The holiday season presents an exciting opportunity to reimagine traditional décor. When looking beyond traditional holiday plants, I've found several stunning alternatives that bring fresh energy to indoor or outdoor holiday décor. 

Wreaths, in my mind, are the epitome of festival holiday decor. I like mixing lavender, small olive trees, sage, eucalyptus, blue spruce and soft leafy plants like dusty millers or silver ragwort for that frosty holiday aesthetic. Succulents can also work well here. These plants play well with holiday ornaments and trimmings in blues, purples, and silvers.

While I love the traditional pine wreath, I’ve recently been turning to succulent rosette wreaths. Just like traditional wreaths, succulents can be displayed vertically hanging or as table-top centerpieces with candles. The best succulents to use are Graptopetalums and Echeverias as they have large rosettes and come in pretty hues. The best part, no shedding needles and they work year-round! 

Friendly pro tip: If you choose to remove succulents from soil, try to leave at least an inch or two of stem so that you can propagate them back in soil more easily after the holiday season. Succulents are hardy and can survive a week or two out of soil. They will appreciate a bit of misting at the stems however. 

If you are looking for colorful holiday cheer but want to avoid the poinsettia, an amaryllis can be a charming alternative. Amaryllis are specifically grown indoors to produce flowers during the winter, so they should be easy to find at your local nursery. They look wonderful as standalone plants but can also make beautiful table centerpieces when arranged with different colors. 

For outdoors, I am a big fan of shrubs with unique berries. The Red Osier Dogwood, for instance, displays beautiful berries throughout winter to complement any snowy landscape.   

I hope these give you some ideas on transforming your home for the holidays!