Christmas Flowers South Africa - A Thoughtful Christmas Gifts

Held on December 25, Christmas is remarkable in the world and is probably one of the holidays! This is a time when family and friends come together to share precious time together.Decorations for Christmas trees decorated with colorful lights and candles houses, it is difficult not to share the joyful atmosphere.

christmas flowers south africa

A beautiful bouquet of flowers and flower arrangements table can vibrate or light up the room really, and because Christmas is a time to give the gift of flowers is as welcome as others. The best thing about flowers is that for all ages.

It is also a very useful gift, as many decorations include flowers in one way or another. Lunch or Christmas dinner, traditionally her family, see the table with the family the best and a beautiful arrangement of fresh flowers, a table, usually acts as a central element. Christmas wreaths and Christmas poinsettias are the traditional favorites and make a statement. Red and green are the colors most often associated with Christmas.

It flowers in general, makes a perfect gift, especially during the Christmas season, and the smell is a good sign of the vibration and the delicacy of the season. Other flowers that are a good choice for Christmas are red roses, lilies and carnations.

If the undesirable situation can not be with family and close friends in this holiday season, buy flowers online and they can have an easy and fun to send this message of care and attention.Most online florists offer a book or a messaging service to add a personal touch to your beautifully designed flowers for Christmas - perfect right when they leave their loved ones flowers to the door "in time for Christmas!

christmas flowers delivery south africa gift baskets

Another thoughtful gift is easy and delicious gourmet basket. The great thing about stopping is that you can be creative, and is designed for all occasions such as flowers, suitable for all ages.A Christmas present to prevent it the trick! You can fill with sparkling wine and other delicacies that will be a welcome addition to the joy of Christmas.

A Christmas to avoid that can be customized to ensure that prevents a range of products of some favorite receivers.

It can also be given as a gift for a family, with something for everyone, young and old.

The combination of a gift basket and flowers can give to a magnificent visual feast thinking said. Reputation online florists, you can help prevent and delicious gourmet colorful fresh flowers.

If you use the services of an expert online flowers and gifts, it is desirable to confirm and advanced Christmas specials were offered. Since this is a busy time of year, confirming that they will do deliveries or around Christmas. Most deliveries are made on the day before christmas flowers south africa blog .

If you know ahead of you, for whatever reason, could not spend Christmas with their loved ones, be sure to contact your flower and gift experts as soon as possible to avoid disappointment. So even if you can not attend the festivities, you still have the message that family and friends in their thoughts.

Christmas drinks guide: 12 wines and spirits to light up your Christmas - Christmas Flowers South Africa

It’s not too late to stock up the drinks cabinet for the big day, or hunt down a gift for a wine or cocktail loving friend. Here’s a dozen wines and spirits worth sniffing out this Christmas…

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WINE

Blason de Bourgogne Crémant de Bourgogne Rosé

This dry rosé is a sophisticated alternative to Champagne, and much better value. It shows strawberry and raspberry characters and a hint of creamy brioche. Great with smoked salmon or on its own as a classic celebration drink. £12.99 from Waitrose

Montes Reserva Sauvignon 2010

New world Sauvignon Blanc, such as this bottle from Chile, continues to lead the way and it’s easy to see why. It’s fresh, zingy and mouth filling with enough acidity to make your taste buds sing. Again, great with fish or as an aperitif. £7.99 from Majestic, £8.19 from Morrisons

Laurent Miquel L’Atelier Vermentino 2010

Vermentino isn’t one of the most popular white grape varieties but that’s no reason to dismiss it. This French version from esteemed Languedoc winemaker Laurent Miquel is elegant, austere and exotic with citrus fruit and more complexity than you’d find in similar whites such as Sav Blanc or Pinot Grigio. £9.99 from Waitrose

McWilliam’s Mount Pleasant Elizabeth Semillon 2005

As a rule white wines are best enjoyed young, but some like this Semillon benefit from a few years’ bottle aging. The time in bottle gives it a richness and complexity that is bold enough to take on the traditional  christmas flowers south africa turkey. Expect to find passion fruit and honeyed notes in this award-winning wine. £9.99 from Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Majestic and Wine Rack

Laurent Miquel L’Atelier Miquel GSM 2008

GSM is a blend of the traditional southern French varieties of Grenache, Syrah and Mourvèdre. This exciting blend works brilliantly with most roast meats - including turkey - as it’s brimming with plum and berry fruit characters and has a rich, peppery finish.  £9.99 from Waitrose

Vergelegen Cabernet Sauvignon/Merlot

If you’re looking for a fireside red this season, look no further than this Bordeaux-style blend from South Africa. Made up of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot it’s juicy, fruity (think plums and dark cherries) and has a touch of spice and wood characters due to its oak aging. £9.99 from Morrisons

The Chocolate Block, 2010

This awesome wine from Franschhoek in South Africa is as  christmas flowers south africa blogs as red wine can get without mulling it. It’s rich, full-bodied and jam-packed with ripe black and red fruit, oak and vanilla. Given its name it’s no surprise that it goes down well with dark, bitter chocolate, but works even better with roasted red meats and bold cheeses. £18 from Waitrose

Beachcomber Low ABV Wines

This trio of fruit-driven white, red and rosé wines from Australia carry only 5.5% alcohol so are ideal for those who enjoy wine but not the side effects that come with the hefty ABVs of many of today’s wines. Perfect for all occasions. £5 from Tesco

SPIRITS

Bloodshot Vodka

If there’s one cocktail that’s designed for Boxing Day it’s a Bloody Mary, and with the help of Bloodshot Vodka the whole process just got a lot easier. Crafted in West Sussex from English wheat and distilled seven times to guarantee purity the vodka is then blended with chilli, black pepper, citrus and celery bitters, horseradish, Worcestershire sauce and oak aged ruby port to give it a kick. For the perfect Bloody Mary simply mix one part of Bloodshot with four parts tomato juice and pour over ice. £21.99 from Firebox

Ginger Wine

Technically a wine, hence its name, but more often used in cocktails than enjoyed neat, ginger wine is perfect at this time of year. Mix three parts scotch whisky (nothing fancy, a blended whisky will do) with two parts of ginger wine for a winter warming Whisky Mac. Alternatively add a splash to the bottom of a Champgane flute and top up with sparkling wine for a tasty aperitif. £5-£6 from all major supermarkets

Talisker

Made on the Isle of Skye Talisker is one of the more smoky, earthy single malts and is the perfect gift for a malt loving friend or relative. This year it’s being released in a special edition gift back that includes a 20cl bottle of 10-year-old Talisker, a rocking glass and a hip flask. Perfect for the Boxing Day walk. £19.99 from whisky specialists

Tanqueray

A special edition bottle of Tanqueray gin had been released this Christmas that’s ideal for the cocktail enthusiast in your life. It comes in a high-quality silver shrink sleeve, complete with tasting notes and recipes. The gin itself is packed with classic juniper and citrus characters as well as other botanicals including peppery coriander and aromatic angelica. £19.49 from the Whisky Exchange

Head to Briarwood for Christmas in Warren - Christmas Flowers south africa

There are christmas flowers south africa displays... and then there are magical works of art that are a labor of love. Some might say the incredible arrangement of lights and music at the Briarwood Drive East home of Jack and Teri Klingert is among the latter.

"We decided about a year ago to give it a shot," he said, humbly describing something more akin to hitting a home run in the first at-bat.

His decorations—the result of 12-months of planning, constructing and programming—includes hundreds of LED lights on graceful arches, miniature christmas flowers south africa blogs trees and one 17-foot tree, and angels dancing and illuminating four carefully chosen Christmas sings broadcast on an FM signal for passing motorists to enjoy ("passing" isn't really correct, since few can help by stop and admire).

"It's a way to give back to the community," Klingert said.

Klingert, a former Bell Labs engineer, became enamored of the world of "Blinky Flashy," as aficianados of the elaborate decorations call their hobby, and dove in. An online community growing around the website at doityourselfchristmas.com helped him locate supplies—he needed more than a mile of wire to construct his display—as well as vendors from Nebraska to South Africa and China.

Most amazingly, he devised the entire layout in his head.

"I couldnt believe he could do it that way—I'd need a written plan," Teri said.

But she added when it came time to assemble everything outside, his number- and color-coordinated cables and wires made it a snap.

"We just needed two warm and dry days in November to assemble it," Klingert said.

And everything worked on the first flip of the switch (take that, Clark Griswold!)—although he admits to tweaking some of the lights.

Since each light can be controlled down to one-twentieth of a second, with hundreds of possible brightness settings, he has adjusted some to better fit the music. Each light has been individually programmed, and is operated by a control box operating using software running on a desktop computer inside the house. Amazingly, the whole display uses about 150 watts of electricity—less than three medium-wattage incandescent light bulbs.

How do you synchronize hundreds of lights to music?

"Well, first you have to listen to each song...over and over...and over," he said. Eventually, ideas for synchronizing the lights came to him and he made the necessary settings.

Now as Christmas approaches, the couple watch with joy as drivers pull up and watch the 15-minute presentation.

"We can hear the kids screaming and laughing," Klingert said. "It really makes us happy."

You can see more of the display on their Facebook page.

For the best view of the display, Klingert said to take Briarwood Drive West off of Liberty Corner Road, and tune your radio to 92.7 FM for the music accompaniment. The display is set to automatically shut down at about 10:15 p.m.

Gardening advice: Enjoy this history and growing tips for amaryllis and poinsettias - Christmas Flowers South Africa

christmas flowers south africa season has its favorite flowers; amaryllis and poinsettia.

Giving gifts of either of these is always appreciated and sends a special message to the recipient. I thought it would be nice to share some history of both of these flowers as well as how to care for them.

Amaryllis

•Amaryllis and Hippeastrum (Knight Star) are similar and both members of the Amaryllidaceae family. Both are warm climate plants, and come from Africa and South America.

•As you know, most of us purchase the bulb, and this often comes in a package with a vase, or pot, soil and instructions. When purchasing this for yourself or as a gift, make sure the bulb is fairly large and feels solid, or firm.

Also at this time of year, a healthy bulb will most likely be sending up thick blade-like green shoots and a single strong looking stem with developing buds. If it is already blooming, look for bulbs that haven't bloomed yet.

•When planting the bulb, make sure the soil covers it up to its neck. At the same time, make sure the roots have lots of freedom to grow.

•Once it blooms, it does become top-heavy, so adding support may be necessary.

•This plant holds water and will continue to hydrate the bloom for quite awhile, so overwatering can be hazardous.

•When the blooms are done and the leaves turn yellow, the bulb will be dormant. Prune off the dead foliage, let the soil dry out, and keep it in a cool place until it begins to produce again (usually between September and December of the next year).

These bulbs have been known to last as long as 75 years.

•If your bulb has made offshoots, these can be removed and potted up.

•If you are an early shopper and buy a bulb for someone on your christmas flowers south africa blogs list, it is best to wrap it and keep it in a cool place (50-65 degrees) until gift-giving time.

Poinsettias

•The poinsettia Euphorbia pulcherima was first cultivated by the Aztecs of Mexico. Its first religious connection came about during the 17th century when, because of its brilliant color and holiday bloom, Franciscan priests in Mexico began to use the flower in Nativity processions.

•Poinsettias were first introduced into the United States in 1825 by Joel Robert Poinsett, the first U.S. ambassador to Mexico. Poinsett, a skilled botanist, had some plants sent to his home in Greenville, S.C. After establishing the plants in his own greenhouse, he began to send them to various botanical gardens and fellow horticulturists.

•To keep your poinsettia growing and happy during the season, it is best to set it in bright light and a cool place — not drafty.

•Poinsettias are often pot bound when you purchase them and will benefit from being repotted, roots loosened up, and fresh potting soil added.

•While the poinsettia is blooming, mix a teaspoon of granulated fertilizer in the watering can along with a little Epsom salts. Never overwater. It is important with any container plant to make sure the container has drain holes and the plant is not setting in water.

•Re-flowering your poinsettia is not easy, but with patience it can be done. Go to this web site for fairly easy how-to instructions: http://urbanext.illinois.edu/poinsettia/reflowering.cfm.

Jane Ford is an Advanced Master Gardener. Email questions to features@news-sentinel.com. This column is the personal opinion of the writer and does not necessarily reflect the views or opinion of The News-Sentinel.

Shoppers Opt For Less Expensive Gifts - Christmas Flowers South Africa

christmas flowers south africa blogs  have taken heed of a warning to tighten their belts, responding by opting for less expensive gifts this festive season.

Shopping centres and malls across the country are buzzing with less than two weeks to go till Christmas, but it does not look as though 2011 will be a bumper year for retailers.

Retail analysts have urged consumers not to be reckless with their money in order to avoid feeling the pinch come January.

Nonetheless, it is expected that shoppers over-indulge at this time of the year, and retailers say they have seen a significant increase in sales in the past week.

"We’ve had good sales," said one shop owner.

Another shop owner believed that people were "cautiously spending".



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Food price hikes to bite at festive cheer -Christmas Flowers South Africa

Festive season consumers will pay higher prices for food, including chicken, meat and vegetables.

The hikes have been fuelled by the increase in diesel and paraffin prices, and a critical maize shortage.

With millions of South Africans already battling poverty and high food prices, this could be a bleak christmas flowers south africa for many.

Recently, the Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries announced higher food prices because of the maize shortage. The surge in prices, the department said, would be caused by a shortage of grain feed for animals after South Africa’s maize surplus was exported.

Grain is an important input in most food production. The shortage was attributed to the unusually hot, dry weather in July and freezing temperatures in September which had reduced yields.

Thami Bolani, National Consumer Forum chairman, said people should expect more food price increases with toll road tariff hikes. He said the rand was also not doing well and this had a negative impact on food prices.

“This is something we should expect, especially in protein and rice, because the demand is high globally. People should spend their money wisely to be able to cope with the food prices. There are many unemployed people out there and others spend 50 percent of their salaries on feeding their families,” said Bolani.

Black Sash spokesman, Nkosikhulule Nyembezi, said many households in South Africa were struggling with food security. He said a few households were practising agriculture including farming.

“Government needs to intervene and expand on programmes to alleviate poverty. Many households rely only on grants which means the additional increase will reduce food,” said Nyembezi.

Chicken

Astral Foods spokesman, Philip Tozer, confirmed that chicken prices were much higher than previous years.

“The high cost of maize has pushed up the prices on animal feeds and this had contributed to the chicken price increase. Also, the demand is higher during the festive period which also pushes up the prices.”

CEO of the Red Meat Producers’ Organisation of SA, Gerhard Schutte, said this industry had seen significant prices increases in the last year.

He said generally in the first two weeks of December, red meat prices spiked because of the demand.

“People will pay top prices for red meat before christmas flowers south africa blogs . The changing weather patterns and cost of animal feeds has increased the producer prices. Animals have also been plagued by diseases such as Rift Valley Fever. This has hit the farmers hard. In the last year, the producer price of beef has increased by 34% and mutton by about 15%.”

“This is well above the inflation rate. But, the demand is high.”

According to last month’s Food Monitor survey, the South African Consumer Price Index (CPI) increased by 6% between October 2010 and October 2011. Food and non-alcoholic beverages inflation increased by 10.6 % between October 2010 and October 2011, the highest level since May 2009.

Since October 2010, food and non-alcoholic beverages inflation has shown a strong increasing trend, from 1% to 10.6 % in the past year. The survey found that the annual increase in food and non-alcoholic beverages inflation was largely driven by the annual increases in oils and fats (22.6%), sugar (14.9%), meat (14.6%) and vegetables (11.8%). The prices of processed food products increased by 10.3% from October 2010 to October 2011 and the price of unprocessed food products increased by 11.5% over the same period.

The outlook for food prices for December 2011 to February 2012 was expected to remain higher than 10% for the next three months.

With the festive season upon us, higher costs will filter down to consumers.

Meat prices generally increase during this period and it is likely that the rate of increase in pork and chicken meat prices could outpace the rate of increase in beef and lamb prices.

Wheat prices have declined over recently and there are no current hints of bread price hikes.

Higher potato prices came sooner than anticipated because excessive rain and frost reduced the size of the potato crop.

This week’s diesel price increase of between 44 and 47 cents a litre, depending on the grade, and the 43 cents a litre hike in he price of wholesale paraffin, was also expected to bump up food prices.

CEO of the Agricultural Business Chamber, John Purchase, warned at a recent COP17 briefing that the effects of climate change on food security could be the biggest shock yet and that the days of cheap food were gone.

Purchase said the evidence of global warming was shown in the higher incidence of extreme weath- er conditions such as droughts, floods, heat waves and cyclones.

“The impact of climate change on agriculture and agriculture water management are uncertain. The biggest concern is the impact on food availability, food access and food utilisation.”

South Africa deal on cards for Mustard - Christmas Flowers south africa

Phil Mustard has been contacted about a contract to play in South Africa’s Twenty20 competition, having helped Mountaineers win Zimbabwe’s Stanbic Bank 20 Series.

Opening the batting, Mustard top-scored with 56 in a 27-run victory over a Mashonaland Eagles side featuring Ryan ten Doeschate, Peter Trego, Rory Hamilton-Brown and Andrew Hall in Sunday’s final at Harare Sports Club.

It was the third straight score of 40 or more for the 29-year-old Durham wicketkeeper-batsman, who signed a five-week deal that also includes a four-day and one-day game before he returns home for christmas flowers south africa .

With the tournament televised in South Africa, Mustard’s exploits have attracted attention from south of the border ahead of their domestic T20 which runs from mid-February to the end of March.

“I’ve had some feedback from South Africa saying they might be interested in me going over for the Twenty20 cricket,” Mustard, who played in 10 one-day and two T20 internationals for England from 2007 to 2008, told ecb.co.uk.

“It was a great opportunity for me to come out here and perform because SuperSport, which is the South African TV, had it all. So that was perfect for me. I’ve performed pretty well so hopefully that puts me in the window for the South African Twenty20.”

Besides those he faced in the final, Yorkshire batsman Gary Ballance and Hampshire all-rounder Liam Dawson were among other county players taking part in the competition.

Mustard believes the quality of Zimbabwe’s T20 is reasonably high, aiding his cause for a contract in South Africa.

“Once you bring in all the county players, I think it brings the standard up a little bit. It would probably be a bit better than (county) second team cricket,” he said.

“You’ve got the internationals as well like Dirk Nannes, Chris Gayle, Shaun Tait, Ryan ten Doeschate, Rory Hamilton-Brown, myself, Paul Horton and Tom Smith from Lancs. You’ve got really good cricketers over there to better the standard and I think it’s showing.”

The level of coaching has also impressed Mustard with the likes of Dave Houghton at Matabeleland Tuskers and Yorkshire-bound Jason Gillespie at Mid West Rhinos.

“I think it’s pretty good, the coaching out here,” Mustard added. “They’ve got some big names like Jason Gillespie, Dave Houghton. They’ve got some really good coaches out here and I think people just enjoy coming because it’s quite a nice country to come to.”

Mustard himself has been enhancing his coaching skills by working with the youth and senior sides at the Harare-based franchise.

“I wouldn’t say it’s like proper coaching,” he admitted. “Basically it’s being around the team while I’m playing for them, trying to help out as much as I can.

“It’s not a case of one-to-one stuff. It’s just a case of coming out here and trying to help some young guys in Zimbabwe to improve their cricket. I think it’s gone pretty well.”

Keep up to date with all that's new around the world - read match reports and more from every international played christmas flowers south africa blogs .