December Birth Flowers
Read time - 8 mins
A team of flower, style and design experts and enthusiasts. We love sharing advice on all things floral and offering top tips on expressing yourself and your emotions.
A team of flower, style and design experts and enthusiasts. We love sharing advice on all things floral and offering top tips on expressing yourself and your emotions.
December is undoubtedly one of the most exciting months of the year. With the buzz of Christmas and the anticipation of the New Year, it’s a time to celebrate, spend time with loved ones, eat, drink, and be merry!
This month is associated with two official December birth flowers: holly and narcissus. Holly is instantly recognisable for its glossy, spiny green leaves and vibrant red berries, while narcissus is admired for its delicate, fragrant, star-shaped blooms.
Having two birth flowers offers greater variety and meaning, particularly when choosing a birthday gift for someone born in December. Holly symbolises resilience, protection, and strength, while narcissus represents hope, renewal, and new beginnings.
Many are familiar with December’s zodiac signs, Sagittarius and Capricorn, but birth flowers offer a more distinctive and personal source of gifting inspiration. They’re a meaningful alternative to zodiac or birthstone gifts, and a truly thoughtful way to celebrate the unique qualities of their recipient.
December birth flower: holly
Note: While a lovely, festive choice for December birthdays, holly is sadly poisonous to humans and animals. Eating just a few berries is enough to make you seriously ill, so holly might not be the best gift for households with children or pets.
Why does holly represent December?
Holly represents resilience, good fortune, hope, and protection during the darkest and coldest days of the year. Its evergreen leaves bring warmth and a splash of colour when most other plants have gone dormant.
Most birth flowers are linked to the month in which they are at their best. For example, the aster reaches its peak in early autumn, making it the perfect birth flower for September. However, holly flowers in late spring to early summer, usually around May to June in the UK, not in December as you might expect.
It’s recognised as the birth flower for December, not because of when it reaches maturity, but because of its remarkable ability to thrive in harsh winter conditions, making it a symbol of strength and endurance.
To learn more about this hardy shrub, you can explore our ultimate guide to holly.
History and symbolism of holly
Holly has long been celebrated as a floral symbol of winter, representing resilience, hope, and joy, and making a perfect gift for birthdays during this time.
Pagan Roots
The ancient Celts and Druids considered it a sacred plant with protective powers. It was often hung over doorways to bring good luck and ward off negativity, especially around the winter solstice (the shortest day of the year).
Roman Traditions
The Romans also valued holly. During Saturnalia, a festival honouring Saturn, the god of agriculture, homes were decorated with holly as a symbol of life, fertility, and renewal.
Christianity Links
As Christianity spread across Europe, many traditions around holly were adopted into Christmas celebrations. Its prickly leaves came to represent the crown of thorns worn by Jesus, while its evergreen foliage symbolised eternal life and resurrection.
Gifting tips for holly
Holly’s red and green colour scheme is fitting for winter birthdays, and it can be gifted in various ways, such as a wreath, potted plant, or festive floral bouquet.
For a sophisticated bouquet, we recommend pairing its branches with contrasting white flowers like roses, lilies, or carnations. If you prefer a more traditional Christmas look, combine holly with complementary red flowers like classic roses and poinsettias. Or, for a rustic, natural look, add pine cones, eucalyptus, and other textured seasonal foliage.
Holly encourages resilience through life’s challenges and is perfect for those who love the magic of Christmas and fully lean into having a birthday during this time of year.
December birth flower: narcissus
Why does narcissus represent December?
Narcissus represents December because it thrives in winter and symbolises renewal and fresh starts. Paperwhite Narcissus can grow indoors in just water and pebbles, bringing light and fragrance during even the darkest days of the year. Its resilience and timeless elegance make it a lovely gift for any friend, family member, or loved one.
History and symbolism of narcissus
Narcissus is native to the Mediterranean region and has been cultivated for thousands of years across Europe, Asia, and North America. The paperwhite narcissus (Narcissus papyraceus) is especially popular during winter thanks to its fragrant white blooms and ability to flower indoors.
The name ‘narcissus’ comes from a handsome young hunter from Greek mythology. According to legend, he became so captivated by his reflection in a pool that he could not look away. It is said that the first narcissus flowers grew where he died, linking the bloom to beauty while also serving as a reminder of the dangers of vanity.
Whether it’s for a birthday, new home, new job, wedding, the arrival of a baby, or any other special occasion, narcissus is an incredibly hopeful flower, perfect for celebrating new beginnings and the promise of brighter days ahead.
Gifting tips for narcissus
Narcissus makes a beautiful birthday gift and pairs wonderfully with a wide variety of flowers and foliage. Its delicate blooms and crisp white petals are perfectly suited to winter birthdays, evoking images of frosty mornings and fresh snowfall. Surprising a loved one with a narcissus bouquet is a lovely way to celebrate them as they grow another year older and wiser.
Pair it with roses, eucalyptus, and silvery foliage for a wintery look. If fragrance is a priority, combine it with other sweetly scented favourites such as lilies, sweet peas, freesia, or hyacinth for a bouquet that smells just as amazing as it looks. Alternatively, embrace the flower’s simplicity with a sleek all-white arrangement with white roses or tulips.
Gifting narcissus is a wonderful way to send hope, joy, and positivity out into the world. For the person in your life who never fails to put a smile on your face, it’s a way to return the favour and show just how much they mean to you.
Why december birth flowers make meaningful gifts
Choosing December birth flowers adds a personal touch to birthday gifting. Instead of just sending a beautiful bunch of flowers, choosing holly, narcissus, or a mix of both gives your gift meaning tied to their birth month. It’s a creative alternative to birthstones or zodiac gifts, and a gorgeous way to make their birthday flowers feel made for them.
Choosing someone’s special birth flowers helps you share sentiments that go beyond the blooms themselves. Whether you want to celebrate hope, resilience, renewal or joy, they’re a simple way to make a birthday gift feel considered and memorable.
Browse our birthday flower collection and, for something extra special, ask your florist to include holly or narcissus in the bouquet wherever possible.
Celebrate with the birth flower for December
December is a time for celebration. Holly brings colour, charm and resilience, while narcissus brings elegance and hope. Together, they capture the mood of the month perfectly - meaningful, joyful and full of winter magic.
They’re incredibly versatile, too, working in simple hand-tied bouquets, elaborate arrangements, and wreaths alike. Choosing December birth flowers adds a personal, symbolic touch to birthday gifting, especially when paired with a card explaining their meanings. In the colder months, seasonal flowers bring warmth, life, and colour when it’s needed most.
Birth flower December FAQs
The birth flowers for December are holly and narcissus. Holly is known for its glossy green leaves and bright red berries, making it a natural fit for festive arrangements. Narcissus brings a softer, more elegant feel, with delicate flowers that symbolise hope, renewal, and fresh starts.
December has two birth flowers to reflect the contrasts of the month: the calm stillness of winter, the bright cheer of festive celebrations, and the transition from the year’s end to the promise of a fresh start. This duality also offers more gifting options, making it easy to choose blooms that suit different personalities.
Holly is a symbol of strength, protection, resilience, and eternal life. It thrives even in the coldest months and brings a pop of green and red to the muted winter landscape. Its enduring beauty makes it a meaningful choice for December birthdays and other seasonal celebrations.
Narcissus symbolises hope, renewal, prosperity, purity, and the promise of brighter days ahead. The delicate white blooms of the paperwhite narcissus reflect frosty winter landscapes and fresh snowfall, bringing light, optimism, and understated beauty to winter bouquets.
Yes, birth flowers make thoughtful and meaningful gifts. They connect to the recipient’s birth month, adding a personal touch and symbolic significance, making them a unique and memorable alternative to traditional presents.
Want to know the official birth flowers beyond December? Our full guide to finding your birth flower covers every month, revealing the meaning, symbolism, and stories behind each bloom so you can celebrate birthdays all year round.
More inspiration
Discover even more ways to make birthday gifting feel personal and meaningful. From the symbolism of each bloom to thoughtful finishing touches, there are plenty of ideas to inspire your gift-giving.
