With Halloween falling on a Friday, I know many of you will be hosting parties. Or maybe you’d just like to look festive for trick or treaters. You know you can count on flowers for a colorful and cheerful touch.
For some simple, elegant touches, how about:
* Single orange Gerberas in black bud vases. Or wash and re-use green or brown beer bottles as vases.
* Green or white spider mums sitting atop a mini-pumpkin (slice the top off, clean the pumpkin and use floral foam to hydrate the flowers).
* Paint single branches of curly willow black, green, purple or gold and display in low bowls.
* A plant is a super way to liven up your doorstep on Halloween and for several months afterward.
* Or treat yourself to adorable arrangements designed by the experts at Teleflora. I particulalry love these two Halloween flower bouquets. There are many more to choose from on teleflora.com.
Meanwhile, in honor of Halloween, I compiled this trivia quiz about the holiday.
1. Halloween was popularized in the 1800s by which immigrant group?
A. German
B. Norwegian
C. Irish
D. Swedish
2. We carve pumpkins in America; when jack-o-lanterns were created in Europe, what vegetable was used?
A. Turnip/Rutabaga
B. Cabbage
C. Beets
D. Extra large potatoes
3. Which Halloween tradition comes from an old Scottish custom?
A. Dressing up in costumes
B. Trick or treating
C. Bobbing for apples
D. Telling ghost stories
4. Halloween is celebrated in Japan. True or False.
5. Which U.S. city holds the biggest Halloween party?
A. New York
B. New Orleans
C. Savannah, Ga.
D. Chicago
6. About $5 billion is spent annually in the U.S. on Halloween costumes. True or False?
ANSWERS
1. C. The holiday comes from an ancient Celtic celebration called Samhain, which took place at the end of the harvest.
2. A.
3. A, B and C. Children would dress in costumes and go door to door, dancing or singing to earn money or sweets. In the U.S. this evolved into trick or treating. They also bobbed, or “dooked,” for apples.
4. True. It is also celebrated in several Latin American countries.
5. A. New York. The Village Halloween Parade started in Greenwich Village in 1973.
6. True. The most popular costume for adults: Witch.
Flower Fact of the Day: If you want gorgeous spring flowers, now is the time to plant bulbs. For ideas and tips, see: http://features.csmonitor.com/gardening/2008/10/29/expert-tips-for-choosing-spring-bulbs-this-fall.
