Keeping Thanksgiving Social

by Sharon Mikulinski, Global Marketing Director, FloraLife

Thanksgiving is a time for gathering with family and friends, a time we all reflect on everything that we are thankful for and count our blessings. No matter what is on your Thanksgiving menu, home decor, or what traditions you follow, the common factor? Togetherness. So how do we keep some semblance of a holiday we hold dear that is centered around gathering at a time of social distancing? Get creative of course!

Want to learn more? Visit the flower care experts at www.floralife.com

The Great Outdoors

Moving the party outside lets you gather while being able to maintain social distancing and have good air flow. Prepping your patio and re-thinking traditional seating arrangements opens a lot of alternatives up for your Thanksgiving celebration.

• Instead of one long table with everyone seated shoulder to shoulder consider smaller tables that family units can be grouped and seated together while enjoying the gathering at a safe distance.
• Plan on a pop-up canopy (with good airflow of course) so that rain or shine you’re ready to celebrate. Using green garlands, fall leaves, and lighting to decorate the canopy will definitely make it festive!
• Use hearty disbuds, pompons, carnations and greens for floral table centerpieces. Incorporate fall leaves, ornamental pumpkins, pods and gourds into centerpieces and place settings for that fall holiday touch.
• If using outdoor heaters to keep things cozy be sure to keep flowers away from extreme heat.
• Use battery operated candles to avoid open flames.
• Offer guests SOAP packets at each place setting to clean their hands periodically throughout the day.

Virtual Holiday

Lack of outdoor space or distance between you and relatives? Plan a virtual holiday! Although we would all prefer to be together, if circumstances aren’t favorable to do so we can still find ways to connect.

• Create a shared decorating theme between all households on the virtual guest list to make it feel more as if you are in the same place. Order the same flowers for delivery to each household prior to the holiday, purchase the same containers, napkins etc. online.
• A day or two before Thanksgiving when your flowers arrive have a virtual decorating party and arrange flowers together! It’s a great way to share this tradition and to have a test run of your device’s place setting at the table for the main event.
• Be sure to follow proper care and handling of fresh cut flowers so arrangements last well past Thanksgiving. Always follow care and handling instructions included on flower food packets.

Best Practices

No matter how you celebrate, the best flowers always start with best practices!

1. Start with a clean bucket or container, sanitized with a floral cleaner such as FloraLife® D.C.D.® Cleaner. Use Floralife® D.C.D. ® Cleaner on every single surface, tool and work area every time you clean.
2. Fill buckets with cool water mixed with flower food solution according to manufacturer’s recommendation. Use clean, good quality water and do not use water that has been treated with a water softener as the salt levels can be damaging to flowers. Use a dosing unit that is properly calibrated, or hand mix the solution according to label instructions.
3. Remove any foliage that would fall below the solution level.
4. Re-cut stems approximately 1” using clean and sanitized clippers or knife, unless you use FloraLife® Express Technology.
5. For best results when processing dry pack or re-processing flowers, cut and dip in an instant hydrating treatment such as Floralife® Quick Dip to jump-start hydration and ensure free-flowing stems. This is a must for roses and Gerberas to help prevent bent necks.
6. Place flowers in previously prepared container.
7. Allow minimum 2 hours to hydrate placing buckets in an area with good airflow.
8. Avoid getting water on blooms, this can cause botrytis to develop.
9. Check water levels daily, add water with flower food solution as needed.
10. Avoid displaying nearing extreme heat, cold draft, or ripening fruit or vegetables.
11. Always remember FIFO (first in first out) when rotating flowers.
12. Use a professional finishing spray such as Floralife® Finishing Touch to refresh, hydrate and protect your flowers. Quick and easy to apply, this is a final step before your arrangements go out the door. A simple fine-mist spray is all it takes to maximize customer satisfaction and extend the enjoyment of receiving flowers.

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