 |
What do two crazy floral designers
do when they take a Christmas vacation? They rent a restored 1800’s
cabin in the Indiana countryside, ship in hundreds of flowers from Holland and boxes of
evergreens from Oregon, then completely decorate the cabin inside and out for the
Christmas holidays. David and I went to Indiana last year to spend the holidays with
our new twin grandbabies. David’s daughter, Kristin and her family live in the
wooded hills of Southern Indiana. Gorgeously beautiful country, but very lacking in
four star hotels, French Bistros and Italian Espresso. |
|
Knowing that new grandbabies and new grandparents are
best enjoyed in small doses I was very concerned about where we would stay and what we
would do between grandbaby visits. Fortunately, David found the most wonderful
log cabin to rent for the week. A lovingly restored historical cabin built of
hand hewn oak logs chinked with mud and straw. The floors were quarter-sawn oak and
the living room featured the original fireplace made from massive hand cut sandstone.
The cabin was filled with antiques and quilts covered the beds. After
discovering the cabin online, David showed me pictures of the cabin. My heart
jumped. “What do you think?” he said. “It has to be decorated” I
exclaimed. “What did you say?” replied David. “I love it, but
we have to decorate it with flowers for Christmas” I answered. “Well, I
suppose that we could put up a tree, some lights and make a couple of arrangements”
replied David. “No, no, no” I said, “we have to REALLY decorate it.
We have to put up garlands, decorate the mantle, make centerpieces, decorate the
windows, the beds….. Everything!” David looked at me like I was from outer
space. “Why?” he said. “Because it’s Christmas” I
said, and walked away before he could reply.
For
the first twenty years of my “twenty-something” year career in the floral
industry, my life during the Christmas season was not my own. Like most professional floral designers each
holiday season found me making holiday wreaths, Christmas arrangements and decorating the
homes and businesses of others for the Christmas season.
On Christmas Eve I would be at the design bench making last minute Christmas
centerpieces. Around midnight I would collapse
into bed with pitch stained hands totally exhausted and nearly nauseous from the smell of
evergreen. On Christmas day I would awake for
the bleary-eyed opening of Christmas gifts then return to bed to dream of the luxury of a
day when I could really enjoy the Christmas season. I
have been a very lucky girl. While I no longer
have to endure the grind of holiday designing, I miss it. Yes, I really miss it. I miss
putting up Christmas trees in hotel lobbies and hanging garland in office buildings. I miss the crush of Christmas centerpieces, the
last minute orders and the crazy bride who decides on Thanksgiving to get married on
Christmas Eve. I even miss the smell of
evergreen and the sound of glass Christmas balls crashing on a hardwood floor. |
