I adore the end of the year. As autumn colors fade away and the chill in the air deepens with the brush of winter, the world seems to become that bit more magical.
But I can't lie, I really do miss the beautiful flowers. As a hopeless romantic, red roses are my absolute favorite. That explains why when I saw Kourtney Kardashian incorporated these gorgeous flowers into her festive decor, I couldn't believe my eyes. It was bold, unexpected, and breathtakingly romantic.
Kourtney shared glimpses of her festive tree in an Instagram carousel, alongside a spectacular table display set with red roses and candles (slides 6 and 9 show the full, dramatic effect). The result is the perfect blend of Christmas tradition and modern romance – intertwining the classic trio of green, red, and gold, but with a fresh, edgy twist.
To help you get this look yourself with real or faux roses, I talked to two experts in floristry to learn exactly what to do to keep your blooms looking lively all season. It's much easier than you may first think.
Why Red Roses Work So Well
There's no set way to decorate for the holidays, but there are many reasons why foliage and florals slot right in when it comes to decorating.
As Alex Kantor of Perfect Plants explains: "Kourtney's rose-covered Christmas tree creates a perfect blend of nature and glam, which is easy to achieve and sticks to traditional Christmas colours."
Adding flowers to a festive tree – something already linked to the natural world, even if you opt for an artificial Christmas tree – provides the perfect blank slate for natural decorating, whether it's roses like Kourtney's or something else like snow-dusted pinecones.
How to Achieve the Look
Faux roses are the easiest route – simply clip on and call it a day, though it's important to get ones that look realistic, like the Fiobee rose hair clips from Amazon.
But if you're keen to use fresh flowers, the best way to go about it is by slotting cut stems through your tree's branches into tubes of water. It's a classic florist's trick.
Tyler Francis, Co-CEO of April & Ashley, a provider of farm-to-door roses, shared his pro tips for keeping the roses fresh.
He says, "The best way to achieve the look of Kourtney's rose-adorned Christmas tree using fresh roses is to use roses that feel firm with tight buds as they will be more hardy, and to then place each rose in an individual flower tube, like these Tessco ones. This provides an ongoing water source to stems.
"I recommend first trimming each stem down at a 45-degree angle to help with water absorption and then placing all your rose stems in water mixed with floral preservatives for at least 2-3 hours before decorating."
The FloraLife Quick Dip hydrating treatment from Amazon is a good choice for this.
It's best to check on your roses every few days to see if the tubes need their water replenished, but you don't have to take all the roses out when you're checking! Simply use a small watering can with a thin spout to top them up in situ.
Shop Stunning Roses
These handpicked roses are as fresh as can be. Use the "water tube" hack above to keep them looking lively on your Christmas tree for days.
These individual water tubes are ideal for festive blooms. They feature rubber caps to keep your roses in place, and the green tubes blend in seamlessly with foliage.
The sheen on these faux silk roses will look lovely surrounded by twinkling lights. Plus, the long stems are perfect for securely slotting between your tree's branches.
