Have yourself a floral little Christmas

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We say it with flowers all year round, but it seems that we forget about flowers at Christmas once the rain and cold weather sets in. But this seems silly given all of the seasonal plants that are available to brighten those dull days: poinsettia, holly and mistletoe all feature, as do more unusual flowers like winter aconite, Christmas rose, and African violet. There's no reason to stop flowers being your gift of choice this winter, with Interflora offering a range of affordable combinations - such as one which uses holly, blue spruce, and snowed eryngium, to name just a few. 

But if you don't fancy purchasing actual plants, plenty of other ideal Christmas presents also contain winter flowers - particularly when it comes to beauty buys. Yves St Laurent's perfume, Cinema, contains amaryllis, which are very popular in winter due to their ability to bloom well indoors. Neal's Yard also makes a mahonia gel, which promises to clarify acne-prone skin thanks to mahonia's anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory qualities. The cold-tolerant witch hazel is also widely used for the same purpose. And the reed diffuser set made by Wax Lyrical not only uses holly and ivy, but also white jasmine and rose, to create a truly Christmassy feeling throughout your home.

Interflora is helping to spread the word about how flowers can be part of your home and beauty routine all year round - hence why Christmas gift hampers from Interflora, featuring more unusual seasonal fare, are also now available. The company is widening its market, no longer offering just flowers, so that you can please all your relatives from a one-stop shop. Try their Heavenly Scents Happy Box (£50), which contains frangipani shower gel, lavender hand lotion, and a Coeur de Fleur citrus candle. The Divine Elegance box (£80) does not focus entirely on beauty, but includes an evergreen reed diffuser alongside elderflower liqueur and other Christmas treats (Prestat truffles, anyone?). Finally, their A Little Life Happy Box (£100) also manages to sneak in a floral fancy: recipients can enjoy a geranium hand lotion after a green tea bath, as well as Belgian chocolate, an embossed journal, and a cashmere eye mask.

In short, saying it with flowers this Christmas couldn't be easier. And thanks to all the other gifts they've thrown in, I have a feeling that plenty of people will be sending a thank-you note to Interflora in January.