"Gratitude Overflows: medetashi - New Year's Gifts 2026" #4 Introducing a new option for New Year's with an assorted mum mix
Have you made plans for the New Year's holidays yet?
This year, it looks like I'll be spending a quiet New Year with my family at home.
Amidst that, I suddenly found myself pondering "what to do about New Year's flowers."
An extravagant New Year's arrangement somehow feels a bit too eager. But if I don't decorate at all, it feels like an extension of everyday life, just like any other day, and a little lonely...
It was discussing this feeling with store manager Usui at a product planning meeting that led to the creation of this household Mum MIX.
She agreed, "It would be nice if there were flowers that could bring a sense of New Year's festivity more casually."
Is it auspicious to decorate with mums (chrysanthemums) for the New Year?
My request was actually very simple.
- I want to feel a proper sense of "auspiciousness" for the New Year.
- I prefer an atmosphere that isn't too traditional Japanese, but suits modern living.
- If possible, I want to minimize the effort.
To address these small concerns, store manager Usui proposed the "Omakase Mum MIX."
This is a bouquet for home use, consisting of 4-5 stems of stylishly blooming mums tied together.
Mums, unlike common chrysanthemums, are "Western chrysanthemums" that have been selectively bred in Europe and other regions.
Unlike chrysanthemums, which are strongly associated with Buddhist altars, mums feature a wide range of colors and bloom shapes, making them enjoyable as interior decor.
They retain the inherent qualities of chrysanthemums, such as
- Ease of care
- Excellent longevity
- Auspiciousness
while offering a stylish appearance never seen before.
For this Mum MIX, we have primarily selected mums with a bloom shape called "decoratively bloomed."
If you imagine a vibrancy closer to dahlias than chrysanthemums, it might be much easier to visualize.
(It's wonderful to have a dahlia-like appearance with such good longevity, isn't it?)
*Decoratively bloomed: Refers to a bloom shape where petals overlap in multiple layers and are densely packed towards the center.
Furthermore, chrysanthemums have long been considered an auspicious flower, symbolizing wishes for longevity, especially for the Choyo no Sekku (Chrysanthemum Festival).
They are the perfect flowers for New Year's, when we wish for a healthy start to the new year.
Why Mums are Actually Great for Home Use
Long-lasting and enjoyable for a long time
The greatest charm of mums (chrysanthemums) is, without a doubt, their excellent longevity.
While it depends on the variety and environment, it's not uncommon for them to stay vibrant for over a week if properly watered and re-cut.
As an aside, the nuanced spray mums I brought home from a New Year's photoshoot at the end of November are still standing crisp and fresh.
This reliability is truly a blessing during the busy New Year's season.
Easy to care for and fuss-free
In addition to their longevity, mums are very easy to care for.
The New Year's holiday season can be hectic, and it's easy to forget to change the water daily.
Delicate flowers can spoil with a little neglect, but mums are different.
Even if you forget to change the water for two or three days, they often recover their vigor when recut, and their strong vitality is another one of their charms.
About &YOUKAEN's Home Use Mum MIX
Mum MIX that values "not over-decorating"
"Maintain auspiciousness while decorating stylishly."
It sounds simple when spoken, but it is actually very difficult.
Many of you have probably experienced the difficulty of choosing "long-lasting, New Year-appropriate, yet home-suitable flowers" from a crowded flower shop at the end of the year.
Please rest assured on that point.
&YOUKAEN's florists, including store manager Usui, will select the mums in the best condition at that time and deliver them in a stylish balance.
Stylish, long-lasting, and easy to care for.
This Mum MIX is designed to fulfill those slightly greedy wishes.
Unlike arrangements specifically for New Year's, a welcome point is that they can be displayed as is even after the New Year.
The impression changes just by changing the vase, so feel free to enjoy it by using a white ceramic vase for New Year's, and then a clear vase when returning to daily life.
Simply place them in a vase
Since it's a bouquet of single-stem disbudded mums, you can simply place them in a vase as soon as they arrive, and they will look perfectly arranged.
No complicated arranging is needed.
Even those who feel "they are not good at decorating" can incorporate them with confidence.
Daily care to enjoy mums beautifully
Basic care (this is all you need)
Change the water, preferably once a day. If that's difficult, try to keep the water as clean as possible.
Mums are fibrous, so it is said that breaking the bottom of the stem rather than cutting it diagonally with flower scissors helps them absorb water better.
For placement, a cool spot where warm air from heating does not directly hit them is recommended.
Flowers that can be displayed even after the New Year
While elegant, the flashiness that screams "New Year" is subdued.
Mums (chrysanthemums) are auspicious flowers that have been loved in Japan for a long time.
Even after the New Year, they naturally blend into daily life, requiring no special disposal or effort.
They are recommended as New Year's flowers that can be enjoyed with peace of mind from the beginning to the end of their display.
For a relaxed New Year, choose mums
It doesn't have to be grand.
But it should still be properly auspicious.
Why not welcome the new year in a relaxed way by decorating with mums (chrysanthemums) for New Year's?
It will surely be a pleasant start to the year.
Dec 18, 2025
