your arrangement needs a bit of fleshing out. Throw in a few candles, and you’re done!

It’s always advisable to order your Thanksgiving flowers in advance, of course, but even if you don’t, it’s OK. Just be sure to pick them up as soon as possible so you’ve got some options. As always, we have a great selection of Thanksgiving flowers. Browse them now on our website and place your order soon!

Thanksgiving Centerpiece Ideas

Thanksgiving is almost here, but it’s not too late to put together an amazing centerpiece for your table. While many people think of the turkey as the centerpiece, that’s only during the meal. What goes on your table before the turkey is brought out? That’s where your Thanksgiving centerpiece takes center stage.

There are several different types of centerpieces used for Thanksgiving. The traditional cornucopia is one of them. This “horn of plenty” is usually filled with fruits, but it can be filled with gorgeous fall flowers, too. This is one of the larger Thanksgiving centerpieces, so it’s sure to get plenty of attention. Of course, you’re going to have to move it off the table when it’s time to eat.

If you’d rather have flowers as a centerpiece, you have many different choices. One popular choice is a large floral arrangement with tapers. You can light the candles before, during, or after dinner. The flowers are generally ones in traditional Autumn colors like dark red, yellow, and orange, and often greenery or even nuts are added to the arrangement to fill it out. Again, these large arrangements may have to be moved when it’s turkey time.

There are some smaller fall arrangements that you can use for centerpieces. These arrangements may not have to be moved for dinner, which is one of the reasons many people like them. They may not be as attention grabbing, but that’s OK. Many are simple bouquets in nice vases. You can accent these smaller arrangements with candles, small pumpkins, or even little turkeys or pilgrims.

All of these types of Thanksgiving centerpieces are rather traditional. If you want something a bit different, get creative. If you have children, get them involved. Help them make turkeys out of pine cones by using feathers and construction paper. This helps get your family involved in the holiday, and you can use these little turkeys with just about any floral centerpiece.

How Flowers Can Change How You Feel

You’re having a horrible day. Everything seems to be doing wrong. Maybe you woke up feeling unwell, but not unwell enough to justify staying home from work. Then you got to work and spilled coffee on yourself. Your workload has tripled because someone dropped the ball on a project. You’ve got a deadline that seems impossible to meet. Then there’s a knock on your office door. It’s a florist delivering an amazing bouquet of flowers from your significant other with a card telling you how amazing you are. Suddenly, your entire day seems so much better. Isn’t it amazing how flowers can change how you feel?

How is this possible? Well, there have actually been a few studies done that show flowers can pull up old memories or affect those areas of the brain that make us feel good. It could be the scent, the sight of flowers, the memories they invoke…no one is quite sure. What is certain is that flowers affect our feelings.

Next time you’re feeling down, follow the old saying and stop and smell some roses (or daisies, or lilies, or whatever flower you enjoy). While you may not have someone sending you flowers every time you have a horrible day, you can still find some gorgeous blooms to enjoy. So take advantage of what flowers can do for you and turn those bad days around with flowers.

Using Autumn Colors in Your Home

Many people like to use autumn colors in their homes because they are strong, bold colors. Autumn colors typically include dark red, dark yellow, browns, oranges, and even some dark greens. These colors do tend to create darker rooms when used overwhelmingly, but when used to add just a touch of color here and there, they can make a room look great.

If you’re thinking about adding autumn colors to your home, here are some things to consider before making any purchases:

Choose a basic color scheme to use throughout your entire house. This will give you a unified theme for your home and make it easier to pick out different items.

Don’t be afraid to mix and match a bit. If you pick red and yellow as your color scheme, that doesn’t mean you can’t throw in a bit of orange or green here and there.

Go for a variety of items. Colored candles, towels, throw pillows, picture frames, and other items can be placed around a room to bring in your autumn colors. Having different items also means that there’s not one thing screaming “I’m a fall color!”

Pick reusable items. Tablecloths, pillows, throw blankets, small rugs, and other items can be stored during other seasons and used again once autumn returns. Also look for items that you can use in your home décor at other times of the year.

Of course, fall flowers are a great addition to any autumn color scheme, and they also bring in that great autumn scent. After the flowers bloom and wilt, you can even dry them and create a great fall potpourri mixture.

Relax with Flowers

Finding time to relax can be difficult in today’s society. It seems like we’re always on the go. For many, work is no longer limited to 40 hours a week—we work overtime (often for free), we bring work home with us, and we’re always thinking about some project or other. Families also take up a lot more time. We have to get our kids to various school and club functions, make sure all the bills get paid, keep the house clean…the list goes on and on. With all of this, how can you possibly find time to relax? Well, you may not be able to take a nice vacation to de-stress, but you can relax with flowers.

Flowers are very relaxing for a number of reasons. Their bright, cheery colors are often all that’s needed to turn a drab room into a happy one. Seeing these colors can help turn your day around. The scent is also a factor. The phrase “stop and smell the roses” exists for a reason. Scent is one of the most powerful senses, and it can often trigger memories and thoughts out of the ordinary. Next time you feel stressed, take the time to smell some flowers. You may find your muscles unknotting and your tension melting away.

Putting a nice arrangement of flowers on your desk or in your office at work is a good way of bringing a little relaxation into what could be a very stressful atmosphere. Just by placing the flowers there and taking the time to look at them now and then will help you stay relaxed.

No matter how you use flowers to relax, remember to take time out to enjoy them. Flowers are a great way of relaxing, and it’s important to keep stress away during the holiday season.