Christmas is a time steeped in tradition, but many of the traditional aspects of the holiday have become so perfunctory that we forget why we do them in the first place. Take the Christmas wreath. If you’re out to buy one, you’ll be met with a myriad of plastic versions since most buyers only want something that looks Christmasy, nothing more than that. However, the reason why we hang wreaths in the first place is because its evergreen rings are supposed to symbolize everlasting life. Hanging a wreath made of plastic, which has neither seen death nor life, defeats the point.
Let’s not forget the environmental impact of using real pine, too. Evergreen trees are cultivated in farms just like normal produce, and once a tree is cut, a seedling is planted in its place. It’s certainly better than getting a wreath that’s mass produced using cheap PVC. You could make the case that at least plastic wreaths can be reused, but with how flimsy they are, its shelf life will be pretty short.
If you want to live out the authentic and sustainable Christmas spirit this holiday season, we’ve picked out these florists who sell real natural wreaths.
Lanai
C-4 The Alley, Karrivin Plaza
2316 Chino Roces Ave. Ext., Makati City
802-5427, [email protected]
Lanai is a lifestyle store that sells everything from furniture, clothes, to, of course, flowers under their Flores section. They’re selling natural wreaths made with pine and pinecones for the holiday season, and you can have it customized. Aside from wreaths, you can also get imported Holland Christmas trees from Lanai:
Spruce Floral Designs
129 Diego Silang Road
Phase 2, AFPOVAI Subd., Taguig City
519-2937, [email protected]
Spruce’s evergreen wreaths are made of local cypress branches, which is great if you’re not so keen on imported wood. The Floralist behind Spruce is Pat Pastelero-Tañedo, who manages to infuse her brand of elegance into the wreaths.
Te Amo Floristeria
G/F Active Fun Building, 28th St., Bonifacio Global City
886-6888 or 0916-629-8122
[email protected]
While Te Amo Floristeria is known for their conceptual bouquets, they do seasonal arrangements too, like these Christmas wreaths. If you’re curious about how to make Christmas arrangements, they’ve also been holding workshops where they teach people how to make wreaths and arrange centerpieces.
Knots Flowers and More
5077 P. Burgos St. e Luxury One Building 2nd Floor, Makati City
573-2234
If for some reason you’re in a rush to get a wreath, you’re in luck: Knots Flowers and More is an express flower delivery service, and they can send your traditional wreath in a jiffy.
Mabolo Flowers and Home
Jannov Plaza, B2-W1 2295 Pasong Tamo Extension, Makati City
893-6912
facebook.com/maboloflowers
Speaking of tradition, Mabolo is a 22-year-old floral shop that first opened its doors with a mission to get Filipinos to incorporate flowers into everyday living. They haven’t released their wreaths yet, but here’s a sample of one of their old works:
The Glass House Flowers
917-9321921
facebook.com/theglasshouseflowers/
The Glass House Flowers, which only has an online storefront, was the first floral boutique in the country to make preserved floral arrangements encased in crystal mirror boxes. They’re releasing their pine arrangements (including wreaths) next week, but they sent Nolisoli.ph this sneak peek:
Featured photo courtesy of Pixabay
Get more stories like this by subscribing to our newsletter here.
Read more:
Florists outside of the ordinary
Best places to buy Christmas decor aside from bazaars
How florists keep flowers fresh longer
10 florists in Manila you need to know
Read more by Zofiya Acosta:
We visited these underrated Japanese cities—and here’s why you should, too
Industria Edition has a steel grip on artisanal furniture
A year after #MeToo, and I’m still hurting
Writer: ZOFIYA ACOSTA