Poinsettias are the quintessential Christmas flower and hold a nostalgic place in my heart! Growing up, my mom always used fresh poinsettias as part of her Christmas decor. We typically had several red, pink, and white varieties flanking our mantels, sideboards, and dining room tables.
I am currently at my mom’s house for Thanksgiving and decided to surprise her this weekend with some fresh poinsettia decorating ideas. As much as I love seeing all the paperwhite inspiration each Christmas, I admittedly miss seeing our old retro poinsettia getting her fair share in the limelight. So let’s do what Justin Timberlake proclaims he did for sexy and  bring poinsettias back!
Have you ever considered using cut flower poinsettias in your Christmas flower arrangements or as stand alone flowers? Poinsettia bracts are gorgeous and one cut flower in a bud vase makes a huge impact. But there is a secret to keeping cut poinsettias looking fresh longer. The key is knowing how to sear the cut stems with a candle flame! Searing will stop the milk sap from leaking out of the plant while still allowing the stems to absorb water. When you break off a poinsettia leaf or stem hold the area excreting sap over a candle flame until it bubbles and sears the area. It will turn black in the areas where you do this, but it won’t detract from your decorating. You will know if you seared the stems correctly based on their post perk or droop. If your poinsettias begin to wilt in your vase, try searing the stem once again and return them to water. Also, you shouldn’t see a milky stream in the water. The water should remain clear.
I decided to display some poinsettia bracts in my mother’s butler pantry. Â I love the adorable octagon window! My mom typically displays some empty red bud vases from Crate and Barrel so I just filled half with fresh holly, and half with cut poinsettias.
This creates an unexpected pop of cheer every time someone enters to grab a dish, wine glass, or bowl. Adding simple touches of Christmas to often overlooked areas is a fantastic way to make the spirit bright!
To create a no-fuss tablescape I used poinsettia bracts in bud vase napkin rings and placed a large poinsettia in the center of the table. Tip: To create a prettier poinsettia do not overlook the pot/container/vase you are using to display your plant. You do not have to keep the plants in their shiny sleeves and basic black pots! Here I have repotted the red poinsettia in a white urn that gives it some more interest and height.
Using just red, white, and green as your colors, you can create a gorgeous and seamless look in mere minutes.
Do you know what is so funny about this vignette? After I was finished with my pictures, my mom messed with my vignette later, tweaking this and that. And then Kim came over today and started messing with it as well! We all have our idea of “just right” and we all enjoy the challenge of creating a vignette that feels perfect in balance and composition. (Pssst. This is mine and I still like it the best.)
Well, I hope you’ll be able to glean some of these ideas for yourselves and add even more poinsettia decorating tips in the comments below! How about you? Do you decorate with poinsettias at Christmas?
p.s. Do you think poinsettias are poisonous to pets and children? Keeping them out of your home for these reasons? FEAR NOT! THIS IS A MYTH!!! Read this link for more information.
Disclosure: Poinsettia greenhouse owners in Vancouver, BC, Canada who grow 180,000 poinsettias yearly have commissioned me to create this post and share my original decorating ideas with you. All pictures, thoughts, and opinions within this post are my own.
Linking up with Layla’s Tablescape party!
I’m catching up on months of blog entries and really enjoyed this one! Eli’s choir sold poinsettias as a fundraiser this season and so I had poinsettias in my house for the first time but never even considered doing anything with the buds. It was also fun to see your mom’s house again.
love the combo with holly! and those capiz trees are beautiful!! pinned them! direction post by your sister would be fun!
Absolutely lovely!
I always have great luck with Poinsettias, growing them well into the summer, but then they get so leggy! If I cut them back, all that milky sap runs all over the place! Guess I should google & see if there are any suggestions to keep it year round!
very nice….Sunday paper ….elf on a shelf….29.95….target….
I love poinsettias! I just bought a little white one yesterday. I really wanted the big one but my husband said I should just get a little one. It was only $3.33. It’s sitting on my dining room table waiting for more Christmasy stuff to join it. I’m getting my things out of the garage today!
How pretty, I’m sure your Mom loved the decorating!!
Angela
Great tip on how to sear the stems! I didn’t know that. I bet your mom was so happy!…looks fabulous!
I’ve always enjoyed having a Poinsettia in the house for Christmas. Thanks for the tip on searing the leaves to make cut arrangements. Your mom’s house is so beautiful. You must really enjoy visiting there!
Love it – they look so pretty. Thanks for the great tutorial.
LOVE the red poinsettias & how they just scream Christmas! Beautiful pics with such GREAT ideas.
Absolutely beautiful, girly! 🙂
~Shelley
Looks wonderful! All great ideas!
Your ideas for the poinsettias are just amazing! I wish I had read this a couple of days ago because The Man brought home a huge and beautiful plant, but one of the bracts broke when he came in the door. We just popped it in a glass of water and it was a goner in short order. Oh well, we’ll know what to do next time thanks to you!
CAS
I have that Christmas china and love it! I’ve never seen anything I would like more in all these years!
Beautiful job decorating.
It’s gorgeous!
Great tip Beth. I love decorating with poinsettias and red is my favorite! We have the same Christmas dishes:)
I love those dishes. They’re my mom’s :).
So pretty. I love the idea of writing a name on the leaf!
I bought three white one’s yesterday! I guess I did not know they ever went out of style. I plan them in ceramic pots and put two on the mantle and one in our master bedroom. Love the ones you put in bud vases in the window!!!