Christmas comes but once a year
What has been going on in my small florist business lately?
CHRISTMAS at The George Hotel
As part of my small florist business Flowers in Rye, I have the privilege of not only providing wedding and event flowers but also supplying weekly flower arrangements to The George in Rye Hotel. Situated in the heart of the town on the bustling High Street, this historic and recently refurbished hotel holds a special place within the Rye Community. It plays a central role in the festive activities organised by the town in the lead-up to Christmas.
Preparing for the holiday season at The George is a meticulous process that requires careful thought, purchasing and planning. As early as August, amidst the flurry of weddings and other events, we begin to allocate any spare minute to think about the hotel’s Christmas decorations. This year, our preparations physically started on the 13th November.
The goal was to have the majority of the decorations, particularly those visible from the front of the hotel in place by 18th November. This date held significance as Rye hosted an official charity Christmas light switching-on event, with the town crier, local celebrities, choirs and late-night shopping adding to the atmosphere.
From carefully selecting the colour schemes to curating and making our own original Christmas installations, every detail was considered to create a cosy and enchanting atmosphere in the hotel’s reception and bar areas. The decorations were designed to compliment the hotel’s luxurious and historic charm whilst infusing it with a touch of Christmas magic.
Decorating the hotel for Christmas presented its challenges, particularly when it came to handling the massive 18 ft+ tree. With 6000 lights to be secured and unfavourable weather conditions, including days of pouring rain and gales, the task seemed daunting. However, we accomplished it with the assistance of the maintenance team at the George and a skilled local farmer who lifted the tree to the balcony. I am immensely grateful for their support, this being my first year in charge of project ‘Christmas Tree’, it has become a noteworthy topic of conversation among the hotel staff.
This year we decided to enhance the hotel’s entrance by creating a stunning large green garland using blue spruce, eucalyptus, ivy, and matching fairy lights as the tree above. This not only adds a festive touch but also a beautiful backdrop for couples getting married during the Christmas season. To construct the arch, I repurposed a homemade freestanding structure that was originally used for a floral wedding arch back in May. As with all my installations, I prioritize sustainability and avoid using floral foam. Blue spruce is an excellent choice as it can withstand being out of water for an extended period, given the moisture in the air this year, I haven’t been too concerned about its longevity.
Going inside, last year I made 4 double sided wreaths for the windows out of gypsophila they dried beautifully and I was able to store them for a whole year, just enhancing them with a bit of ethereal painted asparagus fern, peeled honesty, and copper wired lights.
The Snug area features a magnificent red woodburner, which makes using a natural green garland impractical due to the warmth it generates. Since this area is popular amongst guests, I opted to create a dried garland for the mantlepiece, cohesive with the wreaths it incorporates larch, Limonium, honesty, eucalyptus, and other dried elements from the garden. To add a warm and inviting ambiance, I adorned it with warm white copper lights. This completes phase one of the decorations.
Phase two, involved sorting all the other decorations stored in the depths of the George cellars, three Christmas trees, umteen boxes of lights, baubles, and garlands. I am lucky to have access to an old local pear orchard, I always had the bar area in mind for this product, to replace the slightly tired autumnal ceiling installation from the previous year. It is the perfect replacement covered in fairy lights, dried allium heads, and rusted metal snowflakes for a twinkly festive feel. On the two large window sills looking out to the courtyard, I placed mossy balls, storm lanterns, cones, and glass candle holders.
Another favored seating area in the bar is in front of yet another large wood burner, which has a year-round fireplace installation on it, which gets updated as the seasons progress.
In phase three of the hotel’s Christmas decorations, I embarked on transforming various areas to create a festive ambiance, the hall was festooned with natural larch branches, and the reception area needed a tree, ensuring it became a captivating focal point for guests. However, my personal favorite this year is the restaurant installation, building on last year’s decorations, I repurposed large gypsophila balls that were previously hung individually between the lanterns. This time I grouped them to form a cloud display, to enhance the visual impact I incorporated different-sized mirror balls and lights resulting in a funky and eye-catching display.
Lastly, I dedicated attention to the Ballroom, where I erected an enormous tree, ready to enchant guests attending Christmas weddings. Additionally, I adorned the adjacent Long Room, Green Room, and Staircases with tasteful light decorations.
Overall, I’m pleased with the results, the aim always being to create a captivating atmosphere throughout the hotel, ensuring a memorable event for all the guests.
If you have a pub, hotel or house that you would like to dress for Christmas or an event please do not hesitate to get in touch.
